God is our strength and refuge

Richard Bewes’ text for the same Psalm is a 20th-c example of the music coming first, and a secular tune being claimed for biblical words (cf among others 6, 38 and 45), in this case by the author. Prompted by a popular film theme and ‘the imperative need to put chanted Psalms into a singable framework’, he wrote this in 1970 for family services at St Peter’s Church, Harold Wood, Essex, where he was vicar. It was first sung one Sunday that spring, and quickly became a favourite. For copyright reasons the tune could not then be printed with these words, so for Psalm Praise (1973) Michael Baughen wrote what he later named DEVA (see 636) to fill the gap. Since its first appearance, the author has changed ‘waters’ to ‘floods’ at 1.6. Like 46A but unlike the Lutheran versions, this text includes the favourite text ‘Be still …’ (the 10th and penultimate verse of the Psalm) which has been used in hymns such as 754 and shorter songs like 757, but which loses much of its force when its context is missing. On the repeated 7th lines, and on ‘when he shatters the spear’, see the notes to 46A. DAMBUSTERS MARCH is a typical and popular tune by Eric Coates, composed in June 1954 and used soon afterwards by Leighton Lucas as the basis for the musical score of the film of that name. Although it appeared to be written for the film, when Teddy Holmes of Chappell’s explained the request from Associated British Pictures ‘he received the astonishing reply “I think I finished it yesterday��’(Geoffrey Self, In Town Tonight, 1986, p93). The tune proved an instant success and received many accolades; ‘a superb march, universal in its popular appeal with themes of inspired simplicity’— Self. Its affinity with S H Nicholson’s CRUCIFER (1916) as also been noticed. Much later, a former rear gunner in a wartime Lancaster bomber described in a letter to Richard Bewes how thrilled he had been to hear this tune ‘put to words of peace’ from the Scriptures. It certainly helped to popularise this text; but if its original context were to be recalled or re-enacted with xenophobic or racist intent, as has been known among football crowds, its use might need to be reconsidered.

b Nairobi, Kenya 1934, where he grew up. From a strong missionary family, he attended Marlborough Sch, Emmanuel Coll and Ridley Hall, Cambridge (MA) and was ordained in 1959. After a curacy at Christ Ch Beckenham, Kent, became incumbent of Harold Wood, Essex in 1965; Emmanuel Ch Northwood, Middlesex (from 1974), then for 22 years at All Souls Langham Place in central London, from 1983 until retirement to Ealing, W London, in 2004. His first published hymns and songs were in Youth Praise 1 and 2 (for which he was asst editor, 1966 and 1969); subsequently he was on teams preparing Psalm Praise, Hymns for Today’s Church, other Jubilate collections and the 1975 Keswick Praise. He is a broadcaster, musician, journalist, author of a dozen hymns, other adapted texts and 20 books (beginning with God in Ward 12), and an international conference speaker. His published writing includes popular introductions to Acts (The Church Reaches Out, 1981), Revelation (The Church Overcomes, 1984), some ‘wilderness journeys’ (The Church Marches On, 1986) and other Bible themes, and in 2006, The 100 Top Questions. With Michael Baughen and Noël Tredinnick (qv) he has been a frequent presenter of ‘Prom Praise’ at London’s Royal Albert Hall and in many other cities including Moscow, with the All Souls Orchestra. ‘A communicator at heart’, he has presented a popular video study-series on books of the Bible and has a particular gift for pithy topical preaching, as also for ‘rescuing’ older texts by an evangelical facelift. A keen supporter of ‘Christians in Sport’, he loves tennis and photography among his recreations. Through an international London congregation and staff team, he has retained his deep affection for E Africa, which (like the USA and elsewhere) he has often visited in a teaching and preaching ministry. His 2005 OBE was awarded ‘for services to the Church of England’. Richard died in 2019. No.46B.