"Fall Slow Tears". I enjoy a contemporary worship service, and I like the praise songs that go with it. But I also like "traditional", and it was a blessing to attend the "traditional" service at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin on January 30 with Walter and Morgan.

Recognizable in the order of service was a Reformed liturgy, including a Prayer of Confession. Immediately after the Prayer of Confession, an actual choir sang: they sang in four parts, they wore robes, they were well rehearsed, they had fine voices - and those were the voices of believers singing. To me it was a bit of Heaven.

The choir sang a choral piece I had not heard before. "Fall Slow Tears" by Ruth Elaine Schram. It is based on Psalm 51. Here are the lyrics:

Fall slow tears and drown all my doubts and fears
And wash away my sin and shame in the flood of forgiveness and mercy.
Weep, sad eyes; my soul in repentence cries.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit withiin me.
Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Take all my iniquities upon You.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me.

I found a place on the 'net where you can hear an excerpt of this anthem if you have RealPlayer. Find it
here.