Thomas Sternhold

Short Name: Thomas Sternhold
Full Name: Sternhold, Thomas, d. 1549
Birth Year (est.): 1449
Death Year: 1549

Thomas Sternhold was Groom of the Robes to Henry VIII and Edward VI. With Hopkins, he produced the first English version of the Psalms before alluded to. He completed fifty-one; Hopkins and others composed the remainder. He died in 1549. Thirty-seven of his psalms were edited and published after his death, by his friend Hopkins. The work is entitled "All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternhold, late Groome of the King's Majestye's Robes, did in his Lyfetime drawe into Englyshe Metre." Of the version annexed to the Prayer Book, Montgomery says: "The merit of faithful adherence to the original has been claimed for this version, and need not to be denied, but it is the resemblance which the dead bear to the living." Wood, in his "Athenae Oxonlenses" (1691, vol. I, p. 62), has the following account of the origin of Sternhold's psalms: "Being a most zealous reformer, and a very strict liver, he became so scandalized at the amorous and obscene songs used in the Court, that he, forsooth, turned into English metre fifty-one of David's psalms, and caused musical notes to be set to them, thinking thereby that the courtiers would sing them instead of their sonnets; but they did not, some few excepted. However, the poetry and music being admirable, and the best that was made and composed in these times, they were thought fit to be sung in all parochial churches." Of Sternhold and Hopkins, old Fuller says: "They were men whose piety was better than their poetry, and they had drunk more of Jordan than of Helicon." Sternhold and Hopkins may be taken as the representatives of the strong tendency to versify Scripture that came with the Reformation into England--a work men eagerly entered on without the talent requisite for its successful accomplishment. The tendency went so far, that even the "Acts of the Apostles" was put into rhyme, and set to music by Dr. Christopher Tye.
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.


Texts by Thomas Sternhold (55)sort ascendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Ye men on earth in God rejoiceT. S. (Author)3
With heart & mouth unto the LordT. S. (Author)3
Why did the Gentiles tumults raise?T. S. (Author)4
What is the cuase that thou O LordT. S. (Author)2
How ever it be yet God is goodT. S. (Author)3
Thy praise alone, O Lord, doth reignSternhold (Author)English3
Thou art (O Lord) my strength and stayThomas Sternhold (Author)3
There is no God as foolish menThomas Sternhold (Author)3
The man is blest whose wickednesseThomas Sternhold (Author)3
The man is blest that hath not bentT. S. (Author)3
The man is blest that careful isT. S. (Author)3
The Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most highThomas Sternhold (Author)English132
The heavens and the firmamentThomas Sternhold (Author)3
The foolish man is that which heT. S. (Author)3
Our ears have heard our fathers tellThomas Sternhold (Author)English3
Oft they (now Israel may say)Thomas Sternhold (Author)English1
O thou my soul, bless God the LordT. Sternhold (Author)English2
O Lord within thy TabernacleThomas Sternhold (Author)3
O Lord that heaven dost possesseT. S. (Author)English3
O Lord my God I put my trustT. S. (Author)3
O Lord how joyfull is the KingT. S. (Author)3
O Lord how are my foes increased, Which vex me more and moreT. S. (Author)3
O Lord, how are my foes increased? Against me many riseThomas Sternhold (Author)English4
O Lord give eare to my just causeT. S. (Author)3
O God that art my righteousnessThomas Sternhold (Author)3
O God our Lord how wonderfulT. S. (Author)3
O God, my strength and fortitudeThomas Sternhold, -1549 (Author)English32
O God my God, wherefore dost thouT. S. (Author)3
O God my God I watch betimeThomas Sternhold (Author)3
My soul give laud unto the LordT. S. (Author)English3
My shepherd is the living Lord, Nothing therfore I needThomas Sternhold (Author)3
My Shepherd is the living Lord, I therefore nothing needThomas Sternhold (Author)English16
My Shepherd is the living Lord, Now shall my wants be well suppliedThomas Sternhold (Author (1st quartrain))English1
Lord keep me for I trust in thee And do confess indeedT. S. (Author)English3
Lord in thy wrath reprove me notThomas Sternhold (Author)3
Lord be my Judge and thou shalt seeT. S. (Author)3
Let God arise and then his foesT. S. (Author)3
Judge and revenge my cause O LordT. S. (Author)3
Joy to the world! the Lord is come!Thomas Sternhold (Author)English2
Incline thine eares unto my wordsT. S. (Author)English3
In trouble and in thrallT. S. (Author)English3
In trouble and adversityT. S. (Author)3
In my distress I sought my GodThomas Sternhold (Author)2
I will give laud and honour bothT. S. (Author)3
I trust in God, how dare ye thenT. S. (Author)English3
I lift my heart to thee, My God and Guide most justSternhold (Author)English10
How long wilt Thou forget me Lord? Shall I never be remembered?Thomas Sternhold (Author)English2
How long wilt Thou forget me, Lord, Shall it forever beT. S. (Author)English1
Help Lord for good and godly menT. S. (Author)3
Give to the Lord ye PotentatesT. S. (Author)3
Blessed art thou that fearest GodT. S. (Author)English3
Attend, my people, to my law; Thereto give thou an earThomas Sternhold (Author)English3
Ascribe to God, ye sons of menThomas Sternhold (Author)English2
All ye that fear Him, praise the LordThomas Sternhold (Author (stanza 1))2
All people that on earth do dwellSternhold (Author)English2
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