AcWriMo 7: Old Street CM

I like these words by Isaac Watts, but the only sung version of them I know is a bit difficult for congregational singing. You can hear it about 33 seconds into my Easter Journeys contribution from spring 2012:

Now, I’m sure there are other tunes. “Martyrdom” is certainly used sometimes, but that is now so closely associated with “As pants the hart for cooling streams” that it feels a bit odd. “Hudson” is used, with a refrain, but it’s awfully cheerful given the subject matter.

1 Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
and did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
for sinners such as I?

2 Was it for sins that I have done
he groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
and love beyond degree!

3 Well might the sun in darkness hide
and shut its glories in
when Christ, the mighty Maker, died
for his own creatures’ sin.

4 Thus might I hide my blushing face
while his dear cross appears,
dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
and melt mine eyes to tears.

AcWriMo 7 — Old Street — PDF
AcWriMo 7 — Old Street — MIDI robots

Again, I’m not entirely happy with this. I should have written a melody that didn’t have the natural minor 7th so early: that sort of forces it into the relative major sooner than I like. But I didn’t start this with the impression that I would write thirty wonderful, amazing hymn tunes, so I’m trying not to beat myself up too much about the ones that are a bit mediocre!