Published on
December 16, 2020
Video length
3 mins

This setting of Psalm 104 for solo piano was written and submitted by Heather Niemi Savage.

Psalm 104

How does this psalm piece interpret the psalm? 
“Sustenance and Praise” is not a “quiet meditation” but rather a gritty one. It is a musical contemplation of Psalm 104 that incorporates the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.” The piece alternates between two themes: a more repetitive sustained section with some off-kilter rhythm that brings to mind the normal daily sustenance the Lord provides; and bursts of loud sections of praise. However, the hymn’s melody has some twists that evoke the idea of praising God even in the midst of difficult and stormy times. The piece ends calmly, with a C-major quote of its standard melody but with the A-minor motif from the beginning floating above. 

Sustenance and Praise_WEB PREVIEW

This piece would make an excellent special music presentation. 

Music: Heather Niemi Savage, © Every Generation Music  
Used by permission. 
Contact: Heather Niemi Savage, heatherniemisavage.com 

 

Recent Media Resources

Being Shaped by the Psalms: Lessons in Trust, Hope, and Love

The psalms reflect our deepest emotions as people of faith. In their expressions of thanksgiving, trust, lament, anger, joy, doubt, and praise, these ancient prayers seem to peer right into our souls and put words to our thoughts and experiences. But the psalms are more than human words to God. Embedded as they are in the scriptures, they are now also God’s word to us.

May 12, 2026 | 80 min video
Surprised by the Psalms

Anneke Kaai studied fine art and painting in the Netherlands at secular schools in the 1960s and ’70s. That experience compelled her to express her Christian faith through her art. She has painted many works based on scripture, including three series of paintings on the psalms, which she sees as a bountiful resource of imagery for the full range of human feelings in relation to God.

May 5, 2026 | 90 min video
Psalmody in Black: The Psalter as Human Expression

This workshop explores the deep connection between the psalms and the breadth of human emotion through musical settings by Black composers. Interwoven with reflections on the history and function of the Psalter, this program reveals how these timeless texts continue to speak to the spiritual, emotional, and cultural experiences of our shared humanity. 

May 1, 2026 | 90 min video