O Lord of hosts, how lovely is your dwelling-place

O Lord of hosts, how lovely is your dwelling place. David George Preston* (1939-). This text was written ca. 1980 at Leicester, where the author then lived and worked with the Inter-Varsity Press. With it, a contemporary paraphrase of a much-acclaimed and popular psalm (84) was wedded to a similarly celebrated and traditional tune, the LONDONDERRY AIR. The words were published in The Book of Praises (1986), and have been reprinted in local collections such as Praises for the King of Kings (1994, see ‘As the fainting deer cries out’*) and hymnals such as Praise! (2000). The words are carefully crafted to match the development of the music, with one syllable given to reach note and its...