Howard Helvey’s Lord, Thou Hast Searched Me (2011, listen) is an implementation of a very old (by American standards) hymn tune Tender Thought paired with a John Milton (1608-1674) paraphrase of Psalm 139:1-12. Per the music publisher MorningStar, this text is among Milton’s earliest documented writings, at age 15.

Tender Thought first appeared in Kentucky Harmony (1816 – Ananias Davisson), a shape-note songbook said to be the first from south of the Mason-Dixon line. Tender Thought can be seen in Kentucky Harmony here. Note the melody in the tenor line.

Howard Helvey (b. 1968) is a musician engaged on several fronts, having published numerous sacred choral works and involved in leading a church music program and a professional choir, guest conducting, and so on. He lives and works in Cincinnati. His Lord, Thou Hast Searched Me brings a fine accompaniment and obbligato to the traditional tune along with some variant takes on rhythm and harmonization.

Tender Thought as it appears in Kentucky Harmony is in the natural minor key (Aeolian mode). Helvey’s implementation uses the Dorian mode with the Major 6th instead of the minor 6th (except where flatted with accidental). The distinction is only apparent in the harmonization, as the Tender Thought melody itself does not include any 6ths.

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• https://www.ecspublishing.com/lord-thou-hast-searched-me-psalm-139.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Harmony
• https://howardhelvey.com/biography/