William Goode

The Reverend William Goode (1762, 1816) was an influential English clergyman, author, and metrical psalmist whose career bridged pastoral ministry and global missionary expansion. Born in Buckingham on April 2, 1762, he spent his youth working alongside his father in business before pursuing a deep, underlying calling to holy orders. He prepared for his academic studies under the tutelage of Thomas Bull, a prominent dissenting minister in Newport Pagnell. In 1780, Goode entered Magdalen Hall, Oxford, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1784 and his Master of Arts in 1787.

The Reverend William Goode, M.A.. Source: National Galleries of Scotland

Following his ordination in 1786, Goode initially served as a curate in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire. He later moved to London to assist William Romaine at St. Ann's, Blackfriars. After Romaine's death, Goode succeeded him as the rector of the combined parish of St. Andrew by the Wardrobe and St. Ann's, Blackfriars, a position he retained for the rest of his life. Alongside his regular parish duties, Goode was a highly sought-after lecturer, holding notable appointments at St. John of Wapping and St. Lawrence Jewry. He died on April 15, 1816, leaving behind a rich legacy of published sermons and theological essays.

Founding the Church Missionary Society

Goode possessed an intense passion for foreign mission work, believing that the Christian church had a direct obligation to spread its message globally. In 1799, he opened his rectory at Blackfriars to a group of like-minded evangelical clergy and laymen, including John Venn and John Newton.

This historic meeting resulted in the foundation of the Society for Missions to Africa and the East, which was later renamed the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Goode served as a vital advisor and practical organizer for the society during its vulnerable early years, using his London network to secure funding, recruit volunteers, and establish global outreach strategies.

The Metrical Version of the Psalms

Goode made his most enduring contribution to church music through his ambitious poetic project published in 1811 under the title An Entire New Version of the Book of Psalms. His explicit goal was to adapt the traditional Hebrew psalter to modern Christian worship, recasting the biblical poetry into a wide variety of popular metric structures.

               ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
               │         GOODE'S METRICAL RE-IMAGINING          │
               └───────────────────────┬────────────────────────┘
                                       │
         ┌─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┐
         ▼                                                           ▼
   THE HISTORICAL PSALM                                       THE CHRISTIAN HYMN
   • Ancient Hebrew context                                    • Set to modern meter & rhyme
   • Centered on local Israelite history                       • Adapted for congregational singing
   • Fixed structure                                           • Refocused through a Christian lens

Unlike earlier rigid paraphrases, Goode sought a more flexible style that resonated with contemporary congregations. The collection was highly successful, going through three editions during his lifetime. In the decades following his death, prominent hymn editors like Charles Kemble and Edward Bickersteth extracted dozens of his verses for their own hymnals, introducing his work to audiences throughout Great Britain and North America.

Notable Psalms in Common Use