Danke Robert für den Tip - hab ich gleich gespeichert. Allerdings würde ich es erst ohne Repercussa als Balkennote setzen - und schaffe es nicht meine beiden Hauptprobleme in den Griff zu bekommen:
1) Die Position der Noten im ersten Takt so zu modifizieren, dass sie am linken Rand landet und
2) den Text soweit nach rechts zu bringen, dass er mit dem Taktstrich beginnt und nicht vorher.
Im Prinzip möchte ich Text und Akkord linksbündig am Taktanfang haben. Es sieht aber so aus:

\version "2.18.2"
\header {
title = "Psalm 107"
composer = "E.C.Bairstow"
}
global = {
\time 4/4
\key d \major
}
soprano = \relative g' {
\global
b1 | cis2 d | g,1 | \bar "||"
g1 | a2 b | cis, d | e1 | \bar "||"
a1 | g2 c | b1 | \bar "||"
b1 | e2 d | a cis, | d1 | \bar "|."
}
alto = \relative c'' {
\global
g1 | a2 a | d,1 | \bar "||"
d1 | e2 d | cis b | b a | \bar "||"
d1 | d2 g | fis1 | \bar "||"
e1 | b'2 a | d, cis | a1 | \bar "|."
}
tenor = \relative a {
\global
d1 | e2 d | b1 | \bar "||"
b1 | cis2 d | g, g | g1 | \bar "||"
fis1 | g2 e' | dis1 | \bar "||"
b1 | cis2 d | b g | fis1 |\bar "|."
}
bass = \relative c' {
\global
g1 | g2 fis | e1 | \bar "||"
e1 | g2 fis | e d | cis1 | \bar "||"
c1 | b2 a | a'1 | \bar "||"
g1 | g2 fis | e a, | d1 | \bar "|."
}
verseOne = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = "1."
"O give thanks unto the Lord for" he is gracious:
"and his" mercy en- dureth for e ver
\markup \column { {"Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed:"}}
"and delivered from the" hand _ of the enemy
}
verseTwo = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = "2."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "And gathered them out of the lands * from the east and" from the west: from the north and "from the" south.
}
verseThree = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = "3."
"They went astray in the wilderness" "out of" the way:
"and found" no _ city to dwell in;
Hungry and _ thirsty:
their soul _ fainted in them.
}
\score {
\new ChoirStaff <<
\new Staff \with {
midiInstrument = "choir aahs"
instrumentName = \markup \center-column { S A }
} <<
\new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano }
\new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto }
>>
\new Lyrics \with {
\override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER
} \lyricsto "alto" \verseOne
\new Lyrics \with {
\override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER
} \lyricsto "soprano" \verseTwo
\new Lyrics \with {
\override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = #CENTER
} \lyricsto "alto" \verseThree
\new Staff \with {
midiInstrument = "choir aahs"
instrumentName = \markup \center-column { T B }
} <<
\clef bass
\new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor }
\new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass }
>>
>>
\layout {\context {
\Staff
\remove "Time_signature_engraver"
} }
\midi { }
}