Martin J. Nystrom

Martin J. Nystrom, commonly known as Marty Nystrom, was born in Seattle in 1956. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Oral Roberts University in 1979 and worked as a public-school music teacher before serving in music ministry with Christ for the Nations. He later became Integrity Music's first song-development manager, wrote extensively for its catalog, appeared as a worship leader on five Hosanna! Music recordings, and taught at worship conferences in the United States and abroad. His specific denominational membership is not firmly established, although his career developed within evangelical and charismatic worship networks.

Nystrom wrote both the words and music of As the Deer during a 1981 summer term at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas. The song was copyrighted by Maranatha! Music in 1984 and became his defining contribution to congregational song. His other published works include Shepherd of My Soul and Come to the Table. Nystrom's career links two formative streams of late twentieth-century praise music: the Scripture-song repertoire circulated by Maranatha! Music and the recorded worship movement developed by Integrity Music.