The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork (Ps. 19:1) The question of whether the wonders of creation do or do not prove the existence of an omnipotent Creator and intelligent design will always be debated. The psalmist is definitely in the 'do' camp, the theme appearing strongly in many … Continue reading Psalm 19, 24 Jan 2015
Category: Psalms
Skip and jump; 37, 92, 138
The poetic moods in the psalms range from dark and penitent to skipping and jumping. Sometimes several moods mix in any one song, making the choice of a suitably supportive musical style challenging. The title today is occasioned by a different issue, that of the psalms we do not hear. Some we jump because they did … Continue reading Skip and jump; 37, 92, 138
Psalm 36, 17 Jan 16
Compared with a couple of weeks ago when I felt that we should have started at the beginning of the psalm not half-way through, this time I don't lament that we skip the first four verses. They tell us that the wicked are wicked. Big deal -- although verse 4 about the wicked 'thinking up evil on … Continue reading Psalm 36, 17 Jan 16
Psalm 48, 5 Jul 15
There's something mysterious about high mountains. As Philip Marsden writes: Sacred mountains crop up in most traditional cosmologies... Olympus, Tabor, Sinai, Ararat, Fuji ... it's hard to think of a great mountain that is not linked with the gods or even a distinctive hill that has at some stage generated a local belief. (1) Marsden … Continue reading Psalm 48, 5 Jul 15
Psalm 29, 10 Jan 16
What you see is what you get in this simple song of praise and awe. The poem is all about divine creativity, influence and majesty, poetically characterised as the voice of God. The voice That high-octane voice is declared to be in thunder, in the breaking down of cedars and shaking of lands; we hear of fire, flood and … Continue reading Psalm 29, 10 Jan 16
Psalm 147, 3 Jan 16
The last half-dozen songs in the psalter are songs of praise and joy. Each one begins with a Hallelujah or call of praise to God. This one is longer than most. We start at verse 12, although to my mind the selection is best read in the context of the whole psalm. It rings as a little … Continue reading Psalm 147, 3 Jan 16
Psalm 148, 27 Dec 2015
Those denizens of the deep (Ps.148:7) pop up again after, it seems, so little time. It's exactly a year since our last post on this effusive psalm of praise. At that time, I chose those monsters from the deep for the illustration. Now, with a certain blockbuster movie just released worldwide, maybe I should look upward and choose … Continue reading Psalm 148, 27 Dec 2015
Psalms 96 to 98, Christmas 2015
A joyful package suitable to a joyful occasion, these three songs for Christmas Eve and Day sing out in praise of the creator, the source of goodness, and a responsive jubilant creation. Psalm 96 begins with the much-sung 'Sing to God a new song'. Sure enough, there are dozens of settings ancient and modern of this psalm -- … Continue reading Psalms 96 to 98, Christmas 2015
Psalm 80, 20 Dec 15
With the Song of Mary as the canticle of the week and Christmas carols in the air, Psalm 80 is not likely to be much heard. Still, it's worth a look for several reasons. The modern reader might be mystified by the historical references that come up early in the song; you might dig Israel and Joseph but why … Continue reading Psalm 80, 20 Dec 15
First song of Isaiah, 13 Dec 15
As we noted two weeks ago, we are into canticles or individual songs of praise (from the Latin canticulum meaning little song) in the place of the psalm during Advent. Which ones? Which texts are accepted as canticles is another question. Different church traditions tend to use different lists. One web-site lists dozens of them which, it … Continue reading First song of Isaiah, 13 Dec 15
Psalms in the South 