In our series of songs that we would never hear from the weekly RCL selections ('Skips'), Psalm 3 is an early gap, the first omission in the Psalter in fact. Perhaps we can see why they skipped this one: Surely you will strike all my enemies across the face, you will break the teeth of the wicked. (v.7) Great Sunday morning … Continue reading Psalm 3
Tag: David
Skipping, 70, 64
The 'Skip and jump' series (see this earlier post of Jan 2016) started off to fill the gaps -- the psalms we do not hear. Psalm 70 only qualifies if you do not observe daily worship for Holy Week (which is South Woden). Those who do will hear (hopefully sing) this one on Wednesday thereof. (You will also hear 36 … Continue reading Skipping, 70, 64
Psalm 25, 29 Nov 15
Psalm 25, an acrostic psalm in Hebrew, runs to 22 verses. The alphabetical arrangement is lost in our translations. The psalmist seems to swing between two states, first soaring then penitential. Our selection is the first ten, more aspirational, verses. David then goes on to lament his failings and seek forgiveness in the second half. Here's the … Continue reading Psalm 25, 29 Nov 15
Psalm 51, 2 August 2015
Psalm 51 is one of the so-called 'Penitential Psalms', the fourth in fact. It begins: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. It goes on in this tone until a glimmer of … Continue reading Psalm 51, 2 August 2015
Psalm 14 or 145, 26 July 2015
Some psalms are decidedly dark. Here's Psalm 14, which tells us about widespread foolishness, corruption and evil (as if we don't know -- and that hot on the heels of the companion Samuel reading bringing us the Great Psalmist's wicked trick on Uriah, to say nothing of the daily news). It's easy to duck these ones and look for a … Continue reading Psalm 14 or 145, 26 July 2015
Psalm 19, 5 October 2014
Psalm 19 declares the glory of the divine as seen in the creation, then moves to the importance of divine revelation ('the law'). However, there are so many familiar yet dense phrases in this broad-ranging and interesting psalm that it's not quite fair to pick just a couple of central themes. Read the text here >> … Continue reading Psalm 19, 5 October 2014
David and Da’ud
The singing of psalms, as mentioned at the home page, is a longstanding and wide-spread tradition. The psalms, like the Torah or Tawrat, are recognised in many major religions besides Christianity (1): As tehillim they appear, of course, in the Jewish scriptures. In Islamic writings frequent reference may be found to the zabur. The zabur are often referred to … Continue reading David and Da’ud
Psalms in the South 