[Note: no sung psalm at South Woden, balancing family moments and carols with the great virtue of brevity.] 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 … Continue reading Psalm 96, 97, 98; 25 Dec 20
Tag: songs
Psalm 89, 20 Dec 20
Psalm 89 is quite long at over fifty verses. So it ranges across several themes, beginning with a song of praise: 1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as … Continue reading Psalm 89, 20 Dec 20
Psalm 147, 4 Feb ’18
This psalm, like others in this final handful in the Psalter, is a song of praise, calling us to rejoice in the creation and the ubiquitous evidence of divine love and care. With sudden shifts of focus, a visionary sweep of the universe, the selected text (verses 1 to 11 in Year B) alternate between … Continue reading Psalm 147, 4 Feb ’18
Psalm 149, 10 Sep 17
'God takes pleasure in people.' (4) This is the penultimate psalm in the book, short and bitter-sweet. Four verses of praise, singing and dancing, including the important statement of love quoted above; four verses of wreaking vengeance on enemies; and in the middle, it appears, a good lie down! Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; … Continue reading Psalm 149, 10 Sep 17
Psalms 96, 13, 29 May 2016
Psalm 96 is another call by the psalm songster to sing, yet again, a new song. Trouble is (quite apart from the fact the we are not actually singing the set psalm 96 this week) we actually like the old songs best. You remember words and tunes you learned as a young person, while other more … Continue reading Psalms 96, 13, 29 May 2016
Victoria’s Requiem, 28 May 2016
Acclaimed early music performer Jordi Savall once wrote: Culture, art, and especially music, are the foundation of an education that allows us to realize ourselves personally and at the same time, be present as a cultural entity, in an increasingly globalized world. I am deeply convinced that art is useful to society, contributing to the education of … Continue reading Victoria’s Requiem, 28 May 2016
Psalm 144, a gross skip
While we have the bookmark at Psalm 148 for 24 April 2016, let's pick up Psalm 144 (text>), the nearest 'skip' or omission from the Revised Common Lectionary. Gross? Young readers, if any, may not realise that way back in pre-metric times (excuse me Americans), 144 or a dozen dozen was called a gross. [Quiz … Continue reading Psalm 144, a gross skip
Cloud-capp’d towers
You won't find that little phrase in the psalms: but poetic imagery is there in spades. Part of the fascination of the psalter is the special place in our lives of poetry set to music. As noted previously, the synergy of music and word is somehow magical -- a classic case of the sum being greater than the … Continue reading Cloud-capp’d towers
Benedictus (Zechariah), 6 Dec 2015
The lectionary in some seasons substitutes a canticle or other reading for the psalm. We can hardly feel short-changed: we sing most of the psalms over the three-year (weekly) cycle, compared with less than 10% of the rest of the Bible. Anne Richardson, of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, writes: All three of the non-Psalm options in … Continue reading Benedictus (Zechariah), 6 Dec 2015
Psalm 96, Christmas Day
In many churches, Psalm 96 is read on Christmas Eve, for example midnight mass, while the next two psalms are listed for the great day itself. Psalm 97 uses fiery image to proclaim God's sovereignty. Psalm 98 is a burst of joy: O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. ... All … Continue reading Psalm 96, Christmas Day
Psalms in the South 