Enchanted
What do you do with the psalms?
Do you pray them? Sing them?
May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
- Psalm 67:1-7
In the Sunday Eucharist at our church, we sing a hymn in place of the psalm. While I love the hymns, or at least some of them, I miss reading the psalms aloud.
There is a rhythm to them. At the half-verse, there is an asterisk (*). This is where the reader pauses to give the congregation a chance to respond by reading the rest of the verse.
It is even more beautiful when chanted responsively, with half the congregation leading and the other half responding.
The psalms were meant to be heard, not just inside the head, but aloud.
The embedded video is the Choir at Westminster Abbey singing this psalm. Listen to it and read the words as it plays.
If you feel moved, and no one is around, sing along.
Who knows, you may develop a daily routine. You may even want to join the choir or attend Evensong.
Wishful thinking?
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.
Isn't that a message we need to share?
More to come...