Psalm 50

Psalm 49

Psalms 47 and 48

1.   Clap your hand, | all you | peoples;*
         shout to God | with a | cry of | joy.

2.   For the Lord Most High is | to be | feared;*
         he is the great King | over | all the | earth.

3.   He subdues the peoples under us,*
         and the | nations | under our | feet.

4.   He chooses our inheri- | tance for | us.*
         the pride of | Jacob | whom he | loves.

5.   God has gone up | with a | shout,*
         the Lord with | the sound | of the | ram's-horn.

6.   Sing praises to God, sing praises;*
         sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7.   For God is King of all the earth;*
         sing prai- | ses with | all your | skill.

8.   God reigns | over the | nations;*
         God sits | upon his | holy | throne.

9.   The nobles of the peoples have | gathered to- | gether;*
         with the people | of the | God of | Abraham.

10. The rulers of the earth | belong to | God,*
         and | he is | highly ex- | alted.

1.   Great is the LORD, and highly | to be | praised; *
         in the city of our God is his holy hill.

2.   Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the | hill of | Zion, *
         the very center of the world and the | city of | the great | King.

3.   God is | in her | citadels; * 

         he is known | to be | her sure | refuge.

4.   Behold, the kings of | the earth | assembled * 

         and | marched for- | ward to- | gether.

5.   They looked and | were a- | stounded; *
         they re- | treated and | fled in | terror.

6.   Trembling | seized them | there; * 

         they writhed like a woman in childbirth, 

         like ships of the sea when the | east wind | shatters | them.

7.   As we have heard, so have we seen,

         in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city | of our | God; *
         God has | es- tablished | her for- | ever.

8.   We have waited in silence on your  | loving-kindness, O | God, * 

         in | the midst | of your | temple.

9.   Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to | the world's | end; *
        your right | hand is | full of | justice.

10. Let Mount Zion be gladand the cities of | Judah | rejoice, *
        be- | cause of |your judg- | ments.

11. Make the circuit of Zion; walk | round about | her; *
        count the | number | of her | towers.

12. Consider well her bulwarks; | examine her | strongholds; *
        that you may | tell those | who come | after.

13. This God is our God for- | ever and | ever; * 

he shall | be our | guide for | evermore.

Psalm 46

Psalm 45

Psalm 44

Psalm 43

1.   Give judgment for me, O God, 

        and defend my cause against an un- | godly | people; *

        deliver me from the de- | ceitful | and the | wicked.

2.   For you are the God of my strength; why have you put | me from | you?*            and why do I go so heavily while the | ene-my | oppress- es | me?

3.   Send out your light and your truth, that they | may lead | me, * 

         and bring me to your holy | hill and | to your | dwelling;

4.   That I may go to the altar of God, to the God of my | joy and | gladness; * 

         and on the harp I will give thanks to | you, O | God my | God.

5.   Why are you so full of heaviness, | O my | soul? * 

         and why are you so dis- | quieted | within | me?

6.   Put your | trust in | God; * 

         for I will yet give thanks to him,
         who is the help of my | counte- nance, | and my | God.

Psalm 42

1.   As the deer longs | for the | water-brooks, *

        so longs my |soul for | you, O | God.

2.   My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the | living | God; *

        when shall I come to appear be- | fore the | presence of | God?

3.   My tears have been my food day and night, * 

        while all day long they say to me, | Where now |is your | God?"

4.   I pour out my soul when I think | on these | things; *

        how I went with the multitude and led them | into the | house of | God, 

5.   With the voice of | praise and | thanksgiving, *

        among those |who keep | holy | day.

6.   Why are you so full of heaviness, | O my | soul? *

        and why are you so dis- | quieted | within | me?

7.   Put your | trust in | God; * 

        for I will yet give thanks to him, 

        who is the help of my | countenance, | and my | God.

8.   My soul is heavy | within | me; *

        therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan 

        and from the peak of Mizar | among the | heights of | Hermon.

9.   One deep calls to another in the noise | of your | cataracts; *

        all your rapids and floods | have gone | over | me.

10. The LORD grants his loving-kindness | in the | daytime; *

        in the night season his song is with me, 

        a prayer | to the | God of my | life.

11. I will say to the God of my strength, "Why have you | for- gotten | me? *

        and why do I go so heavily | while the | enemy oppresses | me?"

12. While my bones | are being | broken, *

        my enemies | mock me | to my | face;

13. All day long | they mock | me *

        and say to me, |"Where now | is your | God?"

14. Why are you so full of heaviness, | O my | soul? *
        and why are you so | dis- quieted | within | me?

15.  Put your | trust in | God; *

        for I will yet give thanks to him, 

        who is the help of | my countenance, | and my | God.

Psalm 41

1.  Happy are they who consider the | poor and | needy! *
        the LORD will deliver them | in the | time of | trouble.

2.  The LORD preserves them and keeps them alive,
        so that they may be happy | in the | land; *
        he does not hand them over | to the will | of their | enemies.

3.  The LORD sustains them | on their | sickbed *

        and ministers | to them | in their | illness.

4.  I said, "LORD, be | merciful to | me; *

        heal me, for I | have sinned | a- gainst | you."

5.  My enemies are saying wicked | things a- | bout me: *

        When will he | die, and | his name | perish?"

6.  Even if they come to see me, they speak | empty | words; *

        their heart collects false rumors; they | go out- | side and | spread them.

7.  All my enemies whisper together | about | me *

        and devise | evil | against | me.

8.  "A deadly thing," they say, "has | fastened on | him; *

        he has taken to his bed and will | never get | up a- | gain."

9.  Even my best friend, whom I trusted, who broke | bread with | me, *

        has lifted up his | heel and turned | against | me.

10. But you, O LORD, be merciful to me and | raise me | up, *

         and | I shall | repay | them.

11. By this I know you are | pleased with | me, *

         that my enemy does not | triumph | over | me.

12. In my integrity you | hold me | fast, *

         and shall set me be- | fore your | face for- | ever.

13. Blessed be the LORD | God of | Israel, *

         from | age to age. | Amen. | Amen.

Psalm 40

I actually wrote this yesterday, but I did not get it posted last night.  So, I'm still on track with my Lenten discipline.  I tried to write this one in Phrygian mode.  I will always remember Lauren Hill reading this Psalm at the Grammy's in her acceptance speech.  I wanted to convey both the adversity of trials and hardship, along with the joy of deliverance. 

1. I waited patiently u- | pon the | LORD;*
he stooped to | me and | heard my | cry.

2. He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the | mire and | clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and | made my | footing | sure.

3. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise | to our | God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe, and put | their trust | in the | LORD.

4. Happy are they who | trust in the | LORD! *

they do not resort to evil | spirits or | turn to false | gods.

5. Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God! 

how great your wonders and your | plans for | us! *
there is none who can | be com- | pared with | you.

6. Oh, that I could make them known | and tell | them! *

but they are | more than | I can | count.

7. In sacrifice and offering you | take no | pleasure *

(you have gi- | ven me | ears to | hear you);

8. Burnt-offering and sin-offering you | have not re- | quired, *

and so I | said, "Be- | hold, I | come.

9. In the roll of the book it is written con- | cerning | me: *

'I love to do your will, O my God; your | law is | deep in my | heart.'"

10. I proclaimed righteousness in the great | congre- | gation; * 

behold, I did not restrain my lips; | and that, O | LORD, you | know.

11. Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and | your de- | liverance; *
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness | from the great | congre- | gation.

Forty Days of Chant, Psalm 39

Three years ago, for my Lenten discipline, I wrote an Anglican Chant for a psalm every day. I had intended to complete 40 chants for the first 40 Psalms in the 40 days of Lent.  You can see those chants in earlier posts on this blog.  Alas, I made it to Psalm 38.  Fortunately, failing at a Lenten discipline just allows us to repent and once again experience the forgiveness of God.

I'm picking up where I left off for my discipline this year.  I ask your prayers as I once again attempt to write forty chants in forty days.  Below is today's chant on Psalm 39.  I wrote a single chant that moves from c-minor to c-major because the verses of the psalm frequently express multiple emotions in a single verse.  For example, verses 5-7 expound upon the shortness and transience of life.  Then verse 8 reads,

And now, what is my hope?
     O Lord, my hope is in you.

The despairing question of the first line is followed by the assured declaration of the second.

1.  I said, "I will keep watch up- | on my ways,*
       so that I do not | of-fend | with my | tongue.

2.  I will put a muzzle | on my | mouth*
        while the wick- | ed are | in my | presence."

3.  So I held my tongue | and said | nothing;*
        I refrained from rash words; but my | pain be- | came un- | bearable.

4.  My heart was hot within me; while I pondered, the fire burst | into | flame;*
        I | spoke out | with my | tongue:

5.  Lord, let me know my end and the number | of my | days,*
        so that I may know | how short | my life | is.

6.  You have given me a mere handful of days and my lifetime is as nothing | in your | sight;*
        truly, even those who stand erect are | but a | puff of | wind.

7.  We walk about like a shadow, and in vain we | are in | turmoil;*
        we heap up riches and cannot tell | who will | ga- ther | them.

8.  And now, what | is my | hope?*
        O Lord, | my hope | is in | you.

9.  Deliver me from all | my trans- | gressions*
        and do not make | me the | taunt of the | fool.

10. I fell silent and did not | open my | mouth,*
        for surely it | was you | that did | it.

11. Take your af- | fliction from | me;*
        I am worn down | by the blows | of your | hand.

12. With rebukes for sin you punish us; like a moth you eat away all that is | dear to | us;*
        truly, everyone is | but a | puff of | wind.

13. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear | to my | cry;*
        hold not your peace at my tears.

14. For I am but a | sojourner with | you,*
        a wayfarer, as | all my | forebears | were.

15. Turn your gaze from me, that I may be | glad a- | gain,*
        before I go my | way and | am no | more.