Nonetheless, I continue to enjoy this discipline. I am having to dig into the scriptures and try to capture the overall emotional content of each psalm in just a few chords. The brilliance of the psalms emerges quickly when you start trying to capture their emotional complexity in a short chord progression. The psalms, like human-beings, connote contradictory emotions at once. Trying to articulate that in chant is a wonderful challenge.
1 Give ear to my
words, O Lord; *
consider my meditation.
2 Hearken to my cry
for help, my King and my God, *
for I make my prayer to you.
3 In the morning,
Lord, you hear my voice; *
early in the morning I make my appeal and
watch for you.
4 For you are not a
God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
*
and evil cannot dwell with you.
5 Braggarts cannot
stand in your sight; *
you hate all those who work wickedness.
6 You destroy those
who speak lies; *
the bloodthirsty and deceitful, O Lord,
you abhor.
7 But as for me,
through the greatness of your mercy I will
go into your house; *
I will bow down toward your holy temple in
awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in
your righteousness,
because of those who lie in wait
for me; *
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no
truth in their mouth; *
there is destruction in their heart;
10 Their throat is an
open grave; *
they flatter with their tongue.
11 Declare them
guilty, O God; *
let them fall, because of their schemes.
12 Because of their
many transgressions cast them out, *
for they have rebelled against you.
13 But all who take
refuge in you will be glad; *
they will sing out their joy for ever.
14 You will shelter them, *
so that those who love your Name may exult
in you.
(Second Half of Chant) 15 For you, O Lord,
will bless the righteous; *
you
will defend them with your favor as with a shield.
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