40 Days of Chant, Psalm 33

So, this one is partially inspired by Chopin and partially by Sir Paul McCartney.  The psalm speaks of the word of the Lord as the source or root that provides righteousness as nourishment.  So, I used pedal tones to hopefully give the chant a sense of grounded-ness.

1      Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; *

     it is good for the just to sing praises.

2      Praise the Lord with the harp; *

     play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.

3      Sing for him a new song; *

     sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.

4      For the word of the Lord is right, *

     and all his works are sure.

5      He loves righteousness and justice; *

     the loving‑kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.

6      By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, *

     by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.

7      He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water‑skin *

     and stores up the depths of the sea.

8      Let all the earth fear the Lord; *

     let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.

9      For he spoke, and it came to pass; *

     he commanded, and it stood fast.

10    The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught; *

     he thwarts the designs of the peoples.

11    But the Lord’s will stands fast for ever, *

     and the designs of his heart from age to age.

12    Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! *

     happy the people he has chosen to be his own!

13    The Lord looks down from heaven, *

     and beholds all the people in the world.

14    From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze *

     on all who dwell on the earth.

15    He fashions all the hearts of them *

     and understands all their works.

16    There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army; *

     a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.

17    The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; *

     for all its strength it cannot save.

18    Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, *

     on those who wait upon his love,

19    To pluck their lives from death, *

     and to feed them in time of famine.

20    Our soul waits for the Lord; *

     he is our help and our shield.

21    Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *

     for in his holy Name we put our trust.

22    Let your loving‑kindness, O Lord, be upon us, *

     as we have put our trust in you.

40 Days of Chant, Psalm 32

1      Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *

     and whose sin is put away!

2      Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, *

     and in whose spirit there is no guile!

3      While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *

     because of my groaning all day long.

4      For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *

     my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.

5      Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *

     and did not conceal my guilt.

6      I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” *

     Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.

7      Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in

time of trouble; *

     when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.

8      You are my hiding‑place;

you preserve me from trouble; *

     you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

9      “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you

should go; *

     I will guide you with my eye.

10    Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *

     who must be fitted with bit and bridle,

     or else they will not stay near you.”

11    Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *

     but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.

12    Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; *

     shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

40 Days of Chant, Psalm 31

1      In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame; *

     deliver me in your righteousness.

2      Incline your ear to me; *

     make haste to deliver me.

3      Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for you are my crag and my stronghold; *

     for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4      Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *

     for you are my tower of strength.

5      Into your hands I commend my spirit, *

     for you have redeemed me,

     O Lord, O God of truth.

6      I hate those who cling to worthless idols, *

     and I put my trust in the Lord.

7      I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy; *

     for you have seen my affliction;

     you know my distress.

8      You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy; *

     you have set my feet in an open place.

9      Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *

     my eye is consumed with sorrow,

     and also my throat and my belly.

10    For my life is wasted with grief,

and my years with sighing; *

     my strength fails me because of affliction,

     and my bones are consumed.

11    I have become a reproach to all my enemies and

even to my neighbors,

a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *

     when they see me in the street they avoid me.

12    I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *

     I am as useless as a broken pot.

13    For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;

fear is all around; *

     they put their heads together against me;

     they plot to take my life.

14    But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *

     I have said, “You are my God.

15    My times are in your hand; *

     rescue me from the hand of my enemies,

     and from those who persecute me.

16    Make your face to shine upon your servant, *

     and in your loving‑kindness save me.”

17    Lord, let me not be ashamed for having called upon you; *

     rather, let the wicked be put to shame;

     let them be silent in the grave.

18    Let the lying lips be silenced which speak against

the righteous, *

     haughtily, disdainfully, and with contempt.

19    How great is your goodness, O Lord!

which you have laid up for those who fear you; *

     which you have done in the sight of all

     for those who put their trust in you.

20    You hide them in the covert of your presence from those

who slander them; *

     you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.

21    Blessed be the Lord! *

     for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a

besieged city.

22    Yet I said in my alarm,

“I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.” *

     Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty

     when I cried out to you.

23    Love the Lord, all you who worship him; *

     the Lord protects the faithful,

     but repays to the full those who act haughtily.

24    Be strong and let your heart take courage, *

     all you who wait for the Lord.