SING A NEW PSALM
COMMUNICATING WITH GOD THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
VOLUME I: LAUDS & VESPERS
PRAyIng ThE AbbEy PSALMS AnD CAnTICLES
Jennifer McGaw PhelPs
foreword by abbot PriMate GreGory J. Polan, o.s.b.
illustrations by taMi Palladino
LOOK AT A LESSON
TURNING TO GOD’S WORD
Nihil Obstat Very Reverend Aquinas Nichols Censor Librorum
Imprimatur
X Most Reverend Richard E. Pates Bishop of Des Moines July 1, 2015
The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the nihil obstat or imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
Copyright 2015 by Turning to God’s Word. All rights reserved.
Psalms references are to The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the monks of Conception Abbey copyright 2010, 2018 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible—Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition) copyright 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cover photograph of “David Singing the Miserere” is of a stained glass window at St. Augustin Catholic Church in Des Moines, Iowa, copyright 2011 by Tom Knapp.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-0-9895756-3-8
check out our online study pages for additional resources related to this catholic bible study.
TURNING TO GOD’S WORD
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Unlike other prayers in sacred scriptUre, the prayers contained in the Psalms are not inserted into a narrative story that specifies their meaning and function. Instead, the Psalms are given to the believer precisely as a text of prayer. Since they are the Word of God, the believer who prays the Psalms speaks to God using the very words that God himself has given to us. Thus, in praying the Psalms we learn to pray.
The Psalms are a school of prayer.
PoPe Benedict XVi
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
foreword
ith Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church, Jennifer McGaw Phelps provides an insightful and useful tool for coming to know the Psalms, helping readers to make these ancient prayers of both synagogue and church a familiar source of prayer and reflection for us today. She accomplishes this by providing the Psalm texts in a special context, Liturgy of the Hours for the offices of Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers), as prayed at Conception Abbey. To foster the reader’s efforts to make these Psalms a fruitful source of personal prayer, Ms. Phelps provides brief comments on various verses, along with historical background material and questions for personal reflection. These questions help to take us from merely reading ancient texts to making them applicable to our own lives and experience. This book is a wonderful gift for anyone who wishes to know the Psalms better, to pray the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours more fully, or to become more familiar with these ancient prayers so fundamental to our Christian tradition.
Many people who are informed by the values of contemporary society find the Psalms difficult to read and understand. The language and imagery can be quite foreign to our own presentday context, where violent actions and passionate expressions of political or social beliefs are widely regarded as dangerous or threatening to the stability of the modern world. As a means of helping the reader to a better understanding of the sometimes challenging and complex language and imagery of the Psalter, Ms. Phelps provides textual sidebars with explanations of various terms and ideas in the Psalms that may at first be unfamiliar or even disturbing to today’s reader, clarifying the prayers’ historical context and meaning while expounding them in such a way that they remain accessible to our own understanding and appreciation. In addition to these instructive elements, she draws from the Church’s tradition in dealing with the Psalms, providing illustrative and informative quotations from recent Church teaching, especially that of Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, whose homilies and elocutions make such frequent reference to the Psalms as they bear on contemporary experience. She thus illuminates a path by which the reader may see firsthand how rich a tradition the Church possesses with regard to the Psalms, both in their liturgical use and in personal prayer and reflection.
For anyone who desires to understand and appreciate the Psalms more fully, who wants to make them more applicable to his or her own life, or who seeks to unite personal prayer to the rich traditions of the Church, this book will be a wonderful resource. It will certainly deepen the reader’s appreciation for these prayers of the Church, texts that have been called “the prayer book of the Bible,” and which St. Augustine so aptly describes as “ever ancient, ever new.”
Gregory Polan, O.S.B.
Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation 24 June 2015—the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist
LESSON 1 — PSALMS 141, 142 & 119:105 – 112
he three Psalms prayed for Sunday First Vespers Week I warn that the path of righteousness is strewn with many snares. Psalm 141:3 points out that some of the most serious stumbling blocks occur when we give in to the temptation to speak words that are evil or displeasing to God. Once a word has been spoken, it is impossible to call it back. How often do you say things that you wish had remained unsaid? What sort of guard have you found most effective in helping to keep watch at the door of your lips?
1
Read Psalm 141:1–2. Psalm 141 also is prayed at Sunday First Vespers Week II (pages 62–65), one of only two Psalms repeated in the two-week prayer cycle. What makes this passage appropriate for introducing each week’s prayers?
2
Read Psalm 141:3–5. What is the Psalmist asking God to do for him? What behaviors does the Psalmist hope that God will help him to avoid? What special assistance does the Psalmist ask in regard to his heart? What special assistance does he ask in regard to his prayer?
3
Read Psalm 141:6–10. What could cause the wicked to recognize that the Psalmist’s words about sin have been spoken in kindness? Consider whether it is likely someone who has placed a trap for another could fall into it instead. What “way” does the Psalmist wish to pursue? What are some common good or bad choices that people pursue in their lives?
4
Read Psalm 142:2–4. Here the Psalmist pours out his heart to the Lord. Consider what the Psalmist hopes to gain. What evidence is there to indicate that God might have some stake in what happens to the Psalmist? If God knows what is in our hearts, what might be motivating the Psalmist that he use all of his voice to tell God about his distress?
Ves.pers evening prayer service
The prayers of Vespers are chanted at sunset. The word Vespers comes from the Greek (hespera) and the Latin vesper, meaning “evening.” Following the Hebrew tradition of the sabbath, Christians celebrate the Lord’s Day beginning at sunset on Saturday, and that is when the Church prays Sunday First Vespers. Second Vespers are prayed at dusk on Sunday; there are no Saturday Vespers Psalm 141:2 expresses the primary purpose of Vespers, which is to offer praise at the close of the day.
evil enticements
Above all else, the person praying Psalm 141 calls upon the Lord not to permit his lips and the motions of his heart to be attracted and enticed by evil, and thus to incline him to commit wicked deeds. In fact, a person’s words and actions express his or her moral choices. Evil exercises such an attraction that it easily provokes even the faithful to taste the delights that sin can offer. At this point, however, the Psalmist bursts out with a passionate declaration that he will not associate with the evildoer. To express his downright disassociation from the wicked with greater vehemence, the Psalmist then declares an indignant condemnation in his regard, in vivid images of vehement judgment. It is one of the typical imprecations of the Psalms, whose purpose is to affirm, in a realistic and even picturesque way, hostility toward evil, and the certainty that God intervenes in history with his judgment of severe condemnation of injustice.
—Pope St. John Paul II 5 November 2003
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
imprisoned
In Psalm 142, the Psalmist describes his soul as being in a prison from which he can see no escape. Those who pursue him are stronger than he is. No one cares about his soul, and his only refuge is the Lord Christian tradition interprets Psalm 142 to be about the persecuted and suffering Christ. The reference to an imprisoned soul in Psalm 142:8 is seen as a foreshadowing of Christ’s burial. The soldiers’ action at Jesus’ tomb is recorded in the Gospel According to Matthew 27:66: “So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” In the Christian perspective, the conclusion of Psalm 142 represents the glorious outcome of Christ’s Resurrection—making possible our own destiny of eternal life.
on the path of christian life
The Christian life as a journey is a prevalent theme in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the Exodus—literally the “road out” of slavery in Egypt—is a defining event for God’s people. The Promised Land of Canaan foreshadows the new Promised Land of heaven. In the New Testament, Jesus is an itinerant preacher. He and his disciples constantly are on the move. This suggests that, spiritually speaking, present-day disciples of Jesus should not expect to stay long in one place either. In order to follow Jesus, we must be prepared to go where he goes. In the Gospel According to John 14:6, Jesus identifies himself as “the way, and the truth, and the life.” It is Jesus as the way that is especially
visible in a Christian interpretation of the Psalms for Sunday First Vespers Week I.
In Psalm 142:4, the Psalmist has chosen to walk in a way known to God. In all three Psalms, the Psalmist is concerned about snares that might prevent him from following God’s way. In Psalm 141:10, the Psalmist entreats God to allow him to pursue his way unharmed. In Psalm 119:105, the Psalmist relies on God’s word to illuminate the path of righteousness. Christians also must rely on God’s Word. We follow the Lord by honoring his commandment, spelled out by Jesus in the Gospel According to John 15:12: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
a praying community
In Psalm 142, God is called upon to provide security. The journey of the Psalmist’s life is a route marked by the choice of justice. On that path, however, the wicked have set a hidden snare, an image that indicates the dangers and threats to which the just are subjected. Facing this nightmare, the Psalmist sounds the alarm so that God may see his situation and intervene. The only protection is to be found in God. The Lord now remains the last and only foundation to depend on, the only possibility of life, the supreme hope.
As in other Psalms of petition, the final prospect is the thanksgiving that will be offered to God once God has answered the prayer. The faithful one will thank the Lord in the midst of the liturgical assembly. The righteous will surround him and will see the salvation of their brother as a gift that is offered to them as well.
This atmosphere also must pervade Christian celebrations. The suffering of the individual must echo in the hearts of all; likewise, the joy of each one must be vibrant in the whole of the praying community. How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.
—Pope St. John Paul II 12 November 2003 ”
5Read Psalm 142:5. The reference in this passage to no one being present on the Psalmist’s right indicates that he has no protection in battle or in court. In battle, a bodyguard would stand at his right, while in court that position would be taken by a favorable witness. What does the Psalmist seem most concerned about protecting?
6Read Psalm 142:6–7. In the Old Testament, a portion usually refers to God’s gift of the Promised Land. Since Canaan already has been divided among the descendants of Jacob, consider what portion the Psalmist hopes to receive. How can Christians interpret this passage about receiving a portion located in the land of the living?
the longest psalm
Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm, consisting of 176 verses —more verses than are found in 13 Old Testament books or in 17 books of the New Testament. Written in the form of an acrostic poem, Psalm 119 is divided into 22 stanzas organized after the Hebrew alphabet. Within each stanza, each of eight verses begins with the same Hebrew letter. Most of these stanzas are prayed during Day Prayer, but Psalm 119:105–112 is prayed as part of Sunday First Vespers Week I. In this lengthy and elaborate prayer, the Torah—the law of the Lord—is praised as the source of God’s blessing. Correct moral conduct is determined by following God’s law, which the Psalmist pledges to uphold despite pesistent opposition.
pre.cepts rules to regulate behavior
In Psalm 119:110, the Psalmist writes that he does not stray from the Lord’s precepts. The Psalmist’s heart is inclined to remember God’s law. Paragraphs 2042–2043 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church list the five precepts of the Church. The obligatory character of these positive laws, which have been decreed by the pastoral authorities, is meant to guarantee to faithful Catholics the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort that will lead to growth in love of God and neighbor.
st. francis’ prayer when dying St. Bonaventure recalled that on the evening of October 3, 1226, as Francis of Assisi lay dying, the last prayer uttered by the saint was Psalm 142, which St. Francis recited from its beginning through the final verse.
7
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Read Psalm 142:8. What deal does the Psalmist offer to God in exchange for aiding in the Psalmist’s escape? Consider whether there might be any circumstances in which it is permissible for Christians to barter with God.
8
Read Psalm 119:105–107. The Psalmist likens God’s word to a lamp lighting his way. What path has the Psalmist chosen? How can God’s word illuminate his way?
9
Read Psalm 119:108–110. How does one learn God’s decrees? What is the Psalmist’s response to knowing that the wicked have set a snare for him? What is implied might be a valid way to avoid falling into traps that interfere with our relationship with God? List the five precepts of the Church. If necessary, refer to paragraphs 2042 and 2043 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What purpose do these serve?
10
Read Psalm 119:111–112. What does the Psalmist gain by following God’s decrees? Consider whether the same benefits accrue to Christians who obey God’s word.
names for the deity
In the Psalms, “Lord” (in small caps) most frequently appears as the sacred name revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus 3:13–14. “Lord” (without small caps) indicates a title of respect. God is the way that the patriarchs refer to the deity. Occasionally, the terms combine in “Lord God.”
a dark image
A dark image pervades Psalm 119:110: “For me the wicked have set a snare,” the person prays, making use of a hunting image common in the Psalter. The faithful know that they are advancing on the highways of the world amid danger, anxiety, and persecution. They know that trials are lying in wait. Christians know that every day they must carry the cross up the hill of their Calvary, as Jesus instructs in the Gospel According to Luke 9:23. However, the just keep their fidelity intact. They have sworn to obey God’s laws. A conscience at peace is the strength of believers. Constancy in obeying the divine commandments is the source of their serenity.
—Pope St. John Paul II 21 July 2004 ”
In Psalm 142:6, the Psalmist redefines his “portion,” which in the Old Testament usually refers to God’s gift of the Promised Land given to the descendants of Jacob. This biblical portion of the Promised Land also sometimes is referred to as an inheritance. Instead of land, the Psalmist considers that God is to be his portion. There is a good reason for this. The Psalmist has made God his only refuge in times of trouble. That much is clear from the tone of his prayer. It seems apparent that the Psalmist is in the habit of regularly telling his troubles to God. The Psalmist also appears to be committed to walking on the path that God has shown to him.
It is significant that the Psalmist expects to find his portion in the land of the living. Even though he is utterly alone, beset by many difficulties—and with no visible means of escape— the Psalmist is not intending to die in prison. He counts on God to rescue him from isolation and from the hostility of those who have brought him so far down. Because he has placed his hope in the living God, the Psalmist is confident that he is not doomed to enter the abode of the dead. Christians interpret this to mean that as inhabitants of the land of the living, we already have received a share in eternal life. Our portion is a participation in the Most Holy Trinity.
index of scripture citations*
old testament
Genesis 1:1—50:26
1:1–2 11,26,29,68,76 1:1–31 32
1:1—2:3 94 1:26 111 2:4–7 90 3:21 60 3:24 92
6:5—8:22 11 6:11—9:17 56 6:17 27
7:1—8:12 26
12:1–2 32 12:1—50:26 75
12:2–3 49 14:17–20 14,15,16
19:1–25 22 22:17–18 86 **32:22–30 108,109
37:1—47:25 42,44
38:1–29 14
50:22–26 45
Exodus 1:1—40:38 1:1—14:31 44
3:13–14 9 7:1—14:29 95 12:1–30 35 12:14 74
13:3 112
13:11–15 47 14:1–29 26 14:1–31 73 14:26–29 24
15:1–18 12,13,92 16:9–15 16
17:1–7 45,72,73 19:1—20:20 16 19:5–6 73 19:16–18 73
20:1–17 103,104 20:3 45,110 20:3–6 45 20:8 74 25:8–9 23
INDEX OF SCRIPTURE CITATIONS
1:1—24:33
5:13—6:25
2 Kings 1:1—25:30 1 Chronicles 1:1—29:30
2 Chronicles 1:1—36:23 Ezra 1:1—10:44
Nehemiah 1:1—13:31 3:1–32 108,109
Tobit 1:1—14:15
Judith 1:1—16:25 Esther 1:1—11:1
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Psalm 16:1–11 (62–65) 16:5–6 65 16:7
19:2–15 (18–21)
19:3–5 2
19:8
19:8–15
20:6–10
Psalm 57:8–12 42,43,107
57:9 42,43
60:7–14 107
62:2 41
62:2–3 41
62:2–5 41
62:2–13 (38–41)
62:6–9 41
62:10 41
62:10–11 41
62:12–13 41
63:2–3 10
63:2–12 (10–13)
63:4 10
63:4–6 10
63:6 10
63:7–12 11
63:12 11
65:2–3 58
65:2–14 (58–61)
65:4 58
65:4–5 58
65:6 60
65:6–8 58
65:7–9 60
65:10 58
65:10–11 60
65:12–14 60
65:13–14 60
70:2 100
71:5–6 88
72:1 49
72:1–4 48
72:1–20 (46–49)
72:5–11 48
72:7 48
72:12–15 49
72:13–14 48 72:14 49
72:16–20 49
77:2–7 74
77:2–21 (74–77)
77:8–13 74
77:14–16 74
Psalm 77:17–20
45 81:2–17 (42–45) 81:7–11 45 81:10 45
45
45 84:2–5 82 84:2–13 (82–85) 84:5–8 83 84:6–8 82 84:9–13 83 84:12 84,85 85:2–8 83 85:2–14 (82–85) 85:5 84 85:8 84 85:9–10 83 85:10 85 85:10–14 84 85:11–12 84 85:13–14 84 87:1–7 (74–77) 90:1 90 90:1–17 (90–93) 90:2–6 90 90:4 90 90:7–12 91 90:12 90,91 90:13–17 91 92:2–4 114 92:2–16
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Psalm 110:1–7 (14–17, 70–73) 110:2–3 70
110:4 14,15,70
110:4–7 14,71
110:7 71
111:1–6 16
111:1–10 (14–17) 111:5 16
111:7–10 16 111:9 16 111:10 17
112:1 15
112:1–3 17
112:1–10 (14–17) 112:4 17
112:4–6 15 112:5–6 17
112:7–9 17 112:10 17 113:1 72
113:1–3 71
113:1–9 (70–73)
113:1—118:29 67,72,73,94 113:4–6 72
113:5–9 72
113:7–9 72,73 13:9 73
114:1–2 73
114:1–8 (70–73)
114:3–7 73 114:6 73 114:8 73 115:1 110
115:1–3 110
115:1–18 (110–113) 115:4–8 110,115 115:8 111 115:9–11 110 115:9–18 110 115:12 112 116:1 110 116:1–2 112
116:1–9 (110–113) 63 116:3–4 112 116:5-9 112 116:10 64 116:10–13 63 116:10–19 (62–65) 112
TURNING TO GOD’S WORD
(50–53)
(66–69)
86
129:1–8 (54–57)
130:1–2 57 130:1–8 (54–57) 38 130:3–4 57 130:5–8 57 131:1–3 (86–89) 132:1–5 88 132:1–18 (86–89)
(6–9)
133:1–3 (87–89) 135:1–4 116 135:1–21 (114–117) 135:5–7 117 135:8–12 116,117 135:13 117 135:13–14 115 135:15–18 115,117 135:17 115 135:19–21 117 136:1–3 94 136:1–26 (94–97) 117 136:4–9 94 136:10–20 93 136:18–21 117 136:21–26 95 137:1–3 96 137:1–9 (94–97) 137:2 96 137:4–6 96 137:7–9 96 137:9 97 138:1 96
Psalm 138:1–2 97
138:1–8 (94–97)
138:3–5 97
138:6–8 97 138:8 96
139:1–6 112
139:1–24 (110–113)
139:7–12 113
139:13–18 113
139:16 113
139:19–24 113
139:23 113
141:1 100
141:1–2 6,62
141:1–10 (6–9, 62–65) 141:2 6 141:3 6 141:3–5 6 141:3–7 62 141:6–10 6 141:8–10 62 141:10 7 142:2–4 6 142:2–8 (6–9) 142:4 7 142:5 8 142:6 9
142:6–7 8 142:8 7,9
143:1–2 100
143:1–12 (98–101) 38 143:2 100 143:3 100
143:3–6 100
143:7 100
143:8–12 100
143:12 100
144:1–4 102
144:1–15 (102–105) 91
144:3–4 102,103
144:5–8 102
144:8 102,104
144:9 13,103,104
144:9–11 104
144:11 102,104
53 146:7–8 53 146:9–10 53 147:1–4 101
147:1–11 (98–101) 109
147:5–9 101 147:6 101
147:10–11 101 147:12–14 109
147:12–20 (106–109) 101 147:14 109
147:15 109
147:15–18 109
144:12 102 Psalm 144:12–15 104 145:1–3 104 145:1–21 (102–105) 145:4–7 104 145:8 104,105 145:8–12 104 145:11–13 104 145:13 105 145:13–17 105 145:18–21 105 145:20 105 146:1–4 53 146:1–10 (50–53) 146:5–6 53 146:6 53
1:1—3:21
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Joel 2:32 24
Amos 1:1—9:15
Obadiah 1:1–21
Jonah 1:1—4:11
Micah 1:1—7:20
Nahum 1:1—3:19
Habakkuk 1:1—3:19
Zephaniah 1:1—3:20
Haggai 1:1—2:23
Zechariah 1:1—14:21 **2:3–5 80
Malachi 1:1—4:6 **4:2 85
1 Maccabees 1:1—16:24
2 Maccabees 1:1—15:39 new testament
Matthew 1:1—28:20 4:1–11 12 5:3–12 86 5:8 32,106,108 9:13 94 11:2–6 117 11:29 88 11:29–30 57 13:1–23 116 14:22–33
1:1—16:20 10:45 61 13:33–36 43 14:55–56
**Daniel 3:29–35 (RSV2CE) = Daniel 3:52–57 (NABRE)
**Daniel 3:34–68 (RSV2CE) = Daniel 3:56–90 (NABRE)
**Zechariah 2:3–5 (RSV2CE) = Zechariah 2:7–9 (NABRE)
**Malachi 4:2 (RSV2CE) = Malachi 3:20 (NABRE)
Ephesians 2:13–16 78 4:22–24
4:25
6:10–17
Philippians 1:1—4:23 1:6
Colossians 1:1—4:18
1 Thessalonians 1:1—5:28 5:16–18 49
2 Thessalonians 1:1—3:17
1 Timothy 1:1—6:21
2 Timothy 1:1—4:22 Titus 1:1—3:15 Philemon 1:1–25 Hebrews 1:1—13:25 1:1–2
Abide—23
About Melchizedek—15
Accompaniment for a New Song—103
Age to Age—32
Alleluia—67
The All-Seeing Sun—21
Almighty King, Lover of Justice—93
Always & Everywhere—49
And the Rock Was Christ—72
Angel—96
An Angry God—44
Anoint—39
Approaching God’s Mountain—28
Awaiting God’s Love—101
Awake, My Soul! (42–45)
Beatitude—17
Beauty Combined with Justice—40
The Beginning of Wisdom—17
Behold, the Days Are Coming—49
Benediction for a Peaceful Community—89
A Bizarre Human Tendency—29
Blessing—87
Born in Guilt—51
Brightness of God’s Glory—35
Canticle of Daniel—10
Celebrating Divine Kingship—104
A Channel of Communication—69
Cherubim—92
Children Are a Gift—81
The Choice for a New World—104
A Christmas Psalm—84
Christ the King—36
The City of God—36
Compassion—105
Concern for the Poor—55
Confidence in Divine Justice—43
*Psalms reflect the numbering system followed in The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (USCCB). Numbering in other translations may vary.
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Conflict Between Good & Evil—71
A Consoling Message for Weak Christians—113
A Conviction of Divine Pardon—106
Corruptible Creatures—46
Cosmic Alleluia—68
Counsel—65
A Courageous Response in Days of Pain—75
Covenant—70
Create a Pure Heart for Me (106–109)
Creation & Redemption United—59
A Dark Image—9
Dawn of Hope—100
Dealing with Injustice—97
Desires of the Heart—25
Destroyed Infrastructures—22
Destruction of the Yoke of the Wicked—57
A Destructive Deluge—27
Discernment—46
Discover Good Things—16
The Divine Praises—54
Divine Providence—61
Doxology—69
A Dwelling Place for God—88
Egyptian Hallel—72
Endure—96
Enduring Mercy—95
Enlightenment—35
Entering the Lord’s Holy Tent—23
An Eternal Priest—15
Eucharistic Text—66
Evil Enticements—6
Exalt / Exult—68
Extol—28
Exultant Witnesses—73
False Witnesses—30
Fed with Finest Wheat—109
Fidelity—110
The Firmly Established Way to Find Rest—41
Five Books in One—47
Flourish—48
A Flowering of Justice—84
A Flowering of Wonders—109
Foes & Enemies—100
Food for Those Who Fear the Lord—16
The Fool Cannot Understand—114
Formed by God’s Hands—111
For the Peace of Jerusalem Pray (78–81)
The Foundation of God’s Plan—76
TURNING TO GOD’S WORD
Fowler—56
Fragments Form a New Prayer—107
A Franciscan Greeting—79
From Illness to Good Health—55
From the Mouths of Infants—60
Fruits of Divine Blessing—80
Give Praise to the Lord—69
Glory—21
God Always Has the Last Word—66
God As a Warrior—24
God Crowns the Poor with Salvation—12
God Goes Up: An Ascension Theme—36
God Heals the Brokenhearted—101
The God of Abraham—37
God Protects Simple Hearts—110
God Ransoms His Faithful—47
God’s Anointed—88
God’s Chosen People—32
God’s Dwelling Is with Men—31
God’s Greatest Blessing—89
God’s Holy Name—67
God’s River Flows Eternally—58
God’s Shining Light—85
God’s Word Is Not a Monologue—45
God’s Word Revealed to Jacob—108
A God Who Establishes Peace—108
God Will Ransom My Soul (46–49)
Greater Than Mighty Waters—11
The Great Hallel—94
Grievance—84
Happiness in God Alone—65
Have Mercy on Me, O God (50–53)
Hearts Aflame—108
Hearts Committed to Pilgrim Ways—82
Heavenly Feast—35
A Heavenly Host—33
The Heavens Declare the Glory of God—21
Hebrew Cosmology—68
His Mercy Endures Forever (66–69)
Holy—93
A Holy City Built of Love—78
Holy Land & Chosen People—73
Honoring a Vow to the Lord—58
Hope—26
A Hope of Resurrection—29
A House Under Construction—81
How God Remembers His People—112
How Is God Faithful?—42
The Human Condition—74
Humility & Happiness—102
A Hymn in Acrostic Form—105
A Hymn of Cosmic Proportions—59
Idolatry—45
Illusion—41
Imitating the Faithful—99
Imprisoned—7
In the Gateways—81
In the Morning God Hears Us—19
In the Pauline Tradition—63
In the Shadow of God’s Wings—34
In Time of Trial—24
I Will Walk with Blameless Heart (98–101)
Jerusalem As a Type—76
Judgment—49
The Just—114
Justice—17
The Just One Will Flourish (114–117)
Kingship & Priesthood—14
A King Who Dwells Among Us—93
The Language of Nature—109
Lauds—42
Lauds & Vespers Two-Week Schedule—130
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect—20
Learning Wisdom in Secret—106
Let Earth Rejoice—85
Let My Prayer Be As Incense (62–66)
Let Us Sing Something New—13
Like a Yearning Deer—27
Likeness—111
Listen—19
Liturgy & History—116
Lively Conversation with God—52
The Longest Psalm—8
The Lord Does Not Abndon Us—113
The Lord Frees Prisoners—53
The Lord God Is a Sun & a Shield (82–85)
The Lord Has Sworn an Oath (70–73)
The Lord Is Faithful & Holy—105
The Lord Is Light & Salvation—31
The Lord Is Not a Distant King—22
The Lord Looks on the Lowly—97
Lord of Hosts—82
The Lord Reigns—77
The Lord Remembers Us (110–113 )
The Lord Spoke & It Came to Be—32
A Love Psalm—110
Lower Than the Angels—61
Majesty—60
Majesty Set Above the Heavens (58–61)
A Man After God’s Own Heart—50
A Man of God—90
May God Direct Our Speech—52
May the Lord Be Blest!—117
May the Lord Bless You (86–89)
Members of a Colossal Choir—92
Mercy—94
Mercy & Love Are the Way of the Blameless—98
Mercy That Reaches to Heaven—34
Miserere—50
More Precious Than Light Itself—20
Moving Toward a Just Society—102
Music in the Morning & at Night—114
A Mysterious Reference—71
Mystical Love—10
Names for the Deity—9
Nature’s Clothing—60
Naught—77
New & Unusual—33
Oblation—62
O Give Thanks to the Lord (94–97)
O God, at Dawn I Seek You (10–13)
O Lord, Help Us Now—100
Omniscience—113
One Thing I Ask of the Lord (30–33)
Only This Does the Psalmist Seek—30
On the Path of Christian Life—7
On the Side of the Lowly—53
Orans—63
Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord (54–57)
Our Life Is Consumed Like a Sigh—90
Out of the Depths—57
An Overflowing Heart (38–41)
The Palm Tree & the Phoenix—116 Peace—78
Peace of Christ—79
Penitential—38
Perseverance—99
Personal Witness—38 Pit—29
Planted in the Lord’s House—115
A Plea for Mercy & Salvation—84
A Portion in the Land of the Living—9 index of topics
A Plea for God to Lower His Heavens—103
The Lord Stoops—72
SERIOUS BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
Power of the Sword—13
Praise—116
Prayer As a Sacrifice—62
Prayer Before & After Battle—24
A Prayer for Our Times—117
Prayer of a Man Betrayed—54
Prayer: Source of Energy—18
A Praying Community—8
Precepts—8
Prefiguration of the True Vine—44
Preservation—53
Pride Dwells in the Human Heart—87
A Priest’s Joy—65
Primordial Adversaries—56
Proclaiming Salvation—77
A Profession of Faith—56
A Profile of the Faithful—85
Purity—106
A Queen Remembered Forever—40
A Reason to Be Thankful—95
Recognizing Human Limitations—91
Reconstruct the Walls of Jerusalem—51
Redeem—16
Rejoice—85
Remembering As a Key Part of Liturgy—74
Remembering Zion—96
A Royal Job Description—48
A Royal Wedding—39
A Sacrificial Act—63
Salvation—12
Seeing in God’s Light (34–37)
Servant—20
Set a Guard on My Mouth (6–9)
Shepherd of Our Souls—75
The Shortest Psalm—52
Sin—52
Sing a New Song—92
A Single Psalm—64
Sin Kept Secret—38
Sitting at the Lord’s Right Hand—70
A Soul Athirst for the Living God (26–29)
A Sovereign Who Serves—61
Sowing & Reaping—80
Speaking to an Epidemic of Depression—28
Spiritual Childhood—86
A Spiritual Destination—83
Splendor of Divine Light—25
Stark Contrast—19
St. Francis’ Prayer When Dying—8
A Stone Rejected—66
A Superior Plan Governs History—103
Supplication—64
Sworn Oath—88
Tangible Benefits—86
Teach Us to Number Our Days (90–93)
Tell the Next Generation—37
Thanksgiving—97
Theological Reality of Sin—51
They Have Mouths, But They Do Not Speak—115
The Thirsting Soul—25
Three Primary Characters—18
Three Stars of Hope—28
Thrones Set Up for Judment—79
A Ticket into God’s Presence—23
To My Words Give Ear, O Lord (18–21)
To Tell the Truth—102
Transcendent Nature of God—112
Two Powerful Biblical Symbols—44
Two Types of Trust—41
Typology—76
The Unfamiliar Voice—45
Unity—89
Upright—33
Uprooting Evil—98
The Value of Human Life—47
Vespers—6
Victory—25
Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline Schedule—129
Wakefulness—43
Warlike Symbolism—13
Watching for Daybreak—57
The Wedding of the Lamb—14
What God Is As Great As Our God? (74–77)
What Is Better Than Life?—11
What Is Man That You Regard Him? (101–105)
Who May Abide in the lord’s Tent? (22–25)
Wicked—101
Write Your Own Psalm—130
Yearning for Jerusalem—96
You Are a Priest Forever (14–17)
Zion—37
Zion’s Exiles Return—80
catechism
related church teaching
CCC 121: The indispensable nature of the divinely inspired Old Testament.
CCC 122: The mystery through which the Old Testament is seen to bear witness to the New.
CCC 128 (page 76): A discussion of obedience of faith as it applies to Christians.
CCC 144 (page 19): An explanation of the link between listening and obedience of faith
CCC 239 (page 112): About addressing God as father; the human experience of parents
CCC 302 (page 61): The teaching that the world was not created in a state of perfection.
CCC 370: That humanity was created in the image of God and not the other way around.
CCC 402 (page 51): About the universality of sin and death versus the universality of salvation.
CCC 457–460 (page 102): The four positive effects for humanity that result from Jesus’ Incarnation.
CCC 680–682 (page 77): Paragraphs dealing with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
CCC 705 (pages 111): Church teaching that Jesus restores humanity’s likeness to God.
CCC 760: The startling teaching that the world was created for the sake of the Church.
CCC 773 (page 11): Discussion of the Church as the way to connect with love that never ends.
CCC 811: The four characteristic marks that distinguish the Church.
CCC 820 (page 89): The Church’s belief that the unity imposed on it in Christ never will be lost.
CCC 1019 (page 12): That Jesus conquers death in order to make salvation possible for humanity.
CCC 1021–1022 (page 78): Paragraphs describing how the final destiny of the soul is determined.
CCC 1042 (page 114): That the universe will be renewed at the end of time.
CCC 1085 (page 116): About the Paschal mystery of Christ in the liturgy of the Church.
CCC 1123: The threefold purpose of the sacraments of the Church.
CCC 1214–1215: That Baptism symbolizes dying with Christ and rising with him to new life.
CCC 1241 (page 39): The significance of anointing newly baptized with sacred chrism.
CCC 1267 (page 30): That the sacrament of Baptism makes us one spirit in the one body of Christ.
CCC 1356–1361 (page 64): Paragraphs about the unchanging nature of the Eucharist.
CCC 1420 (page 54):That new life in Christ can be weakened and lost through sin.
CCC 1451 (page 38): That contrition is an essential element of the sacrament of Reconciliation.
CCC 1468 (page 54): The power of the sacrament of Reconciliation in restoring God’s grace.
CCC 1469 (page 54): Confession as a sacrament that reconciles Christians with the Church.
CCC 1499 (page 54):That sacred anointing unites the sick to the suffering of Jesus Christ.
CCC 1501 (page 55): That illness can lead to despair but also can provoke a sincere search for God.
CCC 1505: Jesus’ radical approach to healing and its relationship to human suffering.
CCC 1741 (page 48): How Jesus’ Passion brings about redemption, liberation, and salvation.
CCC 1832 (page 85): The Church’s traditional list of the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit.
CCC 1849 (page 52): A definition of sin as something contrary to eternal law.
CCC 1850 (page 52): An explanation of how it is that Jesus is able to overcome sin.
CCC 1855 (page 107): An explanation of dangers associated with mortal and venial sins.
CCC 1857 (page 107): The three conditions necessary for a sin to be mortal.
CCC 1857–1859: Paragraphs that explain the three conditions of mortal sin.
CCC 1951 (page 46): That the truth found in all law is based on eternal law.
CCC 2042–2043 (pages 8 & 9): A listing of the obligatory precepts of the Church.
CCC 2065 (page 93): That the Ten Commandments occupy a predominant place in the Church.
CCC 2089: Definitions of incredulity, heresy, and apostasy.
CCC 2477 (page 98): The importance of retaining respect for the reputation of others.
CCC 2573: A discussion of prayer as a symbol of the ongoing battle of faith.
CCC 2631–2633 (page 24): Paragraphs that discuss underlying attitudes in prayers of petition.
abbeycursusSERIOUS
BIBLE STUDY FOR SERIOUS CATHOLICS
two-week prayer schedule
FOLLOWED BY THE MONKS AT CONCEPTION ABBEY
WEEK I
SUNDAY
First Vespers: Psalms 141, 142, 119:105–112, Philippians 2:6–11
Compline after First Vespers: Psalms 4, 134
Vigils: Psalms 95, 1, 2, 23, 76, 103, Isaiah 40:28–31, Isaiah 42:10–16
Lauds: Psalms 63, 93, 149, Daniel 3:57–88, 56
Day Prayer: Psalms 120, 121, 123
Second Vespers: Psalms 110, 111, 112, Revelation 19:1–7
Compline: Psalm 91
MONDAY
Vigils: Psalms 29, 3, 9, 10, 31
Lauds: Psalms 5, 19
Day Prayer: Psalms 26, 28, 39
Vespers: Psalms 11, 15, 20, 21
Compline: Psalms 4, 134
TUESDAY
Vigils: Psalms 100, 40, 44, 59, 60
Lauds: Psalms 42, 43, 30
Day Prayer: Psalms 38, 53
Vespers: Psalms 27, 33
Compline: Psalm 91
WEDNESDAY
Vigils: Psalms 24, 17, 25, 105
Lauds: Psalms 36, 47, 48
Day Prayer: Psalms 54, 55
Vespers: Psalm 32, 45, 62
Compline: Psalm 91
THURSDAY
Vigils: Psalms 100, 6, 7, 18
Lauds: Psalms 57, 80, 81
Day Prayer: Psalms 58, 61, 64
Vespers: Psalms 49, 72
Compline: Psalms 4, 134
FRIDAY
Vigils:: Psalms 67, 22, 69
Lauds: Psalms 51, 117, 146
Day Prayer: Psalms 70, 75, 82
Vespers: Psalms 41, 124, 129, 130
Compline: Psalm 91
SATURDAY
Vigils: Psalms 46, 68, 89
Lauds: Psalms 65, 8
Day Prayer: Psalms 86, 88
Compline: Psalm 91
WEEK II
SUNDAY
First Vespers: Psalms 141, 116, 16, Philippians 2:6–11
Compline after First Vespers: Psalms 4, 134
Vigils: Psalms 95, 34, 66, 104, 1 Samuel 2:1–10, Wisdom 9:11–16
Lauds: Psalms 118, 148, 150, Daniel 3:52–57
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:1–8, 9–16, 17–24
Second Vespers: Psalms 110, 113, 114, Revelation 19:1–7
Compline: Psalm 91
MONDAY
Vigils: Psalms 29, 37, 52, 71
Lauds: Psalms 77, 87, 96
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:25–32, 33–40, 41–48
Vespers: Psalms 122, 125, 126, 127
Compline: Psalms 4, 134
TUESDAY
Vigils: Psalms 100, 74, 79, 83, 102
Lauds: Psalms 84, 85, 97
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:49–56, 57–64, 65–72
Vespers: Psalms 128, 131, 132, 133
Compline: Psalm 91
WEDNESDAY
Vigils: Psalms 24, 50, 73, 106
Lauds: Psalms 90, 98, 99
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:73–80, 81–88, 89–96
Vespers: Psalm 136, 137, 138
Compline: Psalm 91
THURSDAY
Vigils: Psalms 100, 12, 13, 14, 78
Lauds: Psalms 101, 143, 147
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:97–104, 113–120, 121–128
Vespers: Psalms 144, 145
Compline: Psalms 4, 134
FRIDAY
Vigils: Psalms 67, 35, 107
Lauds: Psalms 51, 108, 147
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:129–136, 137–144, 145–152
Vespers: Psalms 115, 116, 139
Compline: Psalm 91
SATURDAY
Vigils: Psalms 46, 56, 94, 109, 140
Lauds: Psalms 92, 135
Day Prayer: Psalm 119:153–160, 161–168, 169–176
Compline: Psalm 91
The Psalms represent communication with God that expresses a broad range of feelings, life circumstances, and purposes. It is perhaps because of how broadly applicable they are that the Psalms have remained such an enduring part of our worship of God through the centuries.
One exercise that can help us become more aware of our relationship with God in any situation is to write a Psalm of our own. Such a Psalm can express joy, sorrow, excitement, anxiety, or any other feeling we have. It can call on God to help others, to provide us with strength, or even to give us justice in difficult or trying situations.
Most importantly, however, writing a Psalm allows us to focus on who God is, on who we are, and on the nature of the relationship between us. These general realities are at the heart of every Psalm, and it is the Psalmist’s incredible insights that make each of these prayers so powerful and instructive.
Choose one of God’s many attributes by which you would like to identify the Lord in your Psalm.
Be honest when considering what you would like to tell God. You might want to ask for help with a personal problem, offer praise to the Lord, or ask God to ease the pain of someone else.
Rely on your memory. If your Psalm includes a request for help, be specific about how God has helped you in the past and as well as about how he can help now. In a Psalm of praise or thanksgiving, list the things for which you are most grateful.
Do not be afraid to be creative. Think of your Psalm as a poem or as lyrics to a song. What kind of music would be most compatible with your words?
Be sure to include what you intend to do to follow up on your prayer. Be specific about telling God what you will do and when you plan to do it.
