April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
REFLECTION
The psalms inspire
The psalms have inspired songs, symphonies and even national anthems. Iceland's national anthem, for instance, is based on Psalm 90 ("God's eternity and human frailty").
Hymns are psalm-inspired: "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" also comes from Psalm 90; "A Mighty Fortress is our God" was inspired by Psalm 46. The Christmas carol "Joy to the World" is rooted in Psalm 98.
Historically, the Rosary developed from the psalms and was referred to as "the breviary on beads." (A breviary is a prayer book.) Those who could not read the psalms began praying 150 "Our Fathers" on beads as a substitute.
This evolved into 150 "Hail Marys" in sets of 50, each set devoted to meditating on a group of mysteries: joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious. Each decade concluded with a "Glory Be" - the prayer that is prayed at the end of a psalm.
A way to approach the psalms is to remember the letter "R." The psalms involve three R's: remembering, repenting and rejoicing. These three words can help unlock an individual psalm's meaning:
• Is this psalm one of recalling and remembering? Psalm 95 ("a call to worship and obedience") and Psalm 106 ("a confession of Israel's sins") are examples of this.
• Is the Psalm one of repenting? Examples include Psalm 51, David's song of repentance after his treachery surrounding Uriah and Bathsheba.
• Is rejoicing at the heart of the psalm? For example, Psalm 107 is one of "thanksgiving for deliverance from many troubles."
Personal approaches to the psalms are possible. Select a psalm; read it aloud and slowly. Have instrumental music playing in the background as you reflect.
Identify the psalm's central theme: What is being said? What picture of God is presented in this psalm? Cherish the verses of the psalm that speak to you.
Personally, verse 24 of Psalm 118 strikes me each morning when awakening: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Ponder the verses of a psalm that apply to the circumstances of your life at the present moment. A commentary can help with any verses that are difficult to understand.
John Calvin has called the psalms "the anatomy of the soul." That is a powerful commentary on the psalms' evocative ability.
The psalms have always inspired: When gathering for the Eucharist, the early Church always prayed Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
In 1995, the Museum of Psalms opened in Jerusalem. The Museum features the paintings of Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger. His psalms series, which took more than 15 years to complete, has a painting for each of the 150 psalms. (View these works of art at www.museumofpsalms.com.)
Happy psalming!
Rev. John Rosson, pastor of St. Mary's/Our Lady of the Lake parish in Cooperstown, offers this second of three reflections on the psalms for parishes to use in adult faith formation - especially during the Albany Diocese's three-year "Amazing God" evangelization process. A further reflection will appear in next week's issue.[[In-content Ad]]
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