In the homilies I delivered this past week-end (18-19 February), I emphasized the need for prayer and study to develop one’s spiritual life. In the context of discussing prayer, I encouraged parishioners to pray the psalms. After Mass a woman of faith said that she reads the psalms, but does not pray them. I wonder: Is there a difference? If you read the psalms to draw closer to God, you are praying, whether you know it or not. Prayer is the longing of the heart for communion with God, and seeing life in the perspective of the Divine source of all that is. When I read, I pray. And you?
Some practical suggestions to pray and appreciate the Psalms:
First, to pray the psalms, I suggest beginning with Psalm 1, and reading through the psaltery in order, at least for the first few readings. The order of the 150 psalms is not haphazard. Indeed, over the years I have come to see how the collection of psalms has been stitched together. For example, a key symbol introduced in one psalm (as being “blessed” in Psalm 1) is taken up in the next, and in subsequent psalms. Thoughts are presented in various contexts, but often elaborated or modified or even negated in subsequent psalms. Years ago I found a sequence of inter-related psalms that I named “the little wisdom psalter.” Keep your eyes open, and you shall see patterns: types of psalms, recurring symbols (words), different theological perspectives, substructures in the collection, and so on.
Second, I strongly suggest that you read the psalms with a pencil or pen in your hand. When a particular verse speaks to you, you may mark it, and return to it in following days--and even years later. If some thought seems especially illuminating or moving, you may even jot down a few words in the margin, and record the date in the psalm. Also, if some psalms really speak to you personally, I would star them, or mark them in a way that you may return more readily to them in the future. Then when you pray that psalm later, you are in continuity with thoughts and experiences of your past.
Third, grow in the habit of praying the psalms as part of your life. The psalms are indeed “the prayer book of the Church,” even though they were written in Hebrew as expressions of Israelite and Jewish faith. After all, we are branches on the tree grounded in the faith of Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. The psalms help to root us in the People of God and, indeed, with all of humankind existing through centuries.
Fourth, all sorts of translations of the Psalms are available. I have studied a number of them over the years. My favorites remain the Grail Psalter and the collection found in the RSV--the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. The Catholic New American Bible, original or revised editions, is also very good and readable. On occasion I study passages in the original Hebrew and the ancient Greek that influenced the first Christians (including the Apostle Paul), and the fruit of that study informs my preaching the Gospel of Christ. Please note: If beginning to read the Psalms seems difficult, know that they become much easier with practice and repeated effort. Good things in life usually require effort.
Fifth, I tentatively suggest a few of my own favorite psalms for you to consider, chosen from various types of psalms, as minds, personal tastes, and interests vary. The numbers I give are from the Hebrew Bible, with the common Catholic numbering in parentheses. For clarity, I quote the first line in case you are confused by the numbering, as I used to be.
1 (1): “Blessed indeed is the man...”
6 (6): “LORD, do not reprove me in your anger”
8 (8): “How great is your Name, O LORD our God, through all the earth”
16 (15): “Preserve me, God, I take refuge in You”
19 (18): “The heavens proclaim the glory of God”
22 (21): “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
23 (22): “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want”
27 (26): “The LORD is my light, and my salvation”
32 (31): “Happy the man whose offense is forgiven”
34 (33): “I will bless the LORD at all times”
36 (35): “Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart”
39 (38): “I said: I will be watchful of my ways”
40 (39): “I waited, I waited for the LORD”
42-43 (41-42): “Like the deer that yearns for flowing streams”
48 (47): “The LORD is great and worthy to be praised in the city of our God”
51 (50): “Have mercy on me, o God, in your kindness
61 (60): “O God, hear my cry, listen to my prayer”
63 (62): “O God, you are my God, for you I long”
65 (64): “To you our praise is due in Zion, o God”
73 (72): “How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart”
80 (79): “O Shepherd of Israel, hear us”
81 (80): “Ring out our joy to God our strength”
84 (83): “How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD, God of hosts”
86 (85): “Turn your ear, O LORD, and give answer”
88 (87): “LORD my God, I call for help by day”
90 (89): “O LORD, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next”
(the only psalm attributed to “Moses, the man of God”)
91 (90): “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High”
92 (91): “It is good to give thanks to the LORD”
95 (94): “Come, ring out our joy to the LORD”
96 (95): “O, sing a new song to the LORD”
102 (101): “O LORD, listen to my prayer”
103 (102): “My soul, give thanks to the LORD”
104 (103): “Bless the LORD, my soul”
106 (105): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good”
107 (106): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good
112 (111): “Happy the man who fears the LORD”
113-118 (112-117): “Praise, O servants of the LORD”
(these psalms form the lesser Hallel for Passover)
127 (126): “If the LORD does not build the house”
130 (129): “Out of the depths I cry to you, o LORD”
136 (135): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good”
(the great Hallel for Passover)
138 (137): “I thank you, LORD, with all my heart”
139 (138): “O LORD, you search me and you know me” (hound of heaven)
143 (142): “LORD, listen to my prayer”
148-150: “Alleluia! Praise the LORD from the heavens”
(3 psalms known as “Laudes,” “Praises,” in the Church tradition)
Some practical suggestions to pray and appreciate the Psalms:
First, to pray the psalms, I suggest beginning with Psalm 1, and reading through the psaltery in order, at least for the first few readings. The order of the 150 psalms is not haphazard. Indeed, over the years I have come to see how the collection of psalms has been stitched together. For example, a key symbol introduced in one psalm (as being “blessed” in Psalm 1) is taken up in the next, and in subsequent psalms. Thoughts are presented in various contexts, but often elaborated or modified or even negated in subsequent psalms. Years ago I found a sequence of inter-related psalms that I named “the little wisdom psalter.” Keep your eyes open, and you shall see patterns: types of psalms, recurring symbols (words), different theological perspectives, substructures in the collection, and so on.
Second, I strongly suggest that you read the psalms with a pencil or pen in your hand. When a particular verse speaks to you, you may mark it, and return to it in following days--and even years later. If some thought seems especially illuminating or moving, you may even jot down a few words in the margin, and record the date in the psalm. Also, if some psalms really speak to you personally, I would star them, or mark them in a way that you may return more readily to them in the future. Then when you pray that psalm later, you are in continuity with thoughts and experiences of your past.
Third, grow in the habit of praying the psalms as part of your life. The psalms are indeed “the prayer book of the Church,” even though they were written in Hebrew as expressions of Israelite and Jewish faith. After all, we are branches on the tree grounded in the faith of Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. The psalms help to root us in the People of God and, indeed, with all of humankind existing through centuries.
Fourth, all sorts of translations of the Psalms are available. I have studied a number of them over the years. My favorites remain the Grail Psalter and the collection found in the RSV--the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. The Catholic New American Bible, original or revised editions, is also very good and readable. On occasion I study passages in the original Hebrew and the ancient Greek that influenced the first Christians (including the Apostle Paul), and the fruit of that study informs my preaching the Gospel of Christ. Please note: If beginning to read the Psalms seems difficult, know that they become much easier with practice and repeated effort. Good things in life usually require effort.
Fifth, I tentatively suggest a few of my own favorite psalms for you to consider, chosen from various types of psalms, as minds, personal tastes, and interests vary. The numbers I give are from the Hebrew Bible, with the common Catholic numbering in parentheses. For clarity, I quote the first line in case you are confused by the numbering, as I used to be.
1 (1): “Blessed indeed is the man...”
6 (6): “LORD, do not reprove me in your anger”
8 (8): “How great is your Name, O LORD our God, through all the earth”
16 (15): “Preserve me, God, I take refuge in You”
19 (18): “The heavens proclaim the glory of God”
22 (21): “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
23 (22): “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want”
27 (26): “The LORD is my light, and my salvation”
32 (31): “Happy the man whose offense is forgiven”
34 (33): “I will bless the LORD at all times”
36 (35): “Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart”
39 (38): “I said: I will be watchful of my ways”
40 (39): “I waited, I waited for the LORD”
42-43 (41-42): “Like the deer that yearns for flowing streams”
48 (47): “The LORD is great and worthy to be praised in the city of our God”
51 (50): “Have mercy on me, o God, in your kindness
61 (60): “O God, hear my cry, listen to my prayer”
63 (62): “O God, you are my God, for you I long”
65 (64): “To you our praise is due in Zion, o God”
73 (72): “How good God is to Israel, to those who are pure of heart”
80 (79): “O Shepherd of Israel, hear us”
81 (80): “Ring out our joy to God our strength”
84 (83): “How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD, God of hosts”
86 (85): “Turn your ear, O LORD, and give answer”
88 (87): “LORD my God, I call for help by day”
90 (89): “O LORD, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next”
(the only psalm attributed to “Moses, the man of God”)
91 (90): “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High”
92 (91): “It is good to give thanks to the LORD”
95 (94): “Come, ring out our joy to the LORD”
96 (95): “O, sing a new song to the LORD”
102 (101): “O LORD, listen to my prayer”
103 (102): “My soul, give thanks to the LORD”
104 (103): “Bless the LORD, my soul”
106 (105): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good”
107 (106): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good
112 (111): “Happy the man who fears the LORD”
113-118 (112-117): “Praise, O servants of the LORD”
(these psalms form the lesser Hallel for Passover)
127 (126): “If the LORD does not build the house”
130 (129): “Out of the depths I cry to you, o LORD”
136 (135): “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good”
(the great Hallel for Passover)
138 (137): “I thank you, LORD, with all my heart”
139 (138): “O LORD, you search me and you know me” (hound of heaven)
143 (142): “LORD, listen to my prayer”
148-150: “Alleluia! Praise the LORD from the heavens”
(3 psalms known as “Laudes,” “Praises,” in the Church tradition)
