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Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Proper 8A
Most of what makes Psalm 89 such an interesting poem cannot be seen if you restrict yourself to just the 8 verses the Lectionary has carved out of the psalm’s full 52 verses. Because this poem that begins in such an upbeat tone and with such a full-throated desire to sing praise to God for…
Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18
Proper 7A
If this were a typical year, an ordinary summer season, probably not too many preachers would gravitate to the somewhat plaintive, somewhat brooding 69th Psalm. In the Year A Lectionary for this particular year, this also falls on Father’s Day for those who observe this. It’s getting to be summer, vacation season, a time for…
Psalm 100
Proper 6A
It’s such a perky psalm. So upbeat. It’s a call for the whole cosmos to sing as one. One big happy choir entering God’s gates with thanksgiving and praise. Well, maybe it’s just me in early June 2020 but perky is not the mood one finds in most of the world right now. COVID-19 and…
Psalm 8
Trinity Sunday A
Matthew 28, 2 Corinthians 13, and Genesis 1 are the other Trinity Sunday readings in the Year A Lectionary, and they each make a certain amount of Trinitarian sense. The first two passages explicitly mention Father (God), Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1 is a bit more difficult but you can make it work. Although…
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Pentecost A
Probably Psalm 104:30 is the primary reason why this psalm is assigned in the Year A Lectionary for Pentecost Sunday. And probably this fits overall, but we have to admit that in those translations in which the word “spirit” is capitalized in verse 30—and in other psalms—we are being told by the translators to think…
Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35
Easter 7A
Most of the time when the Psalms start to go on and on about God’s scattering enemies and crushing foes, the Revised Common Lectionary politely has us hopscotch right over such sentiments to focus on the nicer, gentler sentiments of praise and thanksgiving. Most of the time if the Lectionary assigns verses 1-6 and 12-25…
Psalm 66:8-20
Easter 6A
What is this COVID-19 season for us? A source of lament? A time of testing? Ten years from now, how will we look back on this time? As one of the worst seasons of our lives that we are so amazingly glad is well behind us, or as a time for which we manage to…
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Easter 5A
A scant month ago as one of the Psalm readings for Palm Sunday, the RCL assigned portions of Psalm 31. And now here it is again. They have chopped it up a bit differently but it’s the same psalm and the whole poem hangs together and needs to be read together (no matter how much…
Psalm 23
Easter 4A
It’s not quite true but sometimes it feels like Psalm 23 pops up in the Lectionary every couple weeks. In fact, this psalm really was assigned just a few weeks ago for March 22 during Lent. Psalm 23 pops up at least once—and usually twice—inside any given calendar year in Years A, B, and C…
Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19
Easter 3A
In a time of global pandemic, of fear, worry, and sorrow, Psalm 116 is at once inspirational and aspirational. It is inspirational in its witness to God’s faithfulness in hearing our cries of distress from places of disorientation and even death. It is aspirational in that we all can but hope that very soon we…
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