"Once, ritual lament would have been chanted; women would have been paid to beat their breasts and howl for you all night, when all is silent. Where can we find such customs now? So many have long since disappeared or been disowned.
the lament that we omitted."That’s what you had to come for: to retrieve
During Lent I'll share almost-daily meditations of Scripture, hymns, and art reflecting this time of tension between dying and birth.
Won't you join me?
Won't you join me?
March 22, Day 33
The Book of Psalms invites us to rehearse the poetry of praise and lament, the liturgy of God's people from the beginning of being God's people. This week I'm digging into the Psalms of Ascent, Psalm 120-134, and imagining myself walking the path up to the city of worship with my Hebrew brothers and sisters.
via Cardiphonia: The Psalms of Ascents (Psalm 120-134) have existed as a pilgrim psalter for the Judeo-Christian faith for over 2 millenia. They are a unique collection of psalms, shorter than average – with a distinctive ‘folky-ness’ that were sung by jewish pilgrims as they traveled up to Jerusalem for the great feasts.My fourth -- and final meditation -- on the Psalms of Ascent and I feel like I've been summoned to worship. Before the Jewish people lay down coats and palm branches they worship by lifting their hands to bless the Lord. For these few moments it seems they fulfill God's dream for them "that brothers would dwell together in unity."
But first the Messiah must be lifted up, to reconcile all men to God.
These days we dream God's dream of living together in unity, re-enact His new covenant of love, do this in remembrance of Him. And we wait again to see Him lifted up as reigning King over a new heaven and a new earth.
In the meantime we worship.
Here's a few more bits from my meditation on Psalm 132 - 134. (See Psalms 120 - 123 here, Psalms 124 - 127 here, Psalms 128 - 131 here)
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Tabernacle (detail) Denise Kufus Weyhrich via CIVA network |
Psalm 132
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord Has Chosen Zion
A Song of Ascents.
Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
A hymn of invocation: Arise O God and Shine, words by William Hurn (1813)
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Psalm 133
English Standard Version (ESV)
When Brothers Dwell in Unity
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
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The Body Gerda Liebmann via CIVA network |
A hymn of praise to Christ who is the head of the Church and holds all of us together: The Church's One Foundation, words by Samuel Stone (1866), music by Brian Moss (2000)
Psalm 134
English Standard Version (ESV)
Come, Bless the Lord
A Song of Ascents.
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!
A hymn of praise to our God: Our Hearts They Swell with Praise! via Cardiphonia's newest compilation album Hallel Psalms
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Tabernacle Denise Kufus Weyhrich via CIVA network 70,000 communion cups collected after use from Easter 2009 to Yom Kippur 2010 held together with 7 silver ribbons reaching to the heavens. 3'x3' 2011 |
Suggested Resources for Lent:
- 2013 Lenten Daily Devotional from Christ Church of Austin
- Listen to my Lent 2013 playlist on Spotify
- St. Alban's Psalter: online images of the Psalms of Ascents from this illuminated 12th Century Psalter.
- Songs for the Sojourn: music, community group guides, worship guides and images commissioned for Christ the King Presbyterian Church's (Raleigh) 15-week study of the Psalms of Ascent.
Now it's your turn! What art are you enjoying this season?
Tell us about it in the comments below.
If you've written your own post, share the link.
"Let him easter in us, be a dayspring to the dimness of us, be a crimson-cresseted east." Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Wreck of the Deutschland
