THE NEW COVERDALE PSALTER (Year A)

Set to Simplified Anglican Chant

See the important article titled “The Music Settings of The New Coverdale Psalter” on the

PSALTER main web page for the vision, history, effective use, and teaching of chanting the Psalms.

INTRODUCTION: The singing of the Psalms in Christian worship enjoys a particularly rich heritage within our Anglican tradition. Psalms, meaning songs, are meant to be sung. And Gregorian Chant, Full Anglican Chant, and here Simplified Anglican Chant are all beautiful, effective, and tried and true ways of the congregation worshipping through the Psalms of David. All three forms, just mentioned, will eventually be available and set in highly usable forms within this Psalter section under the main Music Resources tab of the ACNA website.

For successful use of the three Psalm collections, it is important to understand some basics on how to best read and present chanting to the worshipper. In this section, we will specifically address Simplified Anglican Chant. Created by Robert Knox Kennedy in the 20th century, Simplified Anglican Chant (4 bars of music) maintains the characteristics of Full Anglican Chant (7 or 14 bars of music) in a form more easily conducive to congregational participation. Meant to be sung in unison by the congregation with a choir and/or keyboard participating in the harmonies, the whole of The New Coverdale Psalter will be presented here in Simplified Anglican Chant. (Note: as noted above, see further information on both accompanying and effectively teaching chant in the article The Music Settings of the New Coverdale Psalter found on the PSALTER main page.)

Beginning with Year A, the entire three-year cycle will be available utilizing a carefully chosen repertoire of four chants, each with an excellent memorable melody and each conveying a particular musical mood. With this size repertoire, it is hoped that the congregation will be able to enjoy both a variety of quality chants and at the same time have a manageable, learnable repertoire which will allow them to worship through the chanting rather than frequently be learning new musics. And finally, each chant has been carefully married to its corresponding Psalm text, taking into consideration both mood and content. In future, all of the Psalms, (Years A, B, and C) will also be set to both Gregorian Chant as well as Full Anglican Chant. In addition, a fresh approach to Full Anglican Chants will be to set them in the more accessible and familiar hymn style of layout (words between staffs) for better use by the full congregation.

ON READING AND PRESENTING SIMPLIFIED ANGLICAN CHANTS

1. The music printed above each chant is printed there for initial learning of the memorable and relatively simple four-measure chant, and afterward only for reference. Once the melody (or for the choir and keyboardist, the basic harmonies as well) has been learned, there is less need to focus on the printed music. With the melody in hand, the congregation can now move their focus on singing and worshipping with the given Psalm text.

2. The text of each Psalm is pointed to reflect the layout of the printed music above. Therefore, there are quarter ( ׀ ), single ( | ), and double ( || ) bar lines included in the Psalm text, just as in the music, with a bolded double bar line ( ║ ) indicating when the chant music comes to an end and the worshippers are to start again at the beginning of the chant.

3. Good chanting, at its foundation, is the rhythm of speech (as one would recite a poem out loud) sung on a given pitch. When chanting, the words are sung on the same given pitch in the printed chant melody (or harmonies for the choir) until encountering a bar line within the Psalm text. Any bar line, whether quarter ( ׀ ), single ( | ), double ( || ), or bolded double ( ║ ), indicates a change of pitch for the singers and corresponds directly to the bar lines within the printed chant music.

4. If there are an odd number of verses in the Psalm, singers are to begin at the half-way part of the chant upon arriving at the final odd-numbered verse. Sing through commas, so as to maintain the musical line. Breathe at periods, exclamation marks, as well as semi-colons in order to successfully navigate or properly express long lines of text. And finally, a rehearsed choir or cantor/song leader will go a long way toward effectively modeling and leading this long-tried and beautiful way of singing the Psalms within our rich Anglican heritage.

Note: It is important for a congregation to have repetition of new music while engaged in its learning. Therefore, since Simplified Anglican Chants are interchangeable, (all text pointing applies the same when in the realm of Simplified Anglican Chant), one successful approach to introducing the four chants to the congregation/choir would be to cut and paste the same chant setting before the Psalm text for three weeks in a row. After three weeks, then move to the next of the four chants for three weeks, and so on, until all four chants have been learned. This method would provide worshippers the opportunity to learn, over twelve Sundays, all four of the presented chant settings. After this initial learning stage is complete, the congregation can move to singing the Psalms as presented here, with their texts carefully married to the given repertoire of Simplified Anglican chants. Here’s to good chanting!

– Mark K. Williams, Christ Church Anglican, Savannah, GA

ADVENT

(YEAR A)

IMPORTANT: For reproduction of these Simplified Anglican Chant settings in your Sunday worship bulletins, note that all typesetting as well as formatting of Psalm pointing was done in the Times New Roman font. Also, be sure to properly post your church’s CCLI license number (Christian Copyright Licensing Incorporated) along with the printed music. Thank you.

The First Sunday in AdventPsalm 122 (Hail, Jerusalem)

1 I was glad when they said unto ׀ me, |“We will go into the house of the ׀ Lord.” ||

2 Now our feet are ׀ standing |within your gates, O Je ׀rusalem. ║

3 Jerusalem is built as a ׀ city |that is at unity in it׀self. ||

4 For there the tribes go up, even the tribes of the ׀ Lord, |as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the ׀ Lord. ║

5 For there is the throne of ׀ judgment, |even the throne of the house of ׀ David. ||

6 O pray for the peace of Je ׀rusalem |they shall prosper that ׀ love you. ║

7 Peace be within your ׀ walls |and plenteousness within your ׀ palaces. ||

8 For my brethren and companions’ ׀ sakes, |I will wish you pros׀perity. ║

(repeat second half of chant)

9 Indeed, because of the house of the Lord our ׀ God, |I will seek to do you ׀ good. ║

The Second Sunday in AdventPsalm 72:1-15(16-19) (The promised King)

1 Give the King your judgments, O ׀ God, | and your righteousness to the King’s ׀ son. ||

2 Then shall he judge your people with ׀ righteousness | and defend the poor with ׀ justice. ║

3 The mountains also shall bring ׀ peace, | and the little hills righteousness to the ׀ people. ||

4 He shall vindicate the poor among the ׀ people, | defend the children of the poor, and punish the wrong׀doer. ║

5 They shall fear you as long as the sun and moon en׀dure, | from one generation to a ׀nother. ||

6 He shall come down like the rain upon the mown ׀ grass, | even as showers that water the ׀ earth. ║

7 In his time shall the righteous ׀ flourish, | even an abundance of peace, so long as the moon en ׀dures. ||

8 His dominion shall be also from one sea to the ׀ other, | and from the river unto the world’s ׀ end. ║

9 Those who dwell in the wilderness shall kneel be׀fore him; | his enemies shall lick the ׀ dust. ||

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall give ׀ presents; | the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring ׀ gifts. ║

11 All kings shall fall down be ׀fore him; | all nations shall do him ׀ service. ||

12 For he shall deliver the poor when he ׀ cries, | the needy also, and the one that has no ׀ helper. ║

13 He shall be favorable to the lowly and ׀ needy, | and shall preserve the lives of the ׀ poor. ||

14 He shall deliver them from falsehood and ׀ wrong, | and dear shall their blood be in his ׀ sight. ║

15 Long may he live! And unto him shall be given the gold of A ׀rabia; | prayer shall ever be made unto him, and daily shall he be ׀ blessed. ||

16 There shall be an abundance of grain on the earth; thick upon the ׀ hilltops; |

its fruit shall flourish like Lebanon; its grain like the grass upon the ׀ earth. ║

17 His Name shall endure for ever; his Name shall remain as long as the ׀ sun. |

All the nations shall be blessed through him and shall call him ׀ blessed. ||18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of ׀ Israel, |

who alone does wondrous ׀ things; ║ (repeat second half of chant)19 And blessed be the Name of his majesty for ׀ ever; |

and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty. Amen, A ׀men. ║

The Third Sunday in Advent Psalm 146 (Hymn to the God of help)

1 Praise the Lord, O my ׀ soul; | while I live I will praise the ׀ Lord. ||

2 Indeed, as long as I have my ׀ being, | I will sing praises unto my ׀ God. ║

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of ׀ man, | for there is no help in ׀ them. ||

4 For when one breathes his last, he shall return again to the ׀ earth, |and in that day all his thoughts ׀ perish. ║

5 Blessed is the one who has the God of Jacob for his ׀ help | and whose hope is in the Lord his ׀ God, ||

6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is there׀in; | who keeps his promise for ׀ ever; ║

7 Who does right to those who suffer ׀ wrong; | and who feeds the ׀ hungry. ||

8 The Lord sets prisoners ׀ free; | the Lord gives sight to the ׀ blind. ║

9 The Lord helps those who have ׀ fallen; | the Lord loves the ׀ righteous. ||

10 The Lord cares for the strangers in the land; he defends the fatherless and ׀ widow; |

but the way of the ungodly he makes ׀ crooked. ║ (repeat second half of chant)

11 The Lord shall be King for ever׀more, | even your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.

Praise the ׀ Lord. ║

The Fourth Sunday in AdventPsalm 24 (For a solemn entry into the sanctuary)

1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is ׀ in it, | the compass of the world and those who dwell there׀in. ||

2 For he has founded it upon the ׀ seas |and established it upon the rivers of the ׀ deep. ║

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the ׀ Lord? |Or who shall stand in his holy ׀ place? ||

4 He who has clean hands and a pure ׀ heart, |and who has not set his mind upon vanity;

nor sworn to deceive his ׀ neighbor. ║5 He shall receive blessing from the ׀ Lord |

and righteousness from the God of his sal׀vation. ||6 This is the generation of those who ׀ seek him, |

even of those who seek your face, O God of ׀ Jacob. ║7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you everlasting ׀ doors; |

and the King of glory shall come ׀ in. ||8 “Who is the King of ׀ glory?” |

“It is the Lord, strong and mighty; even the Lord, mighty in ׀ battle.” ║9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you everlasting ׀ doors; |

and the King of glory shall come ׀ in. ||10 “Who is the King of ׀ glory?” |

“The Lord of hosts, he is the King of ׀ glory.” ║

CHRISTMAS

(YEAR A)

Christmas Day IPsalm 96 (Yahweh, king and judge)

1 O sing unto the Lord a new ׀ song; |sing unto the Lord, all the whole ׀ earth. ||

2 Sing unto the Lord and praise his ׀ Name; |tell of his salvation from day to ׀ day.║

3 Declare his honor to the ׀ nations, |and his wonders to all ׀ peoples. ||

4 For the Lord is great, and highly to be ׀ praised; |he is more to be feared than all ׀ gods.║

5 As for all the gods of the nations, they are but ׀ idols; |but it is the Lord who made the ׀ heavens. ||

6 Glory and majesty are be׀fore him; |power and honor are in his ׀ sanctuary. ║

7 Ascribe unto the Lord, O you families of the ׀ peoples, |ascribe unto the Lord worship and ׀ power. ||

8 Ascribe unto the Lord the honor due unto his ׀ Name; |bring offerings and come into his ׀ courts. ║

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of ׀ holiness; |let the whole earth stand in awe of ׀ him. ||

10 Tell it out among the nations, “The Lord is ׀ King; |it is he who has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;

he shall judge the peoples ׀ righteously.” ║11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be ׀ glad; |

let the sea make a noise, and all that is there׀in. ||12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is ׀ in it; |

then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the ׀ Lord. ║ (repeat second half of chant)13 For he comes; for he comes to judge the ׀ earth, |

and with righteousness to judge the world; and the peoples with his ׀ truth. ║

The First Sunday of Christmas Psalm 147:12-20 (Hymn to the All-Powerful)

12 Praise the Lord, O Je׀rusalem; |praise your God, O ׀ Zion. ||

13 For he has made strong the bars of your ׀ gates |and has blessed your children with׀in you. ║

14 He makes peace in your ׀ borders |and fills you with the finest of ׀ wheat. ||

15 He sends forth his commandment upon the ׀ earth, |and his word runs very ׀ swiftly. ║

16 He gives snow like ׀ wool |and scatters the white frost like ׀ ashes. ||

17 He casts forth his ice like ׀ crumbs; |who is able to abide his ׀ frost?║

18 He sends out his word and ׀ melts them; |he blows with his wind, and the waters ׀ flow. ||

19 He declares his word unto ׀ Jacob, |his statutes and ordinances unto ׀ Israel. ║

(repeat second half of chant)20 He has not dealt so with other ׀ nations; |

neither have they knowledge of his laws. Praise the ׀ Lord. ║

The Second Sunday of Christmas Psalm 84 (Pilgrimage song)

1 How lovely are your ׀ dwellings, |O Lord God of ׀ hosts! ||

2 My soul has a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the ׀ Lord; |my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living ׀ God. ║

3 Indeed, the sparrow has found her a house; and the swallow a nest where she may lay her ׀ young, |

even your altars, O Lord of hosts; my King and my ׀ God. ||4 Blessed are they who dwell in your ׀ house; |

they will be always praising ׀ you. ║5 Blessed is the one whose strength is in ׀ you, |

in whose heart are your ׀ ways, ||6 Who going through the valley of misery uses it for a ׀ well; |

indeed, the early rains fill the pools with ׀ water. ║7 They will go from strength to ׀ strength, |

and the God of gods shall be seen by them in ׀ Zion. ||8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my ׀ prayer; |

hearken, O God of ׀ Jacob. ║9 Behold, O God, our de׀fender, |

and look upon the face of your A׀nointed. ||10 For one day in your ׀ courts |

is better than a ׀ thousand; ║11 I would rather be a door-keeper in the house of my ׀ God |

than dwell in the tents of un׀godliness. ||12 For the Lord God is a light and defense;

the Lord will give grace and ׀ honor; | and no good thing shall he withhold from those who live a godly ׀ life. ║ (repeat second half of chant)13 O Lord God of ׀ hosts, |

blessed is the one who puts his trust in ׀ you. ║

EPIPHANY (YEAR A)

The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus ChristPsalm 72 or 72:1-11 (The promised King)

1 Give the King your judgments, O ׀ God, |and your righteousness to the King’s ׀ son. ||

2 Then shall he judge your people with ׀ righteousness |and defend the poor with ׀ justice. ║

3 The mountains also shall bring ׀ peace, |and the little hills righteousness to the ׀ people. ||

4 He shall vindicate the poor among the׀ people, |defend the children of the poor;

and punish the wrong׀doer. ║5 They shall fear you as long as the sun and moon en׀dure, |

from one generation to a׀nother. ||6 He shall come down like the rain upon the mown ׀ grass, |

even as showers that water the ׀ earth. ║7 In his time shall the righteous ׀ flourish, |

even an abundance of peace, so long as the moon en׀dures. ||

8 His dominion shall be also from one sea to the ׀ other, |and from the river unto the world’s ׀ end. ║

9 Those who dwell in the wilderness shall kneel be׀fore him; |his enemies shall lick the ׀ dust. ||

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall give ׀ presents; |the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring ׀ gifts. ║

11 All kings shall fall down be׀fore him; |all nations shall do him ׀ service. ||

12 For he shall deliver the poor when he ׀ cries, |the needy also, and the one that has no ׀ helper. ║

13 He shall be favorable to the lowly and ׀ needy, |and shall preserve the lives of the ׀ poor. ||

14 He shall deliver them from falsehood and ׀ wrong, |and dear shall their blood be in his ׀ sight. ║

15 Long may he live! And unto him shall be given the gold of A׀rabia; |

prayer shall ever be made unto him; and daily shall he be ׀ blessed. ||16 There shall be an abundance of grain on the earth; thick upon the ׀ hilltops; |

its fruit shall flourish like Lebanon; its grain like the grass upon the ׀ earth. ║17 His Name shall endure for ever; his Name shall remain as long as the ׀ sun. |

All the nations shall be blessed through him and shall call him ׀ blessed. ||18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of ׀ Israel, |

who alone does wondrous ׀ things; ║ (repeat second half of chant)

19 And blessed be the Name of his majesty for ׀ ever; |and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty.

Amen, A׀men. ║

The First Sunday of Epiphany (Baptism of our Lord)Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:20-29 (Hymn and prayer to God the faithful)

1 My song shall be always of the loving-kindness of the ׀ Lord; |with my mouth will I ever be proclaiming your faithfulness;

from one generation to a׀nother. ||2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up for ׀ ever; |

your faithfulness shall be established in the ׀ heavens.” ║3 I have made a covenant with my chosen ׀ one; |

I have sworn to David my ׀ servant: ||4 “Your seed will I establish for ׀ ever, |

and set up your throne from one generation to a׀nother.” ║5 O Lord, the heavens will praise your wondrous ׀ works |

and your faithfulness in the assembly of the ׀ saints. ||6 For who in the clouds can be compared unto the ׀ Lord? | And who among the gods is like unto the ׀ Lord? ║7 God is greatly to be feared in the council of the ׀ saints, |

and to be held in reverence by all those who are round a׀bout him. |||8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like ׀ you? |

Your faithfulness, most mighty Lord; is round a׀bout you. ║9 You rule the raging of the ׀ sea; |

you still the waves when they a׀rise. ||10 You have subdued Rahab of the deep, and de׀stroyed her; |

you have scattered your enemies with your mighty ׀ arm. ║11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is ׀ yours; |

you laid the foundation of the world, and all that is ׀ in it. ||12 You have made the north and the ׀ south; |

Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in your ׀ Name. ║

13 You have a mighty ׀ arm; |strong is your hand, and high is your right ׀ hand. ||

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your ׀ throne; |mercy and truth shall go before your ׀ face. ║

15 Blessed are the people, O Lord, who rejoice in ׀ you; |they shall walk in the light of your ׀ countenance. ||

16 Their delight shall be in your Name all the day ׀ long, |and in your righteousness shall they make their ׀ boast. ║

17 For you are the glory of their ׀ strength, |and by your favor you shall lift up our ׀ might. ||

18 For the Lord is our de׀fense; |the Holy One of Israel is our ׀ King. ║

19 You spoke in a vision to your saints, and ׀ said, |“I have set the crown upon one who is mighty;

I have exalted one chosen out of the ׀ people. ||20I have found David my ׀ servant; |

with my holy oil have I a׀nointed him. ║21 My hand shall hold him ׀ fast, |

and my arm shall ׀ strengthen him. ||22 The enemy shall not be able to do him ׀ violence; |

the son of wickedness shall not ׀ hurt him. ║23 I will smite his foes before his ׀ face |

and strike down those who ׀ hate him. ||24 My faithfulness and my mercy shall be ׀ with him, |

and in my Name shall his horn be ex׀alted. ║25 I will give him dominion over the ׀ sea, |

and with his right hand shall he rule the ׀ rivers. ||26 He shall say to me, “You are my ׀ Father, |

my God, and the rock of my sal׀vation.” ║27 And I will make him my ׀ firstborn, |

higher than the kings of the ׀ earth. ||28 My mercy will I keep for him for ׀ ever, |

and my covenant shall stand fast ׀ with him. ║

(repeat second half of chant)29 His seed will I make to endure for ׀ ever |

and his throne as the days of ׀ heaven. ║

The Second Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 40:1-11 (Song of praise and prayer for help)

1 I waited patiently for the ׀ Lord, |and he inclined to me, and heard my ׀ call. ||

2 He brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and ׀ clay; |he set my feet upon the rock, and secured my ׀ footing. ║

3 He has put a new song in my ׀ mouth, |a song of thanksgiving unto our ׀ God. ||

4 Many shall see and ׀ fear, |and shall put their trust in the ׀ Lord. ║

5 Blessed is the man who has set his hope in the ׀ Lord, |and has not turned to the proud, or to those who go about ׀ lying. ||

6 O Lord my God, great are the wondrous works which you have done; and also your thoughts to׀ward us; |

there is none who can be compared with ׀ you. ║7 If I should declare them and speak of ׀ them, |

they would be more than I am able to ex׀press. ||8 Sacrifice and offering you do not de׀sire, |

but my ears you have ׀ opened. ║9 Burnt offerings and sin offerings you have not re׀quired, |

and so I said, “Behold, I ׀ come; ||10 In the volume of the book it is written of me; that I delight to do your will, O my ׀ God; |

indeed, your law is within my ׀ heart.” ║ (repeat second half of chant)11 I have declared your righteousness in the great congre׀gation; |

behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, and that you ׀ know. ║

The Third Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 139:1-18 (In praise of God’s omniscience)

1 O Lord, you have searched me out and ׀ known me; |you know my sitting down and my rising up;

you understand my thoughts from a׀far. ||2 You examine my path and my places of ׀ rest, |

and are acquainted with all my ׀ ways. ║3 Indeed, there is not a word on my ׀ tongue, |

but you, O Lord, know it alto׀gether. ||4 You have enclosed me behind and be׀fore, |

and have laid your hand up׀on me. ║5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for ׀ me, |

so excellent I cannot at׀tain to it. ||6 Where shall I go then from your ׀ Spirit, |

or where shall I flee from your ׀ presence? ║7 If I climb up to heaven, you are ׀ there; |

if I make my bed in the Grave, you are there ׀ also. ||8 If I take the wings of the ׀ morning |

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the ׀ sea, ║9 Even there shall your hand ׀ lead me, |

and your right hand shall ׀ hold me. ||10 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall ׀ cover me,” |

then shall my night be turned to ׀ day. ║11 Even the darkness is not dark to you; and the night is as clear as the ׀ day; |

the darkness and the light to you are both a׀like. ||12 For you yourself made my inmost ׀ parts; |

you knit me together in my mother’s ׀ womb. ║13 I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully ׀ made; |

marvelous are your works, and my soul knows it very ׀ well. ||14 My bones were not hidden from ׀ you |

when I was made in secret and fashioned in the depths of the ׀ earth. ║15 Your eyes beheld my substance, while I was yet un׀formed; |

and in your book were all my members ׀ written, ||

16 Which day by day were ׀ fashioned, |when as yet there was none of ׀ them. ║

17 How dear to me are your thoughts, O ׀ God. |How great is the sum of ׀ them! ||

18 If I were to count them; they would be more in number than the ׀ sand. |

When I wake up, I am present with ׀ you. ║

The Fourth Sunday of EpiphanyPs 37:1-11 (The fate of the upright and the wicked)

1 Fret not yourself because of the un׀godly, |neither be envious of those who are evil׀doers. ||

2 For they shall soon be dried up like the ׀ grass, |and be withered even as the green ׀ herb. ║

3 Put your trust in the Lord, and do ׀ good; |dwell in the land, and surely you shall be ׀ fed. ||

4 Delight yourself in the ׀ Lord, |and he shall give you your heart’s de׀sire. ║

5 Commit your way unto the Lord and put your trust in ׀ him, |and he shall bring it to ׀ pass. ||

6 He shall make your righteousness as clear as the ׀ light |and your just dealing as the ׀ noon day. ║

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for ׀ him; |do not grieve yourself over the one whose way prospers;

over the one who carries out evil ׀ counsels. ||8 Refrain from wrath, and let go of ׀ anger; |

fret not yourself, lest you be moved to do ׀ evil. ║9 For evildoers shall be rooted ׀ out, |

but those who wait patiently for the Lord; they shall inherit the ׀ land. ||10 Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean ׀ gone; |

you shall look for their place, and they shall not be ׀ there. ║ (repeat second half of chant)

11 But the meek-spirited shall possess the ׀ land |and shall be refreshed with an abundance of ׀ peace. ║

The Fifth Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 27 (In God’s company there is no fear)

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I ׀ fear? |The Lord is the strength of my life;

of whom then shall I be a׀fraid? ||2 When the wicked; even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my ׀ flesh, |

they stumbled and ׀ fell. ║3 Though a host were encamped against me; yet my heart would not be a׀fraid, |

and though war rose up against me; yet would I put my trust in ׀ him. ||4 One thing have I desired of the Lord; one thing I ׀ seek: |

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my ׀ life, ║5 To behold the fair beauty of the ׀ Lord, |

and to seek him in his ׀ temple. ||6 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his ׀ tabernacle; |

indeed, in the secret place of his dwelling he shall hide me; and set me high upon a rock of ׀ stone. ║7 And now he shall lift up my ׀ head |

above my enemies round a׀bout me. ||8 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with great ׀ gladness; |

I will sing and speak praises unto the ׀ Lord. ║9 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto ׀ you; |

have mercy upon me and ׀ hear me. ||10 You speak to my heart and say, “Seek my ׀ face.” |

Your face, O Lord, will I ׀ seek. ║11 O hide not your face from ׀ me, |

nor cast your servant away in dis׀pleasure. ||

12 You have been my ׀ helper; |leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my sal׀vation. ║

13 When my father and my mother for׀sake me, | the Lord takes me ׀ in. ||

14 Teach me your way, O ׀ Lord, |and lead me in the right way, because of my ׀ enemies. ║

15 Deliver me not over to the will of my ׀ adversaries; |for there are false witnesses who have risen up against me;

and those who speak ׀ wrong. ||16 I would utterly have ׀ fainted, |

had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord; in the land of the ׀ living. ║ (repeat second half of chant)17 O wait for the Lord; be strong, and he shall comfort your ׀ heart. |

O put your trust in the ׀ Lord. ║

The Sixth Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 119:(1-8) 9-16 (In praise of the divine Law)

1 Blessed are those who are undefiled in their ׀ ways, |and walk in the law of the ׀ Lord. ||

2 Blessed are those who keep his ׀ testimonies |and seek him with their whole ׀ heart, ║

3 Even those who do no ׀ wickedness |and perfectly walk in his ׀ ways. ||

4 You have ordered your ׀ precepts |that we should diligently ׀ keep them. ║

5 O that my ways were made so di׀rect |that I might keep your ׀ statutes! ||

6 Then would I not be put to ׀ shame |while I give heed unto all your com׀mandments. ║

7 I will thank you with an upright ׀ heart, |when I have learned your righteous ׀ judgments. ||

8 I will keep your ׀ statutes; |O do not forsake me ׀ utterly. ║

9 How shall a young man cleanse his ׀ way? |By ruling himself according to your ׀ word. |

10 With my whole heart I have ׀ sought you; |O let me not go astray from your com׀mandments. ║

11 Your words have I hidden within my ׀ heart, |that I may not sin a׀gainst you. ||

12 Blessed are you, O ׀ Lord; |teach me your ׀ statutes. ║

13 With my lips have I been ׀ telling |of all the judgments of your ׀ mouth. ||

14 I have had greater delight in the way of your ׀ testimonies |than in all manner of ׀ riches. ║

15 I will meditate on your com׀mandments |and have respect for all your ׀ ways. ||

16 My delight will be in your ׀ statutes, |and I will not forget your ׀ word. ║

The Seventh Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 71 or 71:11-23 (A prayer in old age)

1 In you, O Lord, have I put my ׀ trust; |let me never be put to ׀ shame. ||

2 Rescue me and deliver me in your ׀ righteousness; |incline your ear to me and ׀ save me. ║

3 Be my rock and my refuge, where I may always re׀turn; |you have promised to help me;

for you are my stronghold and my ׀ fortress. ||4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the un׀godly, |

out of the hand of the unrighteous and the ׀ cruel. ║5 For you, O Lord God, are the one I ׀ long for; |

you are my hope, even from my ׀ youth. ||

6 Through you have I been upheld ever since I was born; you took me out of my mother’s ׀ womb; |

my praise shall be always of ׀ you. ║7 I have become a portent to ׀ many; |

but you are my refuge and my ׀ strength. ||8 O let my mouth be filled with your ׀ praise, |

that I may sing of your glory all the day ׀ long. ║9 Cast me not away in the time of old ׀ age; |

forsake me not when my strength ׀ fails me. ||10 For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel to׀gether. |

They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and take him, for there is none to de׀liver him.” ║11 Go not far from me, O ׀ God; |

my God, make haste to ׀ help me. ||12 Let those who are my adversaries be confounded and ׀ perish; |

let those who seek to do me evil be covered with shame and dis׀honor. ║13 As for me, I will always patiently a׀bide, |

and will praise you more and ׀ more. ||14 My mouth shall speak daily of your righteousness and sal׀vation, |

for I know not the end of ׀ them. ║15 I will go forth in the strength of the Lord ׀ God, |

and will make mention of your righteousness, yours a׀lone. ||16 You, O God, have taught me from my ׀ youth; |

even to this day I am telling of your wondrous ׀ works. ║17 Forsake me not, O God, in my old age, when I am gray׀-headed, |

until I have proclaimed your strength to this generation; and your power to all those who are yet to ׀ come. ||18 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the ׀ heavens; |

you have done great things. Who is like you, O ׀ God? ║

19 Oh, what great troubles and adversities you have shown me! And yet you have turned and re׀freshed me; |

indeed, you have brought me again from the depths of the ׀ earth. ||20 You have brought me to great ׀ honor |

and comforted me on every ׀ side;║21 Therefore will I praise you and your faithfulness; O God, playing on a stringed ׀ instrument; |

to you will I sing with the harp, O Holy One of ׀ Israel. ||22 My lips will rejoice when I sing to ׀ you, |

and so will my soul, which you have de׀livered. ║ (repeat second half of chant)

23 My tongue also shall speak of your righteousness all the day ׀ long, |for they are confounded and brought to shame who seek to do me ׀ evil. ║

The Eighth Sunday of EpiphanyPsalm 62 (Hope in God alone)

1 For God alone my soul in silence ׀ waits; |from him comes my sal׀vation. ||

2 He truly is my strength and my sal׀vation; |he is my defense, so that I shall not be greatly ׀ shaken. ║

3 How long will you assail a man to crush him; all of you to׀gether, |

as if you were a tottering wall or a broken ׀ fence? ||4 Their plan is only to bring down the one whom God has ex׀alted; |

their delight is in lies; they bless with their mouth, but curse with their ׀ heart. ║5 Nevertheless, for God alone my soul in silence ׀ waits, |

for my hope is in ׀ him. ||6 He truly is my strength and my sal׀vation; |

he is my defense, so that I shall not ׀ fall. ║7 In God is my help and my ׀ glory; |

he is the rock of my might, and in him is my ׀ trust. ||8 O put your trust in him always, you ׀ people; |

pour out your hearts before him, for God is our ׀ hope. ║

9 As for the children of men, they are but a ׀ breath; |the children of men are deceitful; upon the scales;

they are altogether lighter than a ׀ breath. ||10 O trust not in oppression; put not vain hopes in ׀ robbery; |

if riches increase, set not your heart u׀pon them. ║11 One thing has God spoken; indeed, two things have I heard him ׀ say: ׀|

that power belongs to our ׀ God; ||12 And that you, O Lord, are ׀ merciful, |

for you reward everyone according to his ׀ work. ║

The Second to the Last Sunday of Epiphany (World Mission Sunday)Psalm 67 (Harvest song)

1 May God be merciful unto us, and ׀ bless us, |and show us the light of his countenance;

and be merciful unto ׀ us. ||2 Let your way be known upon ׀ earth, |

your saving health among all ׀ nations. ║3 Let the peoples praise you, O ׀ God; |

indeed, let all the peoples ׀ praise you. ||4 O let the nations rejoice and be ׀ glad, |

for you shall judge the peoples righteously; and govern the nations upon ׀ earth. ║5 Let the peoples praise you, O ׀ God; |

let all the peoples ׀ praise you. ||6 Then shall the earth bring forth her ׀ increase, |

and God, even our own God, shall give us his ׀ blessing. ║ (repeat second half of chant)7 God shall ׀ bless us, |

and all the ends of the world shall ׀ fear him. ║

The Last Sunday of Epiphany (Transfiguration)Psalm 99 (God, the upright and holy king)

1 The Lord is King; let the peoples ׀ tremble; |he sits between the cherubim; let the earth ׀ shake. ||

2 The Lord is great in ׀ Zion |and high above all ׀ peoples. ║

3 They shall give thanks unto his Name, which is great and ׀ wonderful; |holy is he and mighty, a King who loves ׀ justice. ||

4 You have established ׀ equity; |you have executed judgment and righteousness in ׀ Jacob. ║

5 O magnify the Lord our ׀ God, |and fall down before his footstool, for he is ׀ holy. ||

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests; and Samuel among those who call upon his ׀ Name, |

they called upon the Lord, and he ׀ heard them. ║7 He spoke to them out of the cloudy ׀ pillar, |

for they kept his testimonies and the law that he ׀ gave them. ||8 You heard them, O Lord our ׀ God; |

you forgave them, O God, yet punished their evil׀doings. ║ (repeat second half of chant)9 O magnify the Lord our God, and worship him upon his holy ׀ hill, |

for the Lord our God is ׀ holy. ║

LENT (YEAR A)

Ash Wednesday Psalm 103 or 103:8-14 (God is love)

1 Praise the Lord, O my ׀ soul, |and all that is within me, praise his holy ׀ Name. ||

2 Praise the Lord, O my ׀ soul, | and forget not all his ׀ benefits: ║

3 Who forgives all your ׀ sin |and heals all your in ׀ firmities, ||

4 Who saves your life from the ׀ pit |and crowns you with mercy and loving- ׀ kindness, ║

5 Who satisfies you with good ׀ things, | renewing your youth like an ׀ eagle’s. ||

6 The Lord executes righteousness and ׀ judgment | for all those who are oppressed with ׀ wrong. ║

7 He showed his ways to ׀ Moses, |his works to the children of ׀ Israel. ||

8 The Lord is full of compassion and ׀ mercy, | long-suffering and of great ׀ goodness. ║

9 He will not always ׀ chide us, |neither will he keep his anger for ׀ ever. ||

10 He has not dealt with us according to our ׀ sins, | nor rewarded us according to our ׀ wickedness. ║

11 For as the heavens are high above the ׀ earth, |so great is his mercy also toward those who ׀ fear him. ||

12 As far as the east is from the ׀ west, | so far has he set our sins from ׀ us. ║

13 As a father pities his own ׀ children, |so is the Lord merciful to those who ׀ fear him. ||

14 For he knows whereof we are ׀ made; | he remembers that we are but ׀ dust. ║

15 The days of man are as ׀ grass; |he flourishes as a flower of the ׀ field. ||

16 For as soon as the wind goes over it, it is ׀ gone, | and its place shall know it no ׀ more. ║

17 But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever and ever upon those who ׀ fear him, |and his righteousness upon children’s ׀ children, ||

18 Even upon those who keep his ׀ covenant |and think upon his commandments to do ׀ them. ║

19 The Lord has prepared his throne in ׀ heaven, | and his kingdom rules over ׀ all. ||

20 O praise the Lord, you angels of his; you that excel in ׀ strength, |

you that fulfill his commandment; and hearken unto the voice of his ׀ words. ║21 O praise the Lord, all you his ׀ hosts, |

you servants of his that do his ׀ pleasure. ||22 O speak good of the Lord, all you works of his; in all places of his do ׀ minion; |

praise the Lord, O my ׀ soul. ║

The First Sunday in LentPs 51 or Ps 51:1-12 (A prayer of contrition)

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, in your great ׀ goodness; | according to the multitude of your mercies wipe away my of ׀ fences. ||

2 Wash me thoroughly from my ׀ wickedness | and cleanse me from my ׀ sin. ║

3 For I acknowledge my ׀ faults, |and my sin is ever be ׀ fore me. ||1

4 Against you only have I sinned, and done this evil in your ׀ sight, | so that you are justified in your sentence;

and blameless in your ׀ judgment. ║5 Behold, I was brought forth in ׀ wickedness, |

and in sin my mother con ׀ ceived me. ||6 But behold, you desire truth in the inward ׀ parts |

and shall make me understand wisdom ׀ secretly. ║7 You shall purge me with hyssop, and I shall be ׀ clean; |

you shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than ׀ snow. ||8 You shall make me hear of joy and ׀ gladness, |

that the bones which you have broken may re ׀ joice. ║9 Turn your face from my ׀ sins, |

and blot out all my mis ׀ deeds. ||10 Create in me a clean heart, O ׀ God, |

and renew a right spirit with ׀ in me. ║11 Cast me not away from your ׀ presence, |

and take not your holy Spirit from ׀ me. ||12 O give me the comfort of your help a ׀ gain, |

and sustain me with your willing ׀ Spirit. ║13 Then shall I teach your ways unto the ׀ wicked, |

and sinners shall return unto ׀ you. ||14 Deliver me from blood-guilt, O God, the God of my sal ׀ vation, |

and my tongue shall sing of your ׀ righteousness. ║15 O Lord, open my ׀ lips, |

and my mouth shall show forth your ׀ praise. ||16 For you desire no sacrifice, or else I would give it to ׀ you; |

but you delight not in burnt- ׀ offerings. ║17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled ׀ spirit; |

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you shall not de ׀ spise. ||

18 O be favorable and gracious unto ׀ Zion; | may you build up the walls of Je ׀ rusalem. ║

(repeat second half of chant)

19 Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness; with the burnt-offerings and o ׀ blations; |

then shall they offer young bullocks upon your ׀ altar. ║

The Second Sunday in LentPs 33:12-21 (Hymn to Providence)

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the ׀ Lord, | and blessed are the people he has chosen for himself to be his in ׀ heritance. ||

13 The Lord looks down from heaven and beholds all the children of ׀ men; | from the habitation of his dwelling;

he considers all those who dwell on the ׀ earth. ║

14 He fashions all the hearts of ׀ them |and understands all their ׀ works. ||

15 There is no king who can be saved by a mighty ׀ host; | neither is any mighty man delivered by great ׀ strength. ║

16 A horse is considered a vain hope to save a ׀ man; | neither shall it deliver anyone by its great ׀ strength. ||

17 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who ׀ fear him, | and upon those who put their trust in his ׀ mercy, ║

18 To deliver their soul from ׀ death, |and to feed them in the time of ׀ famine. ||

19 Our soul has patiently waited for the ׀ Lord, | for he is our help and our ׀ shield. ║

20 Our heart shall rejoice in ׀ him, |because we have hoped in his holy ׀ Name. ||

21 Let your merciful kindness, O Lord, be u ׀ pon us, | as we have put our trust in ׀ you. ║

The Third Sunday in LentPs 95 (Invitation to praise)

1 O come, let us sing unto the ׀ Lord; |let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our sal ׀ vation. ||

2 Let us come before his presence with ׀ thanksgiving |and show ourselves glad in him with ׀ psalms. ║

3 For the Lord is a great ׀ God |and a great King above all ׀ gods. ||

4 In his hand are all the depths of the ׀ earth, | and the heights of the hills are his al ׀ so. ║

5 The sea is his, for he ׀ made it, |and his hands pre ׀ pared the dry ׀ land. ||

6 O come, let us worship and fall ׀ down, |and kneel before the Lord our ׀ Maker. ║

7 For he is our ׀ God, |and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his ׀ hand. ||

8 Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your ׀ hearts | as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the ׀ wilderness, ║

9 When your fathers ׀ tested me, |and put me to the proof, though they had seen my ׀ works. ||

10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and ׀ said, |“It is a people that err in their hearts, for they have not known my ׀ ways,” ║

(repeat second half of chant)

11Of whom I swore in my ׀ wrath |that they should not enter into my ׀ rest. ║

LENT and EASTER—YEAR AMore coming soon!