Responding To The Psalms
June 2023RESPONDING TO THE PSALMS – June 2023
– a project of the Spirituality Committee of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
“This explains why the Psalter is the favourite book of all the saints and why each one of them, whatever his circumstances may be, finds in it psalms and words which are appropriate to the circumstances in which he finds himself and meet his needs as adequately as if they were composed exclusively for his sake, and in such a way that he himself could not improve on them nor find or desire any better psalms or words … To sum up: if you want to see the holy Christian Church painted in glowing colours and in a form which is really alive and if you want this to be done in a miniature, you must get hold of the Psalter, there you will have in your possession a fine, clear, pure mirror which will show you what Christianity really is; yea, you will, find yourself in it and the true “know thyself” and God himself and all his creatures too.“
Martin Luther Second Preface to the German Psalter [1528] [in Artur Weiser The Psalms SCM 1962[1986]
We have used the Sunday Responsorial psalm to offer a focus for reflection during the week ahead for yourself or share with others. You could note your own thoughts as a possible personal journal.
Acknowledgements
Excerpts from The Psalms: A New Translation © 1963 The Grail (England) published by HarperCollins.
4 June The Most Holy Trinity – Solemnity
Responsorial Chant Daniel 3:52-56
To you glory and praise for evermore.
One of the few occasions when another scripture replaces the psalm,
here part of the Song of the Three Young Men, in litany form like Psalm 135.
Reflect on the response: To you glory and praise for evermore.
Pray for the ability to give glory and praise to God by the way you live, speak, act.
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.
Blest your glorious holy name.
Our God is the God who has cared for his people throughout all of time.
Bless, praise God for his generosity to humanity in all the ages
You are blest in the temple of your glory.
You are blest on the throne of your kingdom.
We worship the God of glory, the King of Kings
Just marvel at how God has stooped down to us from his greatness
You are blest who gaze into the depths.
You are blest in the firmament of heaven.
The world demonstrates the grandeur of God’s power as creator
Pray that humanity will take greater care of the whole of his creation
11 June Corpus Christi – Solemnity
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 147:12-15,19-20
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
As we keep this great feast we are glad to join the praise of all God’s people throughout history
We are deeply grateful that he strengthens us and blesses us with the gift of Christ in the Eucharist
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
As we celebrate the sacrament of peace let us pray we will work for peace where we are
We rejoice that we are fed with the Word of God and the Bread of Life in the Eucharistic celebration
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
Let us pray that we will live by the values of the Eucharist, by God’s word, his laws and decrees
Let us remember with gratitude that God has chosen us as his people, inviting us to live in his presence
18 June 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 99(100):2-3,5
We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy.
It is good to remind ourselves that when we pray we are praying with the whole Church worldwide
Let us ensure that we make our prayer a glad service, and a joyful offering to God
Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Stop and reflect how amazing it is for us to have a personal relationship with the living God
Try to be more aware of all those share our faith, that together we belong to God
Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
“God is good – all the time. All the time – God is good” : a chant we can pray from Swahili liturgy
Reflect how at this moment we are just one part of God’s endless faithful love throughout history
25 June 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 68(69):8-10,14,17,33-35
In your great love, answer me, O Lord.
It is for you that I suffer taunts,
that shame covers my face,
that I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother’s sons.
I burn with zeal for your house
and taunts against you fall on me.
Take time to reflect on the struggles of your own life, how we struggle to be faithful to God.
Pray for those who feel alienated in any way in our society today, and for those who try to help them
This is my prayer to you,
my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God,
with your help that never fails:
Lord, answer, for your love is kind;
in your compassion, turn towards me.
Think and then pray for what you need from God’s favour, if it is his will for you now
Identify and then thank God for his kindnesses and compassion to you throughout your life
The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his servants in their chains.
Let the heavens and the earth give him praise,
the sea and all its living creatures.
Pray for people who are poor spiritually, seeking God in their struggles
Think how we can support people who are materially needy and all imprisoned in any way
29 June Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles – Mass of the Day ●
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33(34):2-9
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
Let us consciously make this a holy day, finding different ways to bless and praise God
Recognise our need to be humble because we are glad that God cares for us
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
Think of some way in which you can draw others to praise God with you today
Thankfully think of all those moments when God has rescued you
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.
Ask for the ability to show your faith to others by the joy of your life in Christ
Pray with all those who are calling on God to rescue them, and see if you can help them in any way
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
Thank God for the people who have been like angels in your life, supporting you in different ways
As you receive the Eucharist express your joy and happiness that you can be so close to the Lord