This Psalm Offering is a musical expression of Psalm 25.
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord,
and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are
steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress.
Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
(Coogan, Michael D.; Brettler, Marc Z.; Perkins, Pheme; Newsom, Carol A.. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version (Page 793). Oxford University Press.)
I dedicate this Psalm Offering to Lisa Leverson. Lisa is the administrative secretary of the parish in which I presently serve. She has the wonderful quality of bringing order and tranquility to the chaos of parish life. I find this somewhat akin to the gospel accounts of Jesus calming the storm at sea. She is a good friend, and a most trusted colleague. It is a comfort to minister with her in this large, merged parish.
ABOUT THE MUSIC: This Palm Offering is composed in the key of G major. It is in simple two part, AB, form. There is a recurring refrain A that alternates with the B melody. The entire form of the song is A,B1,A,B2,A,B1, A Coda.
(Psalm Offering 7 Opus 9, (c) 2018, Deacon Bob Wagner OFS. All rights reserved.
