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PSALMS
OF THE SEASON - LENT, YEAR B
The Psalms in Worship, A 21st Century Descant
by
Rev. Dr. Mary Susan Gast, Conference
Minister
Below you will find the
readings from the Psalms assigned to the
season of Lent, Year B. Lent is the season
preceding Holy Week and Easter, when we
observe Jesus' final days of temptation
and strength, and his journey to Jerusalem.
It is my hope to render each of the Psalms
in language that is understandable to people
today, useable in worship, and true to the
intent of the psalmists. These re-phrasings
are not so much paraphrase as harmony, with
the fixed, known melody as a base. The book
is copyrighted, but you have my permission
to use any of the readings posted on this
website in a service of worship, with the
printed acknowledgement:
From The Psalms in Worship,
Mary Susan Gast, © 2002;
used by permission in this service of
worship.
Scroll down the page, or click on the link:
First Sunday of Lent,
Year B
Second Sunday of Lent,
Year B
Third Sunday of Lent,
Year B
Fourth Sunday of Lent,
Year B
Fifth Sunday of Lent,
Year B
Sixth Sunday of Lent,
Year B
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FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 25
To You, O God, I offer my life;
In You I trust, O my God;
Do not let me be defeated by the world
around me;
Do not let my adversaries destroy
me.
No one who hopes in You will ever
be crushed.
Only those who wantonly disregard
You will be dismayed.
Show me Your ways, O Holy One; teach
me the paths to You.
Lead me by Your faithfulness, and
teach me,
For You are God, my deliverer;
In You I hope all day long.
Recall Your compassion, O Holy One;
Keep hold of Your faithfulness;
For they have always been Your traits.
Do not recall the transgressions of
my youth
or my wanderings from Your ways;
According to Your infinite compassion,
keep hold of me,
For You are goodness itself, O God.
Good and trustworthy is the Almighty,
Who always leads the straying back
to the path that leads to life.
God leads those who will follow in
what is right,
and teaches them to live.
All the ways of the Most High are
loving and faithful,
For those who are faithful and loving.
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 25,
Antiphonal
Leader: To You, O God, I offer my
life;
PEOPLE: In You I trust, O my God;
Leader: Do not let me be defeated
by the world around me;
PEOPLE: Do not let my adversaries
destroy me.
Leader: No one who hopes in You will
ever be crushed.
PEOPLE: Only those who wantonly disregard
You will be left forsaken.
Leader: Show me Your ways, O Holy
One; teach me the paths to You.
PEOPLE: Lead me by Your faithfulness,
and teach me,
For
You are the God of my salvation;
In
You I hope all day long.
Leader: Recall Your compassion, O
Holy One;
PEOPLE: Keep hold of Your faithfulness;
Leader: For those have always been
Your traits.
PEOPLE: Do not recall the transgressions
of my youth
Or
my wanderings from Your ways;
Leader: According to Your infinite
compassion,
Keep
hold of me,
PEOPLE: For You are goodness itself,
O God.
Leader: Good and trustworthy is the
Almighty,
PEOPLE: Who always leads the straying
back to the path that leads to life.
Leader: God leads those who will follow
in what is right,
PEOPLE: And teaches them to live.
Leader: All the ways of the Most High
are loving and faithful,
PEOPLE: For those who are faithful
and loving.
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SECOND
SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 22: 23-31
You who know the Almighty, give honor!
All you offspring of wanderers and heirs
of grace, give praise!
Stand in awe of the Most High, all you
who are God's people!
For the Holy One did not despise my
affliction,
or
abhor me in my affliction;
Nor did the Almighty turn away from
me,
But heard my cry for help.
You, O Redeemer, cause me to rejoice
when the community gathers;
I will offer my thanksgiving in the
company of those who seek Your presence.
The needy shall feast and be satisfied;
All those who seek the Most High shall
give reverence.
May your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember
God's deeds and turn to the Holy One;
All the families of all the nations
shall revere the Most High..
For the Eternal One reigns,
It is our God who has authority over
the nations of earth.
All who sleep in the earth shall declare
this;
All who go down to the dust and cannot
keep themselves alive shall give honor;
Our children and our children's children
will follow God's way;
Future generations will hear about
the Holy One;
They will proclaim deliverance by
the Almighty to a people yet unborn.
For God has done it. God has stayed
with us.
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 22:
23-31, Antiphonal
Leader: You who know the Almighty,
give honor!
All
you offspring of wanderers and heirs
of grace, give praise!
PEOPLE: Stand in awe of the Most High,
all you who are God's people!
Voice 1: For the Holy One did not
despise my affliction,
or
abhor me in my affliction;
Voice 2: Nor did the Almighty turn
away from me,
but
heard my cry for help.
Voice 1: You, O Redeemer, cause me
to rejoice when the community gathers;
Voice 2: I will offer my thanksgiving
in
the company of those who seek Your
presence.
Voice 1: The needy shall feast and
be satisfied;
Voice 2: All those who seek the Most
High shall give reverence.
Leader: May your hearts live forever!
Voice 1: All the ends of the earth
shall remember God's deeds
and
turn to the Holy One;
Voice 2: All the families of all the
nations shall revere the Most High..
PEOPLE: For the Eternal One reigns,
Leader: It is our God who has authority
over the nations of earth.
Voice 1: All who sleep in the earth
shall declare this;
Voice 2: All who go down to the dust
and cannot keep themselves alive
shall
give honor,
PEOPLE: Our children and our children's
children will follow God's way;
Future
generations will hear about the Holy
One;
Leader: They will proclaim deliverance
by the Almighty to a people yet unborn.
PEOPLE: For God has done it. God has
stayed with us.
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THIRD SUNDAY
IN LENT: PSALM 19
The heavens declare the brilliance
of God;
The skies proclaim God's handiwork.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
Night after night they disclose understanding.
Yet there is no speech, nor are there
words;
Their voice cannot be heard;
Yet their voice goes out through all
the earth,
And their words to the end of the
world.
In the heavens The Almighty has pitched
a tent for the sun.
The sun comes forth with eagerness,
like
one betrothed emerging from the wedding
canopy,
seeking
the beloved;
Like a champion the sun runs its course
with joy.
It rises from one end of the heavens,
and journeys to the other end;
Nothing can hide from its heat.
The dominion of the Holy One is all-embracing,
restoring life.
The teachings of the Most High are
trustworthy, making the simple wise.
The designs of the Eternal One are
life-giving, rejoicing the heart.
The word of the Redeemer is radiant,
lighting up the eyes.
Faithfulness to the Creator brings
enduring strength;
God's ways are faithful and loving,
More to be desired than gold,
even
much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey,
than
honey from the comb.
Your ways are the passage to life;
All other paths are raging with peril.
But who can keep always on course?
Prevent me from wandering.
Let me not be beguiled by the arrogant,
Who boast of their own powers.
Then I shall ever lodge my trust in
You,
And keep to Your ways.
May the words of my mouth
and
the meditation of my heart
be
acceptable to You,
my
Rock and my Redeemer.
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 19,
Antiphonal
Leader: The heavens declare the brilliance
of God;
PEOPLE: The skies proclaim God's handiwork.
Leader: Day after day they pour forth
speech;
PEOPLE Night after night they disclose
understanding.
Leader Yet there is no speech, nor
are there words;
PEOPLE: Their voice cannot be heard;
Leader: Yet their voice goes out through
all the earth,
PEOPLE: And their words to the end
of the world.
Leader: In the heavens The Almighty
has pitched a tent for the sun.
The sun comes forth with eagerness,
like
one betrothed emerging from the wedding
canopy,
seeking
the beloved;
PEOPLE: Like a champion the sun runs
its course with joy.
Leader: It rises from one end of the
heavens, and journeys to the other
end;
PEOPLE: Nothing can hide from its
heat.
Leader: The dominion of the Holy
One is all-embracing, restoring life.
PEOPLE: The teachings of the Most
High are trustworthy,
making
the simple wise.
Leader: The designs of the Eternal
One are life-giving,
rejoicing
the heart.
PEOPLE, The word of the Redeemer is
radiant,
lighting
up the eyes.
Leader: Faithfulness to the Creator
brings enduring strength;
PEOPLE: God's ways are faithful and
loving,
Leader: More to be desired than gold,
PEOPLE: Even much pure gold;
Leader: Sweeter also than honey,
PEOPLE: Than honey from the comb.
Leader: Your ways are the passage
to life;
PEOPLE: All other paths are raging
with peril.
Leader: But who can keep always on
course?
PEOPLE: Prevent me from wandering.
Leader: Let me not be beguiled by
the arrogant,
who
boast of their own powers.
PEOPLE: Then I shall ever lodge my
trust in You,
Leader: And keep to Your ways.
ALL: May the words of my mouth
and
the meditation of my heart
be
acceptable to You,
my
Rock and my Redeemer.
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FOURTH SUNDAY
IN LENT: PSALM 107: 1-3, 17-22
O give thanks to the Holy One, for
God is good;
The Holy One's unfaltering love endures
forever.
Let those redeemed by the Most High
say so,
Those whom God delivered from adversity
and gathered in from the lands,
From the east and from the west, from
the north and from the south.
Some became sick through their headstrong
ways,
And because of their foolishness suffered
affliction;
They loathed any kind of food, and
they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the Holy One
in their distress,
And God Most High delivered them from
their troubles;
The Almighty sent forth the word and
healed them, and delivered them from
destruction.
Let them thank the Holy One for this
unfaltering love,
For these wondrous actions toward
humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving, and
tell of Gods deeds with songs of joy.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 107:
1-3, 17-22, Antiphon
Leader: O give thanks to the Holy
One, for God is good;
PEOPLE: The Holy One's unfaltering
love endures forever.
Leader: Let those redeemed by the
Most High say so,
PEOPLE: Those whom God delivered from
adversity and gathered in from the
lands,
Leader: From the east and from the
west,
PEOPLE: From the north and from the
south.
Leader: Some became sick through their
headstrong ways,
PEOPLE: And because of their foolishness
suffered affliction;
Leader: They loathed any kind of food,
PEOPLE: And they drew near to the
gates of death.
Leader: Then they cried out to the
Holy One in their distress,
PEOPLE: And God Most High delivered
them from their troubles;
Leader: The Almighty sent forth the
word and healed them,
And delivered them from destruction.
PEOPLE: Let them thank the Holy One
for this unfaltering love,
Leader: For these wondrous actions
toward humankind.
PEOPLE: And let them offer thanksgiving,
And tell of Gods deeds with songs
of joy.
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FIFTH SUNDAY
IN LENT: PSALM 119: 9-16
How can young people keep their way
open to the Most High?
By living it according to Your word.
With my whole heart I seek You; do not
let me stray from Your direction.
I treasure Your promises in my heart,
so that I may not lose my way to You.
Holy are You, O God Almighty; teach
me Your way.
With my lips I declare all that comes
from Your mouth.
I delight in Your guidance as much as
in all riches.
I will meditate on Your teachings, and
fix my eyes on Your path.
I will delight in Your instruction;
I will not forget Your word.
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT: PSALM 119:
9-16, Antiphon
Leader: How can young people keep
their way open to the Most High?
PEOPLE: By living it according to
Your word.
Leader: With my whole heart I seek
You;
PEOPLE: Do not let me stray from Your
direction.
Leader: I treasure Your promises in
my heart,
PEOPLE: So that I may not lose my
way to You.
Leader: Holy are You, O God Almighty;
PEOPLE: Teach me Your way.
Leader: With my lips I declare all
that comes from Your mouth.
PEOPLE: I delight in Your guidance
as much as in all riches.
Leader: I will meditate on Your teachings,
PEOPLE: And fix my eyes on Your path.
Leader: I will delight in Your instruction;
PEOPLE: I will not forget Your word.
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SIXTH SUNDAY
IN LENT: PSALM 31: 9-16
Be gracious to me now, O God, for
I am in torment;
my
eyes dissolve with grief,
my
soul and body also.
My life is spent with sorrow, and
my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.
Because of my enemies,
I
am scorned by my neighbors,
dreaded
by my friends.
Those who see me in the street flee
from me.
I have passed out of memory like one
who is dead;
I have become shattered clay.
I hear the whispering of many,
Terror all around!
As they scheme together against me,
As they plot to take my life.
But I trust in You, O Faithful One;
I say, "You are my God."
Into Your hand I entrust my future;
Deliver me from the power of my enemies
And the grasp of my pursuers.
Let Your face shine upon Your servant;
You whose love is unfailing, deliver
me.
SIXTH SUNDAY IN LENT: PSALM 31:
9-16, Antiphon
Voice 1: Be gracious to me now, O
God, for I am in torment;
PEOPLE: My eyes dissolve with grief,
my soul and body also.
Voice 2: My life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
PEOPLE: My strength fails because
of my misery, and my bones waste away.
Voice 1: Because of my enemies, I
am scorned by my neighbors,
dreaded
by my friends.
Voice 2: Those who see me in the street
flee from me.
PEOPLE: I have passed out of memory
like one who is dead;
Voice 1: I have become shattered clay.
Voice 2: I hear the whispering of
many,
PEOPLE: Terror all around!
Voice 1: As they scheme together against
me,
Voice 2: As they plot to take my life.
PEOPLE: But I trust in You, O Faithful
One;
I
say, "You are my God."
Voice 1: Into Your hand I entrust
my future;
Voice 2: Deliver me from the power
of my enemies,
PEOPLE: And the grasp of my pursuers.
Voice 1: Let Your face shine upon
Your servant;
Voice 2: You whose love is unfailing,
deliver me.
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Your
comments are welcome
Send to mailto:msgast@ncncucc.org
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