Singing the Psalms, Part 3 of 3 (Psalm 121)

• What thoughts do people have from the last two weeks?

• For those who went to the early service, did discussing Psalm 22a last week make a difference to you?

Psalm 121

This isn’t one of the ones we’re doing this month, but it is something where I have different examples of the psalm done in very different ways, and I want to explore both this very familiar psalm and see if different presentations have different messages. * Play Psalm 121 (Welsh)[1] * Read aloud the text of Psalm 121

Psalm 121 [NRSV]
A Song of Ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills--
  from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
  he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel
  will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper;
  the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in 
  from this time on and forevermore.

• What are the messages in this text to us? For one view of questions to think about with this psalm, consider http://www.walkwiththeword.org/Studies/01_OT/19_Psalm/19_Psalm_121.html. One thing I remember from singing this Psalm in Kingsport was the choir director reminding us that there’s a pause after “hills”. It’s not that the author is expecting the help to come from the hills, but perhaps more that those hills could be referencing the Mountains of Arrarat (the traditional/purported resting place of Noah’s Ark) as the Isrealites made their way back from Babylon. Those hills could also be the places where there were idols and worshipping places to the various other gods of the local tribes. Recall much of the Old Testament admonitions about the high places and the idol worship that often went on there. My help is not coming from some idol or some high place, but rather from the very God who made heaven and those hills.

The Psalmist, to encourage true believers confidently to trust in the aid of God, and to teach them to betake themselves to his protection, first, affirms that, to whatever quarter we turn our eyes it is impossible to find salvation anywhere else; and, in the second place, extols in lofty terms the fatherly care of God in defending his faithful ones. John Calvin, Commentary on Psalms, Volume 5[2]

• Play Michael Card version, starting at 0:58 mark[3]

The first half of this is in Hebrew (which I’m probably skipping), which is cool. This is a very bare plainsong version of the song, with a more complex melody than we often do.

• Play Anglican Chant Antiphon versions[4][5]

The first of these is an Anglican chant version with light organ backing. The second is is done as an antiphon (responsive) with the response in a Anglican Chant four-part harmony style. Do either of these provide something different to you in listening to the Psalm?

• Play Bob Bennett et al version[6]

This is a very different presentation of the psalm, in what sounds to me like a rather folksy fashion.

• Play Mattoon Youth Choir version[7]

As we think and reflect on the visioning workshop yesterday, how might we use these different presentations in ways to reach different groups? Do these provide different perspectives on the Psalm? Is there anything wrong with any of these versions?

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1. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/psalm–121-welsh-single/id516529686. See http://www.keepitsimplesoftware.co.uk/serin/about.html for information about the group Serin.  ↩

2. As quoted on http://christianbookshelf.org/calvin/commentary_on_psalms_volume_5/psalm_121.htm  ↩

3. “My Help (Psalm 121)”, track 6 from The Ancient Faith, Volume 2 by Michael Card. Not currently available in the US ITunes store. A track by the same name is available in The Ultimate Collection (Track 5), at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ultimate-collection-michael/id159796320  ↩

4. “Psalm 121, ‘I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes to the Hills’”, Track 4 from Psalms for the Spirit by Noel Edison & the St. John’s Choir. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/psalms-for-the-spirit/id205862562  ↩

5. Recording from First Presbyterian Church, New York City, Anglican Chant: Walford-Davies  ↩

6. “Psalm 121”, Track 10 from Songs for Israel by Bob Bennet, Buck Storm, Phil Keaggy & Randy Stonehill. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-for-israel/id408941043 or http://www.bob-bennett.com/buymusicfrombob.htm. An interesting release about this album can be found on (JesusFreakhideout.com)[http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2011/02/14.SONGS%20FOR%20ISRAEL%20NEW%20CD%20RELEASE%20OFFERS%20RICH%20NEW%20MUSICAL%20EXPERIENCE%20INSPIRED%20BY%20THE%20ANCIENT%20LAND%20JESUS%20WALKED.asp] with some information about the artists.  ↩

7. “Psalm 121”, track 10 from No Other Foundation by the Mattoon Youth Choir (Apostolic Center, Matoon, IL) https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-other-foundation/id484450917. See also http://www.apostoliccenter.org/NoOtherFoundation.html  ↩