Psalm 103: A Choral Reading for 8 adults and 1 child

The chorus stands in the front. For the first half line, speakers begin speaking alone, as if speaking to themselves. Individuals join until a loud cacophony is heard. Then, the reading resumes.

ONE, adding until ALL are speaking [disorganized, repeating]: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

TWO: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

TWO and THREE: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

THREE: and do not forget all his benefits—

FOUR; who forgives all your iniquity,

FIVE: who heals all your diseases,

SIX: who redeems your life from the Pit,

SEVEN: who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

EIGHT: who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

FOUR and THREE: The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.

TWO, FIVE, SEVEN: He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

SIX: The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger

SIX and ONE: and abounding in steadfast love.

ONE: He will not always accuse,

TWO: nor will he keep his anger forever.

THREE: He does not deal with us according to our sins,

FOUR: nor repay us according to our iniquities.

FIVE and SIX: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

FOUR and THREE: as far as the east is from the west,

ONE, TWO, FIVE, SEVEN: so far he removes our transgressions from us.

NINE and EIGHT: As a father has compassion for his children,

EIGHT: so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.

FIVE: For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.

NINE (child voice): As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it,

NINE and EIGHT: and it is gone,

NINE, EIGHT, FIVE: and its place knows it no more.

ONE: But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting

ONE and FIVE: to everlasting on those who fear him,

FIVE and NINE: and his righteousness to children’s

NINE: children,

TWO and THREE: to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

FOUR and SIX: The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his

TWO, THREE, FOUR, SIX: kingdom rules over all.

SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT: Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.

ONE, TWO, FIVE, SEVEN: Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN: Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.

ALL: Bless the Lord, O my soul.