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This musical setting of Psalm 137 aims to interpret the spirit of the psalm rather than being a literal rendition, turning harps into guitars and naming some of the oppressors of our modern world.
Psalm 137
How does this psalm piece interpret the psalm?
“So Far from Home” is perhaps the first congregational song to include a curse word. Before passing judgment about the indelicacy of such a poetic move, let’s consider its theological appropriateness. Psalm 137 ends with the imprecation: “Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!” What are we to do with such an expression of vengeance? Should we sing the pleasant parts of the psalm and just skip this? Do we believe that vengeful feelings no longer apply in the age of Christ? Do we simply put the imprecation on people’s lips without examination?
I chose to interpret this imprecation as a curse—specifically, the curse words “God damn.” It retains the shock of the original psalm while turning from the violence of killing babies to damning some modern forces of human oppression and misery: slave traders, pimps, and wars. At its core, Psalm 137 ends with righteous anger. I attempted to transplant that righteous anger in a way that makes sense for a modern worshiper.
Psalm 137’s message of enslavement, homesickness, and vengeance has never been more timely. Perhaps an unblinking musical setting like this will allow its message to speak in a new way.
Realistically, few congregations will sing this as a group. However, I could imagine it being performed in conjunction with the scripture reading and sermon, perhaps with scripture and lyrics displayed side by side.
Text and Music: Psalm 137; Greg Scheer, © 2015 Greg Scheer
Used by permission. CCLI #400063.
Contact: CCLI License or Greg Scheer, greg@gregscheer.com
While Christian baptism is predominantly a transcultural practice, distinct faith communities worldwide experience this initiation rite through unique contextualizing elements. Join us in a fascinating conversation with Christian leaders from five continents about the rich cultural diversity reflected in baptismal liturgies, imagery, and practices, and how they shape Christian life in their contexts.
This panel will explore the intersectionality between culture and disability. What can we learn from the experiences of people across varying cultures and contexts? What do experiences of racism and ableism in the church have in common? How do they overlap? How does belonging for people with disabilities look different in a variety of cultural contexts?
Teenagers’ desire to encounter God has been realized throughout history as youth ministry has grown and evolved. Indeed, teenagers have expressed needs and desires to practice and grow their faith at church, school, and home as well as at camps and conferences or on short- and long-term mission trips. On the one hand, these worship efforts have been deeply formative. On the other hand, these worship efforts have focused on attracting and keeping teenagers as much as, if not more than, on spiritual formation. This session will identify key historical patterns in adolescent worship and examine how we might engage their wisdom for faithful worship practices with teenagers today.
While Christian baptism is predominantly a transcultural practice, distinct faith communities worldwide experience this initiation rite through unique contextualizing elements. Join us in a fascinating conversation with Christian leaders from five continents about the rich cultural diversity reflected in baptismal liturgies, imagery, and practices, and how they shape Christian life in their contexts.
This panel will explore the intersectionality between culture and disability. What can we learn from the experiences of people across varying cultures and contexts? What do experiences of racism and ableism in the church have in common? How do they overlap? How does belonging for people with disabilities look different in a variety of cultural contexts?
Teenagers’ desire to encounter God has been realized throughout history as youth ministry has grown and evolved. Indeed, teenagers have expressed needs and desires to practice and grow their faith at church, school, and home as well as at camps and conferences or on short- and long-term mission trips. On the one hand, these worship efforts have been deeply formative. On the other hand, these worship efforts have focused on attracting and keeping teenagers as much as, if not more than, on spiritual formation. This session will identify key historical patterns in adolescent worship and examine how we might engage their wisdom for faithful worship practices with teenagers today.
Songs from the people of Korea can deeply enrich your liturgy whether you have Korean-speaking members in your congregation or not. This workshop will introduce a variety of bilingual Korean-English songs that have been newly translated in the past few years as well as strategies to lead them effectively in your own worshiping context.
