Words to Grow Into: The Psalms as Formative Speech
An excerpt taken from Forgotten Songs: Reclaiming the Psalms for Christian Worship, written by John D. Witvliet.
In public worship services all over the world, pastors, church musicians, and worship leaders regulary ask worshippers to speak or sing ancient words that come to us from the Bible's Psalter: "The Lord is my shepherd"; "Out of the depths I cry to you"; "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good"; "Have mercy on my, O God"; "O Lord, My heart is not lifted up"; "Our help is in the name of the Lord"; and many more. These psalmic expressions are embedded in well-known songs, featured in liturgy or responsive readings, or selected spontaneously by the leader during the service. When they become the words worshippers speak or sing, the often function differently than other scriptural texts. ...
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Excerpt taken from Forgotten Songs: Reclaiming the Psalms for Christian Worship edited by Ray Van Neste and C. Richard Wells c 2012 B&H Academic Used by permission