Published on
December 22, 2020
Video length
1 mins

This setting of Psalm 8 was composed and submitted by Josh Rodriguez. It is a musical response to the opening lines of this psalm.

Psalm 8

How does this psalm piece interpret the psalm? 
In the 16th century, Louis Bourgeois contributed many simple yet elegant tunes to John Calvin’s Psalter. I wrote this solo cello piece as both a personal meditation on Psalm as well as a musical meditation on the Genevan Psalter’s tune for Psalm 8. “Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic” is an invitation to ponder what the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins referred to as the “dearest freshness deep down things” of God. 

As an instrumental work that celebrates the majesty and creative power of God, it can be used as a musical response to a sermon on Psalm (as a time for congregants to reflect on the preached Word) or as prelude/offertory music in a service with this theme. This work moves beyond a mere arrangement of the Genevan psalm tune to become a new work appropriate for use in a liturgical or concert setting. 

Text and Music: Psalm 8; Josh Rodriguez, © 2016 Josh Rodriguez  
Used by permission. 
Contact: Josh Rodriguez, josh.rodriguez.music@gmail.com 

 

Recent Media Resources

How to Preach and Hear the Psalms

A workshop which shows participants how to preach genre-conscious sermons from the book of Psalms. Attention will be given to historical, literary, and theological issues with the aim of improving hermeneutical, generical, and homiletical practice. Participants, including hearers of sermons, will expand their knowledge of the psalms as a genre, develop genre-conscious forms and structures, and cultivate new strategies for homiletical practice.

June 23, 2026 | 82 min video
Psalms for Every Tribe and Tongue

Drawing inspiration from Revelation 7:9, Terry and Darlene Wildman will lead this workshop exploring how the First Nations Version: Psalms speaks into—and flows out from—the hearts of Indigenous North American cultures today through storytelling, songs, and interactive activities. Participants will experience how these ancient prayers continue to inspire worship that celebrates cultural diversity and unity in Creator’s Sacred Family.

June 4, 2026 | 79 min video
Local Songwriting as CSA: Support Your Local Psalm Grower!

Riffing on the themes of community-supported agriculture (CSA), Cardiphonia and Bellwether Arts have been partnering with homegrown liturgical artists to create local, organically produced fruits of the psalms through song, art, and prayer—community-supported artistry. Since 2015 they’ve been on a journey of seasonal engagement through which they have lovingly harvested almost two hundred songs, dozens of original artworks, and other liturgical produce. In this workshop you will hear from a variety of growers who sow and reap in West Michigan in various soils and sediments.

May 28, 2026 | 81 min video