Psalms for the Spirit

The haunting melody ‘My Lagan Love’ accompanies this Psalm’s plea for the listening ear of the loving God who is “Lord of All,” words kept from the original lyrics by Joseph Campbell. This Psalm expresses lament from a place of weariness deepest longing to be saved from the grave, and turns to God for guidance on the way forward, recalling also God’s deep love and goodness. Continue your reflectio...

Depicting a vision for what this world could be, this Psalm, set to the Scottish tune ‘Lovely Molly,’ imagines love and mercy (or truth or faithfulness, in other translations), justice and peace coming together to greet and kiss. This rendition of the Psalm continues to unfold that vision of the future as one in which God’s goodness and kindness are evident, healing takes place, and the people wil...

Set to the beautiful air ‘Carrickfergus,’ this Psalm depicts the pilgrimage of faith. It recounts the ways we can enter into God’s courts of dwelling, such as through the birds who sing their praise, or through the desert valley that becomes a place of flowing streams, and gain strength for our journey towards our heavenly home. Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includ...

This moving Psalm speaks of someone overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, who cries out for salvation and receives deliverance. Set to the tune ‘The Streets of Derry,’ it tells of the distress the psalmist is facing, the weariness from calling out, and the request for God’s face not to be hidden. The Psalm ultimately turns towards the hope that God will rebuild the broken people and that all w...

Watch this episode on YouTube here. Paid Subscribers can view the video directly in Substack. In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit, we are joined by Karen Campbell for a rich conversation about lament, healing, and the enduring relevance of the Psalms ~ particularly in the context of post-conflict Northern Ireland. Karen is a musician, a Presbyterian pastor, and a peacebuilder currently servin...

The tune for this song is the Scottish air ‘Ae Fonde Kiss,’ and the Psalm acts as a benediction prayer. Asking God’s gracious blessing on all people and all nations, it also recalls God’s kindness and sustaining presence and asks for God’s face to shine on us all. Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer...

Set to the Irish tune the Old Cross of Ardboe, this is a Psalm of joy and thanksgiving, having come through a trying time and experienced God’s listening ear, leading, and help. This is no trite expression of praise ~ it emerges out of a deep and real experience of God’s kindness and support, compassion and love, and ignites a genuine desire to give heart, life, and soul in return. Continue your r...

This Psalm, set to the tune Rathlin Island by Brian Connors, is written from the farthest oceans and the ends of earth and seeks a reminder of hope out of a place of despair. Wondering if God will listen when facing a difficult situation, and remembering God as Creator of the mountains and silencer of storms, the Psalmist takes strength in God’s great salvation and redemption of even the greatest...

Written by Ireland’s great composer Turlough O’Carolan, Eleanor Plunkett is a cascading tune, set here to a Psalm of yearning and praise. It begins with longing like a “dry land,” acknowledging our deep desire to be in God’s presence, through which we can be “satisfied” as though our thirst is quenched. Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for r...

Watch this episode on YouTube here. Paid Subscribers can view the video directly in Substack. In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit , Kiran Young Wimberly sits down with renowned theologian, author, and longtime Union Theological Seminary president, Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, for a profound conversation about trauma, healing, and the enduring power of the Psalms. Drawing from her influential book T...

This arrangement, set to the wordless tune ‘Caisleán an Óir,’ portrays the urgency and energy with which the psalmist may have written these words. In this Psalm, we find numerous images of the various ways God can provide refuge and shelter for us when we feel we are at the “end of earth.” Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and...

Telling the story of a person hurt by human relationship, this Psalm captures the desire to find shelter in the midst of turmoil. Exploring the concept of home being a place where our hearts can be at rest, this Psalm set to the moving Irish traditional melody Ned of the Hill, addresses that yearning we all have for a place where we can be truly ourselves, fully accepted, safe from the tempests an...

This Psalm is known for its messages about a clean heart, forgiveness, and a renewed spirit, and is often used during Lent. Set here with the Irish traditional tune Logan’s Lament, this paraphrase focuses on the imagery of a parent kindly and gently washing away the layers that “hide” us, or that cover up the God-given beauty each one of us possesses, thereby allowing us to be restored to the joy...

The lyrical air ‘Dawning of the Day’ (Fáinne Geal an Lae) conveys this Psalm’s message of courage and hope. Through the imagery presented in this Psalm, we see mountains falling into the sea, and the world in upheaval ~ yet, we are also presented with the assuring image of a river that brings joy, and the message that we might be still and know that God is the ultimate ruler over all. Get your acc...

Watch this episode on YouTube here . Paid Subscribers can view the video directly in Substack. In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit , we are joined by MaryAnn McKibben Dana ~ pastor, writer, and author of the new book Better Than Normal: Virtues for an Off-Script Life . Get MaryAnn’s new book here MaryAnn shares the heart behind her latest book, inspired by her journey as a parent navigating n...

This psalm of longing is set to the relatively well-known traditional melody, ‘Down by the Salley Gardens.’ Its iconic imagery of the deer panting or longing for streams of water, as our souls thirst for God, leads us into this depiction of someone whose soul is “cast down” and needing to be reminded of something to hope in. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for refle...

This prayer for strength, courage, and refuge during a time of distress is combined here with the Irish traditional song Spancilhill. The Psalm resolves by transitioning into a testament to God’s help in the past, and an encouragement to those in distress as it offers the words “May courage fill your hearts.” Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some i...

Watch this episode on YouTube here . Paid Subscribers can view the video directly in Substack. In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit , we are joined by Dr. Cynthia Eriksson, a clinical psychologist, professor, and Dean at Fuller Theological Seminary, whose work sits at the intersection of trauma, spirituality, and resilience. Cynthia shares her passion for helping people understand their emotio...

Proclaiming God’s power to transform sorrow into ‘dancing and song,’ this Psalm is sung to the uplifting Irish melody, “Green Grows the Laurel.” It’s a testament to coming through a time of sorrow and mourning, and finding dancing, song, and joy once again. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice Paid subscribers re...

Watch this episode on YouTube here . Paid Subscribers can view the video directly in Substack. In this meaningful conversation on Psalms for the Spirit, we are joined by Rev. Riana Shaw Robinson, a preacher, pastor, prophet, and Executive Director of Faith Matters Network, to explore the power of lament in our spiritual lives. Drawing from her experience in the Black church tradition, Riana shares...

The air ‘Down in Yon Banke’ is originally a wordless Scottish country dance song, and in this rendition becomes a prayer for God’s eternal presence, especially in times of turmoil and fear. The Psalm speaks of enemies stumbling and falling in the midst of raging war, and expresses that longing to behold God’s beauty and to see God’s face. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further quest...

In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit , Kiran sits down with Terry Wildman to explore the beauty and depth of the Psalms through an Indigenous perspective. Terry shares the story behind the First Nations Version of the Bible, a translation that seeks to express the message of Scripture in language and imagery that resonates with Native cultures. Together, they reflect on the power of naming God...

In this Psalm of discernment, the writer expresses the longing to hear God’s guidance in the stillness of prayer. Set to the traditional Irish melody “For Ireland I’ll Not Tell Her Name,” this song sits with the longing to know how to walk in the right paths of truth and love. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice...

This beloved Psalm, describing God shepherding us through green pastures and dark valleys, is set to the well-known traditional Irish air ‘The Parting Glass.’ In this Psalm, we hear themes of restoration for our souls, accompaniment through challenging times, and the hope of a feast and a future of goodness and mercy. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection a...

Set to the Irish air ‘Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore,’ this song captures the lament of the Psalm while adding a drive and energy that brings to light the hope offered at its conclusion. This Psalm typically accompanies reflections on Good Friday, though it is an important accompaniment to any time in which we struggle with a sense of forsakenness. Get your accompanying journal, which includes furth...