Psalms for the Spirit

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...

Lent is a time in the church year when we look inwardly at our own betrayals, small or large, our own missteps or wrongdoings, our own culpability and responsibility in the dynamics of the structures of the world we live in. This can leave us feeling uncomfortable and exposed. It’s hard to admit and acknowledge where we ourselves have gone wrong, where we ourselves need to seek forgiveness ~ from...

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...

As we come a little closer to the part of Lent in which we follow Jesus to the cross, we remember the loneliness of betrayal and the weariness of his suffering. With this season of the church year in mind, perhaps we hear Psalm 102 a little differently. This is a Psalm written from the experience of someone whose life is cut short before its time. The loneliness and weariness of that particular su...

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...

The Psalms help us express a wide range of emotions, but one form of expression they are well known for is Lament. Lament is a cry out against injustice, it’s a complaint against the way things are, it’s an expression of deep sadness or anger. Lament is all that ~ but that’s not all it is. The Lament form of prayer found in the Psalms follows a template that holds all those things in their raw, ba...

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 may not be your typical Lenten Psalm, but at a time when the world is springing to life and the days are becoming longer (in the hemisphere I live in, anyway), this week we’ll be hearing Psalm 19. We might think of Lent as a time for more sombre reflections - and while it is important to do that, and we will be allowing space for that in this series - Lent can also be a time to find inspirati...

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...

During Lent, we create a space to listen to our longings. Many of us heard scripture passages this last Sunday about wandering in the wilderness this past Sunday, and in today’s Psalm we hear about our souls longing for God like a dry land. We often ignore our longings, push past them, resist them. And we might even think that Lent is the time to do just that - to fast from things that are unhealt...

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...

Welcome to Psalms and Practices for Lent , a new series in Psalms for the Spirit . In this series, there will be a weekly podcast that will come out on Wednesdays throughout Lent. And for paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm. Toward the end of Lent, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Wor...

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 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...

This soaring Irish traditional melody, ‘The Lark in the Clear Air’ brings a lightness to this Psalm about God’s revelation in both creation and scripture. The words of the Psalm remind us that the skies tell a story of who God is, and teach us important things, without words. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice...

Today’s guest is Mihee Kim-Kort, a Presbyterian minister, speaker, writer, and as she calls herself “slinger of hopeful stories about faith and church.” Mihee has been a public figure for some time now - her writing and commentary can be found in the New York Times , TIME Magazine, BBC World Service, USA Today, Huffington Post, Christian Century, On Being, and more (see her bio for the full list)....

These ancient words of lament, combined with a haunting medieval traditional Irish melody, express the human longing to see God’s face in times of sorrow. The original tune ‘The Lament of the Three Marys/Coaineadh na dTrí Muire’ depicts the three Marys’ cries of sorrow at the tomb of Jesus - a moving complement to this prayer expressing sorrow and abandonment, and the yearning for signs of hope. G...

A Psalm of praise to the Creator of the wonders of nature, this Psalm also contains a call to action - that in our status “underneath the angels,” we need to take responsibility for caring for creation. Set to the Irish tune ‘Far, Far Beyond the Mountain,’ and through the slightly ominous tones of the arrangement,  we hear anew the sobering reminder to show respect and dignity to the world we live...

The very first Psalm, set to the tune ‘Bán Chnoic Éirann Ó,’ speaks of following the “law” of God – and so we remember the greatest commandment: to love God, neighbor and self. When we grow in connection to this love, we can flourish and thrive like trees planted by streams of water. In times of weariness and anxiety, grief and loss, anger at injustice, longing for peace, we can plant ourselves in...

Hello Friends, I just wanted to send out a little video to let you know more about the Habits for the Spirit course that’s starting up this week. So many of us fit into the cliché of getting all ramped up at the beginning of the New Year, only to feel deflated soon afterwards. Believe me, I fall into that category too, which is why I felt drawn to offer this course. Here are 3 things I’ll be focus...

A Psalm for Christmas Eve: Sing to the Lord (Psalms 98, 99 and 100). View the Celtic Psalms Facebook page for clips of Advent Psalms to raise funds for our nonprofit, Celtic Pilgrims . Click here for our mashup of Sing to the Lord with the Wexford Carol. Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet. I’m offering a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spir...

This Advent, I’ll be sharing four Psalms for the season leading up to Christmas. We may not think of Psalms during Advent, but they have been part of Advent liturgies for generations. Today’s Psalm is Psalm 85: Love and Mercy . Pick up a free printable journal when you become a paid subscriber, or order a paperback version copy here . For a deeper exploration of this Psalm, listen to Ep. 11 with P...

This Advent, I’ll be sharing four Psalms for the season leading up to Christmas. We may not think of Psalms during Advent, but they have been part of Advent liturgies for generations. Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet. I’m announcing a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025. Th...