Psalm 29-wholeness

 Day 29, Psalm 29

Another day, another song.  This one ends with a cry of peace–after speaking of God’s strength.  Here we envision God demonstrating power and might in this world.  We sing this every Friday night and Saturday.  With seven references to the Divine name we see a vision of completion and wholeness. 

What would you need to feel more whole?

כ״ט

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ 

הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ 

ק֥וֹל יְהֹוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ 

קוֹל־יְהֹוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ ק֥וֹל יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ 

ק֣וֹל יְ֭הֹוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ 

וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ 

קוֹל־יְהֹוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ 

ק֣וֹל יְ֭הֹוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ 

ק֤וֹל יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֢ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ 

יְ֭הֹוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ 

יְֽהֹוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן יְהֹוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ {פ}

29

A Psalm of David. Ascribe unto the LORD, O ye sons of might, Ascribe unto the LORD glory and strength. 

Ascribe unto the LORD the glory due unto His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thundereth, Even the LORD upon many waters. 

The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 

The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 

He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox. 

The voice of the LORD heweth out flames of fire. 

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; The LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 

The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, And strippeth the forests bare; And in His temple all say: 'Glory.' 

The LORD sat enthroned at the flood; Yea, the LORD sitteth as King for ever. 

The LORD will give strength unto His people; The LORD will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 13: Are you singing your song?

 Day 13, Psalm 13

There is a psalm for every moment.  Sometimes we feel so incredibly alone.  We may imagine that state of loneliness is immutable.  Yet, in crying out, in searching for connection, we discover that possibilities abound. So in the time when I feel brokenhearted, I will sing to God, who has been good to me.

What song will you sing today?

Psalm 4: Music can be healing! Use your whole self.

Start with some music. We call out to God with our whole selves, with instruments and voice. Whether the moment is beautiful or challenged, we can remember we are not alone. We have obligations, responsibilities, commandments. We need to do right and do good. God is merciful AND we strive to deserve that grace.

Is there a song that can change your mood?

Joy through music

Sitting around a camp fire at Camp Ramah Darom this summer, I heard this song of Joey Weisenberg.  In the last few years, his music has been spreading through the Jewish world like wildfire.  It pops up where you least expect it, bringing energy and focus.  His book on building singing communities has taught so many what we need to do to increase joyful participation in worship.  Here he takes a line from the prayerbook that few are familiar with and gives it new energy, new joy, new power.  If you can manage to listen without humming along, you might not be awake!

הַמְּאִירָה, הַמְּאִירָה הַמְּאִירָה לְאֶרֶץ וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ בָּרַחֲמִים הַמְּאִירָה, הַמְּאִירָה, הַמְּאִירָה לַאָרֶץ (וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ (וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ (וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ (וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ⁠ וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ (וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ) וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְטּוּבָה מְחַדֶּשֶׁת בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד וּבְטּוּבָה מְחַדֶּשֶׁת מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית Hum ha-hum, aa-ha-a, ha-a-ha-a Hum ha-hum Ha-ha-a-ha-a-ha-a hum ha-hum, Ha-ha-a-ha-a-ha-a-hum Hame’irah, hame’irah, hame’irah la’aretz V’ladarim alehah b’rachamim Hame’irah, hame’irah, hame’irah la’aretz V’ladarim alehah (V’ladarim alehah) x3 V’ladarim alehah b’rachamim U’vtuvah mechadeshet b’chol yom tamid U’vtuvah mechadeshet ma’aseh b’reishit THE UNIVERSE BEGAN WITH A HUM. A hum… and then a bang. And each day it grew larger and larger and contained more and more. We cannot live each new day in the same way we lived the last, for we have all of the experiences and memories of the previous day filed away in our internal memory bank. And so each day is created anew, filled with new opportunities. And each day, we have the potential to become partners with God in the act of creation, adding to the world in a way that only you can...