If We are going to sing the Pslams

[Doom]

Why can't we just sing the actual text of the Psalm, whenever I actually look up what Psalm is, inevitably about 90% of what we sing isn't actually part of the Psalm, it is at best a very loose paraphrase or summary and often a very bad one at that.

I am reminded of the supposed "Psalm 23" where the refrain is "Sheperd me oh God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears from death into life", a nice sentiment, but it is not part of the Psalm!


If we are going to sing the Psalms, can't we just sing it correctly, why do we have to make a new poem out of something which is already a poem to begin with?

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

Because you have gherkinists in charge of your music. We sing what's in the lectionary.

[Doom]

Because you have gherkinists in charge of your music. We sing what's in the lectionary.

I know it is in the lectionary but it is almost always awful. Simply saying it is official doesn't explain why it is terrible.

It's like the awful "short versions" of the gospel readings which always inevitably distort the meaning of the text by selectively editing it. Such as the short version of the Parable of the Talents where it ends after the first servant gives back 10 talents and then "well done good and faithful servant, enter into your master's joy", the end. Creating the false impression that the parable teaches that no one is ever punished and everyone goes straight to heaven. Yeah, that edited version comes straight from whatever office in the Vatican that creates the weekly readings, but cherry-picking the texts to avoid any "bad" lessons from being drawn is dishonest no matter where it comes from.

[Peetem]

Why can't we just sing the actual text of the Psalm, whenever I actually look up what Psalm is, inevitably about 90% of what we sing isn't actually part of the Psalm, it is at best a very loose paraphrase or summary and often a very bad one at that.

I am reminded of the supposed "Psalm 23" where the refrain is "Sheperd me oh God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears from death into life", a nice sentiment, but it is not part of the Psalm!


If we are going to sing the Psalms, can't we just sing it correctly, why do we have to make a new poem out of something which is already a poem to begin with?

Preach it!

Bad music nearly ruins Mass for me. "On Eagles Wings" is the worst. But good grief, 2/3's of the hymnal should be thrown out.

[peregrinator]

The clear answer is to sing out of the Gradual but no one (well, almost no one) wants to do that.

[VeryTas]

Why can't we just sing the actual text of the Psalm, whenever I actually look up what Psalm is, inevitably about 90% of what we sing isn't actually part of the Psalm, it is at best a very loose paraphrase or summary and often a very bad one at that.

I agree generally. As you titled the post, the Pslams (sic) are maybe what these songs should be called -- Slams.
What dampens my spirit for singing many hymns composed in the last 60 years is when the lyrics are unclear as to what in the world they are saying or what they are referring to. For instance, there are often incomplete sentences consisting of emotive words strung together. Now, actually, a number of real Psalms have a similar problem here and there, but the difference is that they are Scripture, and so their ambiguities are inspired, for us to live with and ponder. But I don't want to ponder what some of these current songs are up to.
Recently when the Gospel was regarding the Transfiguration, we were to sing the one that goes, "Transfigure us, O Lord ..." What? Jesus was transfigured for us to appreciate his Godhood, and now do we also want to look so different to the people around us?! I think the composer meant: transform us. But then it wouldn't get air time every year at this time.
Many songs use phrases from the Scriptures in general, but this fact is unknown to most in the pews, I think. Once words and phrases are pulled out of their context in Scripture, their meaning can be twisted by the new context in the song.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

The clear answer is to sing out of the Gradual but no one (well, almost no one) wants to do that.

The Gradual. How quaint.

[Riverboat]

If we are going to sing the Psalms, can't we just sing it correctly, why do we have to make a new poem out of something which is already a poem to begin with?

You must be referring to the Oregon Catholic Press missalettes. I'm always amused how the music for the psalms is always copyrighted with the composer's name underneath, as if there was some danger that someone would filch that weak music and turn it into a moneymaking venture.

[Doom]

If we are going to sing the Psalms, can't we just sing it correctly, why do we have to make a new poem out of something which is already a poem to begin with?

You must be referring to the Oregon Catholic Press missalettes. I'm always amused how the music for the psalms is always copyrighted with the composer's name underneath, as if there was some danger that someone would filch that weak music and turn it into a moneymaking venture.

The wording of the Psalms read or sung aloud at Mass is universal and comes from the same source as all the other readings in Mass, namely the Ordo Lecteunium Missa (Order of Readings for Mass) which was compiled after Vatican II and translated into English by ICEL (International Commission for English in the Liturgy) in 1969. The only thing publishers of Missalettes do is decide which musical setting to use for each Psalm.