In the Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass, we are told that the Responsorial Psalm has great liturgical and pastoral significance because it is an “integral part of the liturgy of the word.  The faithful should be instructed in the way to perceive the word of God speaking in psalms, and to turn these psalms into the prayer of the Church.” The singing of the psalm, or even of the response alone, is a great help toward understanding and meditating on the psalm’s spiritual meaning.

​We know that in the past the psalms were sung by all the Jews: songs of lament, petition and thanksgiving for the people of the Old Testament.  And St. Paul tells us in many of his letters to sing psalms and spiritual hymns⎯the psalms were an every day part of the life of the people of the New Testament, and part of personal prayer. Jesus prayed the psalms—even on the cross. As a pastoral musician, this knowledge, this history and these documents enjoin me (us) to use whatever means are available to encourage assembly singing of the psalm!

The Psalm changes weekly (every Sunday) as do the readings. It is unusual to have to same response for consecutive Sundays—unless you happen to sing a “seasonal psalm” (ie: a psalm for the whole of Christmas Season). It is telling, I think, that this Sunday (the Nineteenth), and for the next two Sundays (the Twentieth and the Twenty-first of Ordinary Time), we sing the same Psalm response: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” I added last Sunday, the Eighteenth Sunday also to unite the weeks of the “Bread of Life Discourse” from St. John.

The Church, in organizing our readings in the three-year cycles, knew how important St. John’s Bread of Life Discourse would be to the Catholic faithful—as the Eucharist and its theology is central to our beliefs! Here is an opportunity to worship and learn about the Eucharist in John’s great words; here is an opportunity to really “take in” and keep a piece of scripture on our lips! Here is a way to form a Psalm “habit” of prayer, with a phrase that serves us and our faith.

The verses for the Psalm for all the weeks begin with the same phrase: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.” These are perfect words to take home from Church; a guide for the way to live this life since the Eucharist should change us as we partake and share. “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” A great phrase to keep in mind, to keep on our lips, to keep in our hearts.

Keep singing!

Elizabeth Dyc