What's Your Favourite Psalm?

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As part of my New Year’s resolution, I decided to re-familiarise myself with the Book of Psalms and Proverbs. My favourites so far are:
  1. Psalm 91: "I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 145: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”
  1. Psalm 100: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
  2. Psalm 46: “He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.”
  3. Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
  4. Psalm 137: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.”
  5. Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
 
Voted for Psalm 22. The following is an extracanonical psalm, but it’s also a favorite.

(Psalm 151A)
Hallelujah. Of David, son of Jesse.
I was smaller than my brothers, and younger than the sons of my father.
He made me shepherd of his flock, and a ruler over his kids.
My hands have made a pipe and my fingers a lyre.
I have rendered glory to the Lord; I have said so in my soul.
The mountains do not testify to him, and the hills do not tell (of him).
The trees praise my words and the flocks my deeds.
For who can tell and speak of and recount the works of the Lord?
God has seen all, he has heard all, and he listens to all.
He sent his prophet to anoint me, Samuel to magnify me.
My brothers went out to meet him, beautiful of figure, beautiful of appearance.
They were tall of stature with beautiful hair, yet the Lord did not choose them,
He sent and took me from behind the flock, and anointed me with holy oil,
as a prince of his people, and a ruler among the sons of his Covenant.

(151B)

The first display of David’s power after God’s prophet had anointed him.
Then I saw the Philistine taunting [from the enemy lines] …
===

(1) This Psalm is autographical. Regarding Dauid and outside the number.

I was small among my brothers
and the youngest in the house of my father;
I would shepherd the sheep of my father.
(2) My hands made an instrument;
my fingers tuned a harp.
(3) And who will report it to my lord?
The Lord himself, it is he who listens.
(4) It was he who sent his messenger
and took me from the sheep of my father,
and anointed me with the oil of his anointing.
(5) My brothers were handsome and tall,
and the Lord did not take delight in them.
(6) I went out to meet the allophyle,
and he cursed me by his idols.
(7) But I, having drawn the dagger from him,
I beheaded him
and removed reproach from Israel’s sons.
  • Psalm 151 (Septuagint, NETS)
 
I call Psalm 78 the Catechist’s Psalm:

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children; 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”
 
I like De profundis Psalm 129 (130):

Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.
For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on his word: My soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

I also like Psalm 8:

O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.
For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.
What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: And hast set him over the works of thy hands.
Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields.
The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.
O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!
 
Why are those four particular Psalms in the poll? Have I missed something Catholics should know? :o

My favorite Psalms:

2 Quare fremuerunt
4 Cum invocarem
109 (110) Dixit Dominus
 
I like Psalm 63, especially verses 1-3 and and 7-8:

Verses 1-3

Oh God, you are my God,
Earnestly I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you,
My body longs for you
In a dry and weary land
Where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
And beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
My lips will glorify you.

Verses 7-8

Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
Your right hand upholds me.
 
Dolezal said:
Why are those four particular Psalms in the poll? Have I missed something Catholics should know? :o

My favorite Psalms:

2 Quare fremuerunt
4 Cum invocarem
109 (110) Dixit Dominus
Click to expand...
😛

Good question. Psalm 23 is there because everyone knows it, but I don’t think other psalms are quite as popular, so I just chose three others I thought people would be more likely to know.
 
Hard to pick one :o I’m picking several favorites:
86 and 69, 126 and 121.
 
  1. I have a problem with self-loathing and this really challenges it.
…
13 You created my inmost self, knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 For so many marvels I thank you; a wonder am I, and all your works are wonders. You knew me through and through,
15 my being held no secrets from you, when I was being formed in secret, textured in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes could see my embryo. In your book all my days were inscribed, every one that was fixed is there.
17 How hard for me to grasp your thoughts, how many, God, there are!
18 If I count them, they are more than the grains of sand; if I come to an end, I am still with you.
…
 
My favourite is Ps91. I feel so secure and safe when I pray this psalm before I sleep. Try it.
 
Psalm 89 {90}.

Knox Version:

"LORD, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation. Before the hills came to birth, before the whole frame of the world was engendered, from eternity to eternity, O God, thou art. And wilt thou bring man to dust again, that thou sayest, Return, children of Adam, to what you were? In thy sight, a thousand years are but as yesterday, that has come and gone, or as one of the night-watches. Swiftly thou bearest our lives away, as a waking dream, or the green grass that blooms fresh with the morning; night finds it faded and dead. Still thy anger takes toll of us, thy displeasure denies us rest, so jealous thy scrutiny of our wrong-doing, so clear our hidden sins shew in the light of thy presence. Day after day vanishes, and still thy anger lasts; swift as a breath our lives pass away. What is our span of days? Seventy years it last, eighty years, if lusty folk we be; for the more part, toil and frustration; years that vanish in a moment, and we are gone. Alas, that so few heed thy vengeance, measure thy anger by the reverence we owe three! Teach us to count every passing day, till our hearts find wisdom.

Relent, Lord; must it be for ever? Be gracious to thy servants. For us thy timely mercies, for us abiding happiness and content; happiness that shall atone for the time when thou didst afflict us, for the long years of ill fortune. Let these eyes see thy purpose accomplished, to our own sons reveal thy glory; the favour of the Lord our God smile on us! Prosper our doings, Lord, prosper our doings yet."
 
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