Psalms for the Spirit

Written by Ireland's great composer Turlough O'Carolan, Eleanor Plunkett is a cascading tune, set here to a Psalm of yearning and praise. It begins with longing like a “dry land,” acknowledging our deep desire to be in God's presence, through which we can be “satisfied” as though our thirst is quenched.Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for O God, You Are My GodFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Easter, listeners!I can't lead a Lenten series without marking its culmination in the joy and hope of Easter. For the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some of the Psalms of joy and hope that come at the end of the book of Psalms. What I love about those Psalms is that the hope they offer doesn't ignore the suffering and brokenheartedness of the world ~ they tend to those hurts and pains, and they recognize the God who offers healing and hope in the midst of life's challenges. These Psalms sing praise to the God who looks after the vulnerable, who looks after those without power, who loves those whom society might cast aside. So in this week after Easter, we hear this Psalm of praise to the God who knows suffering, who stands with the suffering. This is a God who will outlast the rulers of this world, who lifts the lowly and shows care to the stranger, who cares for the widow and orphan, who welcomes the refugee, whose goodness and mercy never come to an end. And so, in this Easter week, we sing “Hallelujah.”You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hallelujah.Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This arrangement, set to the wordless tune ‘Caisleán an Óir,' portrays the urgency and energy with which the psalmist may have written these words. In this Psalm, we find numerous images of the various ways God can provide refuge and shelter for us when we feel we are at the “end of earth.”Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Hear My Cry, O GodFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

In this final week of Lent, Holy Week, we really settle into what we've been preparing ourselves for since Ash Wednesday: the silence of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The questions that, for a time, went unanswered. The injustice and cruelty that couldn't be undone. The cavern of grief and loss, of betrayal and failure. The abandonment, the forsakenness. All this we find in the brutally honest questions posed in Psalm 88. Jesus may have prayed the words of Psalm 22 on the cross, saying “Why have you forsaken me?” but his words also allude to this other Psalm that also cries out from a place of grief, suffering, and a sense of abandonment. While Psalm 22 turns at the end toward praise and hope, Psalm 88 sits longer with the questions, which are never answered or tied up with a neat bow. Life doesn't always work like that ~ at least, not right away. The hope, though, can be found in the fact that these questions are put into words as a prayer ~ posed to a God who may not answer right away, but who is listening, and who tends to our pain and suffering, and who will remain long after those questions subside. So this Holy Week, we take courage to sit in the silence with our unanswered questions. We sit in silence with the God of our salvation. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God of My Salvation.Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 and storms of life.Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Wings of a DoveFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 others, from God, or possibly from ourselves. In the words of Psalm 130, which meets us in the depths, we hear the reminder that with God, forgiveness can be found. Because we know this, because we trust this, we can have the courage it takes to confess our own sins, knowing that this is the first step toward making things right. And in this song, we hear the words of the next Psalm (131) woven in ~ the quiet of our souls at rest in the arms of our loving and forgiving God, offering solace and strength as we reflect on the part we can play in making the world a better place. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From the Depths.Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comThis is the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, where there is a special weekly podcast on Wednesdays throughout the season of Lent. 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.On Saturday the 12th of April, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop for paid subscribers, live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.Register for the Lenten Workshop (4-6pm UK/Ireland time) hereFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 that God intends.Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Create in MeFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 suffering is evident in the heartrending words of that Psalm. And in this arrangement, we hear echoes of the haunting Irish lyrics, “Táim Cortha ó Bheith im'Aonar i Mo Luí - I am weary from being/or lying alone,” giving voice to that weariness and suffering. So as we listen today, we name our own weariness and suffering before a God who knows, who offers strength and solace, and who in the end will never leave us to face our trials alone. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Am WearyFind our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comThis is the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, where there is a special weekly podcast on Wednesdays throughout the season of Lent. 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.On the 12th of April, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop for paid subscribers, live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.Register for the Lenten Workshop (4-6pm UK/Ireland time) hereFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The God of JacobFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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, bare honesty, in the light of hope. Psalm 13, “How Long,” is a perfect example of this. A beloved professor of mine wrote, “Lament is faith's alternative to despair” (see citation below). So during Lent, we make space for Lament ~ for those raw, bare, honest expressions that could lead us to utter despair ~ but in keeping with this ancient prayer tradition, we hold all that before a loving and listening God as we look for the light of hope and trust and faith to guide our way. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How LongFind our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comIn the Lenten Psalms and Practices 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 Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.Citation: Deborah Van Deusen Hungsinger in “Pray without Ceasing,” p. 138.Follow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for As the Deer Longs for Streams Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 inspiration in the world around us, to see the beauty that is in our midst, to increase our awareness, to use our senses as we tune in to our surroundings, and to tend to our wellbeing in this way. This week was St. Patrick's Day, and the language of nature filled so many of the prayers of his time because of the early Celtic Christians' close relationship with the cycles of life and the seasons of the year. In the Celtic tradition, there was a teaching that there are two books through which we learn about God: scripture and creation. Today, we hear the words of Psalm 19, which tells of the heavens declaring the works of God, and skies proclaiming God's glory. As you listen, consider any moments when the world around you showed you something of who God is. And may we be reminded that amid the brokenness of the world, we can also see the beauty all around. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The Heavens DeclareFind our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comIn the Lenten Psalms and Practices 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 Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.Celtic Psalms St. Patrick's Week TourThis week, we're embarking on a St. Patrick's Day Tour, beginning in Belfast and then traveling from the Northeast to Midwest US. These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time. Please come, sing with us, and say hello!Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/Follow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Rock of RefugeFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 unhealthy for us, or to refrain from things we love maybe a little too much. But if we go further under the surface, we hear our deeper longings: our longing for love. Acceptance. Belonging. Forgiveness. Hope. Healing. Comfort. Strength. So today as you listen to Psalm 63, give yourself that space to listen for that longing deep within, that longing that in the end, only God can truly satisfy. You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for O God, You Are My GodFind our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comIn the Lenten Psalms and Practices 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 Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.Celtic Psalms St. Patrick's Week TourThis week, we're embarking on a St. Patrick's Day Tour, beginning in Belfast and then traveling from the Northeast to Midwest US. These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time. Please come, sing with us, and say hello!Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/Follow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for You Have Turned My SorrowFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me.It's Ash Wednesday today, the day marking the beginning of Lent when we embark on a more reflective time. It's a time when we intentionally pare down the clutter of our lives and go deeper. Deeper to listen for our longings and laments. Deeper as we come to terms with our own mortality and brokenness.And that's where Psalm 90 meets us today—on Ash Wednesday—in our frailty and our humanity.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From Dust We Came Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.comCeltic Psalms St. Patrick's Week TourBeginning on 14th March in Belfast, we are embarking on a St. Patrick's Day Tour. Please come to one of our concerts, if you're nearby, and please say hello! These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time. Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/ Follow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Lord is My Light Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for For I WaitFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Lord's My ShepherdFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for My God, My God Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Heavens Declare Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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). In 2021 she was named one of the “21 Faith Leaders to watch.” By the Center for American Progress. She is co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Maryland and a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies at Indiana University.In addition to all that impressiveness, Mihee is also a friend of mine, a colleague in ministry, someone who's been a part of my life for a few decades. And although we don't talk enough, when we do talk, it's rich, it's fun, and while we don't shy away from going deep, we can't resist bursting into giggles along the way.Mihee and I had this conversation… I won't say how long ago. We had both just gotten over Covid. I had to exit the conversation for 5 minutes with a coughing attack. Kids and dogs continually interrupted us. (Thank goodness for editing!) Yet somehow, in the course of this conversation, we recognize the importance of the Psalms as a companion in times of sorrow and joy, a container for what we find difficult to hold, and a template for the fullest possible expression of what it means to be human – as we process our grief and as we move into resilience.In particular, I wanted to ask Mihee about a New York Times article she wrote in the aftermath of the Atlanta spa shootings in March 2021, in which 8 people were killed, 6 of whom were Asian women. In response to that terrible event, Mihee wrote an article that asks hard questions, that's courageous and prophetic. I always wondered how she did that. It turns out that reading the Psalms was part of her story.Find out more about Mihee Kim-KortIt's been a while since I posted a longform podcast! If you haven't heard the catalog of longer podcasts on Psalms and resilience, they are worth a listen.I've been lucky enough to have incredible conversations with a number of insightful friends and wise teachers, including Barbara Brown Taylor, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Munther Isaac, and Avivah Zornberg. These conversations have enriched my understanding of the Psalms, and how they lift our spirits especially in difficult times, and how they offer healing and hope.Scroll back on the Podcast Archive to hear other long-form episodes.If you appreciated this podcast, if it made you think, if it allowed you to go deep, if it made you smile at times, if it offered you something of value, if it brought you some inspiration and consolation… consider becoming a paid subscriber. You will receive a complimentary Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook (180 pgs) with reflection questions to accompany our 44 Psalms set to Celtic melodies. There will be further bonuses coming up in the near future.Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new podcasts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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.Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for How LongFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 in.Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback versionVisit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for MajesticFind out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 what is life-giving, with what allows us to experience and express love, with what taps us into the wellspring of true delight. Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practicePaid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Their Delight Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spiritFollow Kiran's monthly reflections on Bless My FeetPsalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 focusing on throughout the course:1) Small and manageable habits: Identifying very small and manageable habits that will be able to improve our day to day life. Sometimes it's the small and easy changes that can actually make the most difference – but we need to give ourselves the space and time to reflect on how to go about doing that.2) Holistic habits body, mind, and spirit: in the habits workbook I sent out recently you'll see that I find that overlap and intersection really important and we often focus too much on one or the other (body, mind, or spirit) and found ourselves imbalanced, and sometimes that can be more depleting rather than life-giving3) Crossover between sacred and secular – in the resilience trainings I've taken over the past few years, I've realized how important the connections are between what we're learning about the body, the brain, the nervous system, and how it connects with our spiritual lives. In fact, spirituality and spiritual practices are a resource for our wellbeing – they might be different practices for each one of us, but they are a huge source of balance, joy, strength, hope.In the course, I'll be drawing from resources for spirituality such as Celtic and Ignatian spirituality, resilience skills, productivity mindset.In the modules I'll be covering- stillness and silence that helps us listen to ourselves and to God- tending to our living spaces and environments in a way that weaves into our spiritual life- movement that not only builds strength but clears our minds and lifts our spirits- finding ways to introduce more beauty into our days- the power of word to enrich our lives, whether that be through writing or reading- nourishing our bodies with what's beneficial to us, that energizes us and makes us feel most ourselves- connecting with people – communities with like minds, people who are different from us and have a lot to teach us, connecting with others as a part of our spiritual practiceThere's still time for you to join us for this course! This is the last announcement I'll make about it, but what I'll do is anyone who wants to become a paid subscriber before Friday (when the first module will go out) and lets me know they're interested, I'll add you to the list.Have a great day, and may you feel the light of Epiphany shining into this New Year.KiranHabits for the Spirit8-Week Digital CourseAre you wondering how you can flourish in 2025? Are you looking for daily habits and spiritual practices to sustain you? Are you longing for a connection between body, mind, and spirit?Join me for an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit.The course features:* Pre-recorded sessions for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view at a time that's convenient for you* Handouts and printables for you to engage with the course material and get your creative juices flowing* Optional interactive sessions with other members of the courseContent will be both taught and experiential, and will have a retreat-like atmosphere while exploring subjects such as Celtic Spirituality, Ignatian Spirituality, and resilience skills.Stay rooted in what gives you strength and peace; find nourishment in body and soul; be inspired to live courageously and joyfully in 2025.Find out more about Habits for the SpiritThis course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until this coming Monday, Jan 6th ~ Epiphany! If you're a free subscriber, you can upgrade to paid, and if you're already a paid subscriber, all you need to do is respond to this email saying “Interested!”Thanks to those who have already indicated your interest ~ we have a good group so far, and you will be hearing more from me soon.After January 6th [EXTENDED to Friday], you can purchase the course separately on my website. A paid subscription represents a 60% discount on the course, but that offer will only be available until Monday.So if you'd like to explore ways to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025, you might want to act now!Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025. The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I'd love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead. Find out more about the courseThis course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website. Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.*Lamp photo from Unsplash This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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 Paul Hutchinson. Paul will be a guest facilitator on our next Resilient Spirit 6-Day Retreat in May 2025. Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet. I'm offering a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025. The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I'd love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead. Find out more about the courseThis course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website. Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.*Lamp photo from Unsplash This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

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. The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I'd love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead. Find out more about the courseThis course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website. To register your interest in this course, simply respond to this email saying “Interested!” and I'll add you to my list when I release more information in the coming weeks. If you become a paid subscriber before January 6th, you will be included automatically. Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.*Lamp photo from Unsplash This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This song evokes praise with all our heart, soul and body ~ with all of creation, with all instruments, with all aspects of who we are. Indeed, praise includes what brings us pleasure, joy and delight ~ something we don't often sing about in hymns, and yet which are such an important aspect of living as fully and vibrantly as God intends. Set to the Scottish tune with Irish words, this paraphrase maintains some of the original language in the refrain of the song ‘Happy are We All Together.'You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for May We Rise on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

In this Psalm, all creation praises the God who heals the broken-hearted. It is combined here with the words from the Doxology and the rousing melody ‘Mo Ghile Mear.' A song of joy at the outpouring of God's blessings, this Psalm also tends to the outcasts, the forgotten, those longing for peace in home and hearth ~ that all creation will sing when such blessings are extended to all people.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This joyful song praises the true ruler of the earth: a God of justice and compassion who stands with the vulnerable of this world. Set to ‘Here's a Health,' it is a jubilant song of praise, but one that recounts various forms of suffering ~ oppressive power, poverty, false imprisonment, injustice, bereavement, refugees ~ and continually places hope in the goodness and mercy of the one who will ultimately see us through such earthly struggles.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hallelujah on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This is a Psalm about the transformation from a call to battle into a prayer for peace, and is set to ‘The King's Shilling' by the Scottish musician Ian Sinclair. The desire for peace is hard won, after facing the realities of war. In the same way, our prayers for people also become more fervent when we encounter the dreadful realities of war, and our hearts are softened as we utter our prayer of blessing on the next generation, that they will become “trees full grown” and “pillars firm,” and that our streets may not be filled with sorrow any longer.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Come, Spirit, Come on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Combined with the lyrical air, ‘The Banks of Claudy,' this beautiful Psalm professes faith in a God who knits us together and knows us intimately. Whether we like it or not, God knows our every thought and movement, but this Psalm continually reminds us that God's constant presence is one that is loving and accepting of who we are at our best and our worst moments, and that God will continue to lead us in the way that is everlasting.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for You Have Searched Me on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Set during the Babylonian exile, this Psalm mourns what was left behind in the homeland. The refrain, inspired by the traditional song ‘The Emigrant's Farewell,' echoes the request that God remembers those who grieve and those whose wounds have not yet been healed.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for By the Waters of Babylon on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

With the antiphonal refrain “God's love endures forever,” this Psalm, set to the sea shanty ‘Bold Riley,' speaks of the story of the Hebrew peoples' journey into the promised land and of God's love that endures through the generations. Like a heartbeat, the refrain is a continual reminder that amid the dramas of our lives and of history, God's loving pulse is the life force behind it all.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God's Love Endures Forever on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Comparing harmony between kindred with the holy oil used for anointing in the temple of Jerusalem, the Psalm claims that such experiences of community bring fullness of life. Set to the Irish tune ‘A Fig for a Kiss,' this paraphrase chooses the word “harmony,” which is a synonym for unity in the Hebrew and expresses the possibility of harmonious relationship amid diversity, rather than the homogeneity of uniformity.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How Good It Is on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

These Psalms, sung to ‘The Quiet Land of Erin,' share hope in a forgiving God who is with us always, even when we are in the depths. Putting these two Psalms together back to back, this song connects the concept of forgiveness with the deep rest of an infant in its mother's arms ~ loved unconditionally as a beloved child and held with tenderness and compassion.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From the Depths on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

A Psalm of ascendance to Jerusalem, this would have been sung as a part of a collection of pilgrimage Psalms. Set to the upbeat Irish melody ‘A Fig for a Kiss,' this evokes the joyful lightness of nearing the pilgrimage destination, almost like a festive dance. It creates the image of peace between all peoples, nations, kindred ~ a peace that seeks the good of all.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Peace be with Jerusalem on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Set to the 18th-century Scottish air ‘MacPhearson's Lament,' this Psalm reflects on the comfort of God's everlasting protection. It begins with the iconic image of the hills or mountains that remind us of where we can find our help, and it continues to unfold the image of God watching over us, never slumbering, offering us shade and shelter, and blessing us as we “come and go,” both now and forever.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Lift My Eyes up to the Hills on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

The writer of this Psalm praises God for responding mercifully to the cry of the suffering: in return, this individual offers to serve God faithfully. Set to the uplifting Irish melody ‘Galway Shawl,' this is a Psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from suffering, a testament to the transformation that can come through God's help, and a commitment to faithfulness in response.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Love the Lord on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Testifying to God's power to redeem us in times of trouble, this Psalm is set to ‘The Meeting of the Waters.' It tells story after story of God redeeming people from various situations ~ wandering in deserts, imprisoned by misery and grief, stormy waters ~ and it continues to return to the encouraging message passed on from those who have experienced redemption: “From trouble, God will redeem us still.”You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for O Give Thanks on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

Recounting the story of the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, this song is set to the English tune ‘The Snow it Melts the Soonest' proclaims God's compassion despite the people's continued rebellion and doubt. Telling the tale plainly and with a slightly ominous tone, this Psalm invites us to confess our own propensity to turn away, even when God has done great things for us.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Banks of the Nile on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This Psalm praises the God of creation and is based on an old version of the air ‘Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn,' rediscovered by singer Pádraigin Ní Uallacháin, which marks the arrival of summer. It moves through various aspects of the natural world, considering how God is behind it all, and as the Psalm concludes, we are led into thankfulness for all of life's “good things,” for life and breath, for which we might sing our undying praise.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Praise the Lord All the Earth on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This Psalm is sung to the air ‘I Wish My Love was a Red, Red Rose,' and praises God's compassion and mercy. A song that is sweet and simple in some ways also explores the theme of forgiveness (“far as the east is from the west, so far God removes our sins”) and the finitude of our lives (“though all our days are like the grass that flourishes, then blows”), it remains grounded in the steadfast love of God that will remain far beyond our earthly existence.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Bless the Lord, O My Soul on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

This Psalm tells the story of one who is ill in mid-life and of the particular struggles of that experience. It is joined here with Irish words of the original song ‘Taim cortha o bheith im'Aonar mo lui,' and the refrain “I am weary from being alone.” Both the Psalm and the Irish song contend with grief, loneliness, and the depth of life's sorrows, yet they take some consolation from simply being able to express that experience in the context of prayer to a God whose “years are forever.”You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I am Weary on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

‘Willy Taylor' is the inspiration for this song of praise to a steadfast God. The Psalm tells the story of the Exodus, of the Hebrew people's liberation from slavery, and of the joyful thanksgiving through which we can sing a new song, with the accompaniment of musical instruments and along with the rest of creation.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Sing to the Lord on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

A prayer of protection for a loved one, this Psalm makes the hopeful claim that God will provide ultimate redemption from the evils that threaten us. Set to the Irish tune ‘Dearthairin Ó Mo Chroí,' it is a fervent prayer for safety, despite the perils of this world, and it expresses a faith that in the end, God will protect us in a way that this life cannot.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for All Who Dwell in the Shelter on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

A Psalm of recognition of the fragility of life as well as God's eternal nature. Combined here with the Irish traditional song ‘Casadh an t'Súgain,' it broaches the subject of how we might live with “wise hearts,” recognizing that from dust we came and to dust we return. Importantly, this paraphrase emphasizes that we return to God ~ our maker, to whom we belong in life and in death and who will redeem all of our brokenness.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From Dust We Came on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

A Psalm of abandonment, full of questions without any attempt at resolution, this Psalm presents a heart-rending, honest portrayal of someone in the midst of deep difficulty. Combined with the lamenting tones of the Irish tune ‘Bean Dubh a Ghleanna,' this song holds a space for the most forsaken experiences of humanity, while continuing to retain a relationship with the God to whom it asks these questions.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God of My Salvation on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe

The haunting melody ‘My Lagan Love' accompanies this Psalm's plea for the listening ear of the loving God who is “Lord of All,” words kept from the original lyrics by Joseph Campbell. This Psalm expresses lament from a place of weariness deepest longing to be saved from the grave, and turns to God for guidance on the way forward, recalling also God's deep love and goodness.You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Love is Lord of All on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDxThe journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!Here's the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran's spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe