From the Organ Bench

Psalm 96 Give the LORD glory and honor.

Todays sung responsorial refrain reminds us that glory and honor are appropriate responses for worship. We have absolutely no problem at all giving our favorite sports team glory and honor. We congregate with shouts of praise. We enthusiastically jump up and cheer when the gods of the athletic field perform extraordinary feats. Transport our spectator selves to a field house of prayer and subito our voices contract acute laryngitis. Sometimes, we grudgingly stand up when the Book of the Gospels is raised before us. We whimper out an Alleluia because its our response in the liturgical play book. Todays psalm reminds us that today is the LORDS Day. We are congregating because it is the LORDS Day. Unlike our contemporary athletic gods and goddess who only create sports statistics and huge salaries, at our expense, the real LORD of Field and Stream, created the heavens (v. 5). Psalm 96 is an open invitation, for all seven billion of us in the worlds stadium, to praise the glories of Israels God. As I began my study of the lectionary verses, I became very frustrated with the worded text. I work hard each week to unlock the meaning of what we sing. I want to understand to the best of my ability, limited as it is, the meaning of the words. I want to capture that meaning in the musical phrasing, expression, etc. Frankly, the ICEL translation this week misses the mark of meaning. Im calling it, in sports lingo, a personal foul, a foul ball, a penalty flag, or ______(fill in your own favorite term). Welcome to the wrestling match of biblical translation. Every preacher of the Word enters this ring for sermon or homily preparation. Those of us in the Sunday pews are usually unaware of the struggles and smack downs that result in the weekly message. I know what it is to grapple with a Psalm. I can only imagine what it is like to take on a four man tag team: a Hebrew scripture, a Hebrew song, a theological tract from Paul, and a story about Jesus maybe riddled with a parable. It is a miracle that a minister has any energy left for the celebration of our liturgies. Heres a tiny free-per-view of the process. Lets watch the words duke it out. The opponents in the ring are: Team A - the Hebrew text; Team B - the Greek LXX text;

Team C - The New American Bible (Catholic text); and, Team D - the Lectionary, ICEL text. Round 1- Verse 1 Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. (A,B,C) Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all you lands. (D) Round 2 - Verse 2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; Proclaim his salvation day after day.(A,B,C) (D has stepped out of the ring for this round.) Round 3 - Verse 3 Declare Gods glory among the nations; Gods marvelous deeds among the nations. (A) Publish his glory among the Gentiles, His wonderful works among all people.(B) Tell Gods glory among the nations; Among all peoples Gods marvelous deeds. (C) Tell his glory among the nations; Among all peoples his wondrous deeds. (D) (A and B are pounding the proclamation idea. C and D are just reporting it.) Round 4 - Verse 4 For great is the LORD and highly to be praised; (A,B,C,D) To be feared above all gods. (A,B,C) Awesome is he, beyond all gods. (D) (D is opting out for shock and awe, while A, B and C are holding down the traditional fear of the LORD idea. Looks like D is also having a directional problem.)

Round 5 - Verse 5 For all of the gods of the nations are idols; (A) For all of the gods of the heathens are diabolical; (B) For all the gods of the nations do nothing; (C) For all the gods of the nations are things of nought; (D) (A is clear. An idol is a human fashioned figurine created by human ingenuity. Because proclamation is an oral/aural activity, Ds choice of nought sounds like not. The choice of nought is confusing to the crowd of spectators. Cs choice of do nothing suggests that maybe the gods have the ability to do something.) But the LORD made the heavens. (A,B,C,D) Round 6 - Verse 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; Strength and glory are in his sanctuary. (A) Thanksgiving and beauty are before him; Holiness and majesty are in his sanctuary. (B) Majesty and brightness are before him; Strength and splendor are in his sanctuary. (C) (Team D has stepped out of the ring again! Verse 6 expounds the emptiness of the clay fashioned or rock hewn deities of Israels neighbors. Verse 6 also explains why the neighboring nations should worship, that is, bow down and pay homage to the LORD. This verse sets the stage for the next.) Round 7 - Verse 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (A) Bring to the Lord, you families of the Gentiles, Bring to the Lord glory and honor. (B) Give to the LORD, you families of nations, Give to the LORD glory and might. (C) Give to the LORD, you families of nations, Give to the LORD glory and praise. (D) Round 8 - Verse 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

Bring an offering and come into his courts. (A) Bring to the LORD the glory becoming his name: Bring an offering, and come into his forecourts. (B) Give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts and enter his courts. (C,D) Round 9 - Verse 9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; (A) Worship the LORD in his holy court: (B) Bow down to the LORD, splendid in holiness; (C) Worship the LORD, in holy attire; (D) Tremble before him, all the earth. (A,B,C,D) From our printed liturgical text, (D), one would think that we are being directed to wear clothing that is piously fashionable. Im sure this verse has been the excuse to purchase vestments of the finest gold thread money can buy. Many a congregant has used this verse to judge another worshipper who dares to enter the house of prayer in a pair of jeans. This verse is a statement about the LORDS fashion. When the LORD steps out on the runway and models holiness, the totality of creation gasps at the sight of Gods splendor. Round 10 - Verse 10 Say among the nations, The LORD reigns The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved. (A) Say among the nations, The LORD reigns; For he has established the world so that it shall not be moved. (B) Say among the nations: The LORD is king. The world will surely stand fast, never to be moved. (C) Say among the nations, The Lord is king. (D) (D is silent on the worlds status.) The LORD will judge the peoples with equity. (A) He shall judge the peoples with his truth. (B) God rules the peoples with fairness. (C) He governs the peoples with equity. (D)

Is the conclusion of verse 10 about a final judgment in the future, or, a system of governance that is in place in the present moment? I think Ill crawl out of the ring and let the preacher referee this verse.
Delma Rouleau 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time 16 October 2011