Photo of a window high under the roof of the Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth
Advent and Christmas Psalms
The Lectionary Psalms for Christmas are:
Psalm 96
Psalm 97
Psalm 98
Psalm 149
Psalm 96
Psalm 97
Psalm 98
Psalm 149
A Christmas Psalm: based on Psalm 96
Sing a new song to the Lord
All the earth, sing!
All you people, sing!
See God’s glory, it is coming!
Tell of God’s salvation, it is coming into the world!
Speak of greatness, strength to overcome.
Come out to meet the Lord, proclaiming his name.
Come into his holy place and tremble.
All the earth, tremble in wonder.
All the galaxies, rejoice in praise!
All the oceans and all that lives in the sea – sing for joy!
All the fields and forests and all that lives on the land – shout for joy!
For the Lord is coming -
he is coming to make everything new,
he is coming to put things right.
Rejoice for the Lord is coming …
But will we see him, born in a manger?
Will we proclaim him, son of Mary?
Will we welcome him, this stranger in a strange land?
Will we honour him, this unexpected judge of the world?
Lord God, we see you, born in a manger.
Lord Jesus, we proclaim you, son of God and son of man.
Loving God, we welcome you; come make your home among us.
Lord Jesus, we honour you and praise you and choose again to follow.
Sing a new song to the Lord! Amen.
Sing a new song to the Lord
All the earth, sing!
All you people, sing!
See God’s glory, it is coming!
Tell of God’s salvation, it is coming into the world!
Speak of greatness, strength to overcome.
Come out to meet the Lord, proclaiming his name.
Come into his holy place and tremble.
All the earth, tremble in wonder.
All the galaxies, rejoice in praise!
All the oceans and all that lives in the sea – sing for joy!
All the fields and forests and all that lives on the land – shout for joy!
For the Lord is coming -
he is coming to make everything new,
he is coming to put things right.
Rejoice for the Lord is coming …
But will we see him, born in a manger?
Will we proclaim him, son of Mary?
Will we welcome him, this stranger in a strange land?
Will we honour him, this unexpected judge of the world?
Lord God, we see you, born in a manger.
Lord Jesus, we proclaim you, son of God and son of man.
Loving God, we welcome you; come make your home among us.
Lord Jesus, we honour you and praise you and choose again to follow.
Sing a new song to the Lord! Amen.
Other excellent Psalms for Advent and Christmas:
Come make your home among us
based on Psalm 132
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
Lord, remember your servant David,
and his promise to make a home for you.
“I will not rest”, David said, “until I find a home for the Mighty God.”
David honoured the Ark of the Covenant, and God rested on it.
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
God honoured David and promised him:
“I will set one of your descendents on the throne forever.
He will restore my covenant with my people.
I have prepared an everlasting light for my annointed,
a crown of glory.”
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
Lord, remember your promise.
Come to dwell with your people.
Satisfy us with the bread of life
Clothe us with robes of salvation
and we will shout with joy.
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
An Advent Psalm: 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord –
Hear my voice, Lord
I call to you for mercy -
Open your ears, Lord
If you keep count of all our sins,
Who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
and so we honour you.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope.
More than watchmen wait for the morning
my soul waits for the Lord.
Here is our hope – in the steadfast love of the Lord,
and his great saving power.
God alone will save us
from all our failings.
Psalm 80: The Restoration Project
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 3 December 2017)
Can’t you hear your people, Lord?
Can’t you see the state of things?
Great Shepherd of Israel, hear the cry of your sheep.
Mighty God of Hosts, see your people’s pain.
We are tired of eating the bread of tears
We are worn by strife and fear.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.
Your home on earth is past repair
The walls are cracked and broken
The fruiting vine is hacked and burned
Your people turn away.
Send us a Shepherd, Lord!
Send us a Son from your right hand.
All your strength is in him
All your power to heal.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.
Psalm 85: See what God is doing!
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 10 December 2017)
See what God is doing:
the promises from long ago are made new
our brokenness and shame is over
Wait, for God is coming!
His anger drains away and love remains
He draws us to himself and joy returns
Hear what God is saying:
the word is ‘Peace’, Shalom
love that will never let us go
See, for God is close
salvation is very near
glory is coming to dwell in our land
Come, for truth is bursting out
tender love meets righteousness
and blessing flows from peace
Go out before him!
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Psalm 126: When the Lord turned the tide of history
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 17 December 2017)
When the Lord turned the tide of history
we could hardly believe it!
Laughter bubbled out of us,
shouts of joy burst out of us,
telling everyone who would listen:
“The Lord has done great things for us!”
“The Lord has done great things for us!”
We call on you Lord: turn the tide of history
here and now!
Rain down on our dry land.
Those who watered seeds with their tears
will gather in a harvest with joy.
We have watered seeds with our tears –
yet we will harvest with joy!
“The Lord will do great things for us!”
“The Lord will do great things for us!”
Psalm 89 (the first half): A Vision of Messiah
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 24 December 2017)
God spoke to Ethan the Ezrahite in a vision, saying
“I have chosen one to be King
I have anointed him with my holy oil.
I have laid my hand on him, my strong arm is his.
He is the firstborn, the everlasting king,
to rule until the stars cease to burn.
My love, strong to save, is on him forever.
He will cry to me, “You are my Father,
my God and the Rock of my salvation!”
The covenant between me and my Messiah
can never be broken.
Once and for all I declare my promise:
while the sun shines he will reign,
while the moon gleams he is my witness.”
We stand in this promise and we declare:
“You are my Father,
my God and the Rock of my salvation!”
Psalm 97: Rejoice, the Lord is King!
(The Lectionary Psalm for Christmas Day)
Rejoice! The Lord is King!
Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice;
again I say, rejoice.
Power! All the forces in the planet
are powered by the Lord.
Love! All the love in the universe
flows from the Lord.
Joy! All the happiness in the world
is given by the Lord.
Thanks! All our thanks we give back to you.
Psalm 98: Sing along a new song
(Alternative Lectionary Psalm for Christmas Day)
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Marvelous is all he has done!
Victory has been won
and all the earth has seen!
Break out with songs of joy!
Trumpets blast and waves crash
Guitars play and rain claps the beat
Music fills the air and hills cheer!
The Lord is coming, he’s nearly here!
He will set things right
and all will be well.
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Marvelous is all he has done!
Come make your home among us
based on Psalm 132
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
Lord, remember your servant David,
and his promise to make a home for you.
“I will not rest”, David said, “until I find a home for the Mighty God.”
David honoured the Ark of the Covenant, and God rested on it.
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
God honoured David and promised him:
“I will set one of your descendents on the throne forever.
He will restore my covenant with my people.
I have prepared an everlasting light for my annointed,
a crown of glory.”
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
Lord, remember your promise.
Come to dwell with your people.
Satisfy us with the bread of life
Clothe us with robes of salvation
and we will shout with joy.
Lord, remember your people.
Come, make your home among us.
An Advent Psalm: 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord –
Hear my voice, Lord
I call to you for mercy -
Open your ears, Lord
If you keep count of all our sins,
Who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
and so we honour you.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope.
More than watchmen wait for the morning
my soul waits for the Lord.
Here is our hope – in the steadfast love of the Lord,
and his great saving power.
God alone will save us
from all our failings.
Psalm 80: The Restoration Project
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 3 December 2017)
Can’t you hear your people, Lord?
Can’t you see the state of things?
Great Shepherd of Israel, hear the cry of your sheep.
Mighty God of Hosts, see your people’s pain.
We are tired of eating the bread of tears
We are worn by strife and fear.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.
Your home on earth is past repair
The walls are cracked and broken
The fruiting vine is hacked and burned
Your people turn away.
Send us a Shepherd, Lord!
Send us a Son from your right hand.
All your strength is in him
All your power to heal.
Restore us with your favour, Lord!
Save us in your love.
Psalm 85: See what God is doing!
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 10 December 2017)
See what God is doing:
the promises from long ago are made new
our brokenness and shame is over
Wait, for God is coming!
His anger drains away and love remains
He draws us to himself and joy returns
Hear what God is saying:
the word is ‘Peace’, Shalom
love that will never let us go
See, for God is close
salvation is very near
glory is coming to dwell in our land
Come, for truth is bursting out
tender love meets righteousness
and blessing flows from peace
Go out before him!
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Psalm 126: When the Lord turned the tide of history
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 17 December 2017)
When the Lord turned the tide of history
we could hardly believe it!
Laughter bubbled out of us,
shouts of joy burst out of us,
telling everyone who would listen:
“The Lord has done great things for us!”
“The Lord has done great things for us!”
We call on you Lord: turn the tide of history
here and now!
Rain down on our dry land.
Those who watered seeds with their tears
will gather in a harvest with joy.
We have watered seeds with our tears –
yet we will harvest with joy!
“The Lord will do great things for us!”
“The Lord will do great things for us!”
Psalm 89 (the first half): A Vision of Messiah
(The Lectionary Psalm for Sunday 24 December 2017)
God spoke to Ethan the Ezrahite in a vision, saying
“I have chosen one to be King
I have anointed him with my holy oil.
I have laid my hand on him, my strong arm is his.
He is the firstborn, the everlasting king,
to rule until the stars cease to burn.
My love, strong to save, is on him forever.
He will cry to me, “You are my Father,
my God and the Rock of my salvation!”
The covenant between me and my Messiah
can never be broken.
Once and for all I declare my promise:
while the sun shines he will reign,
while the moon gleams he is my witness.”
We stand in this promise and we declare:
“You are my Father,
my God and the Rock of my salvation!”
Psalm 97: Rejoice, the Lord is King!
(The Lectionary Psalm for Christmas Day)
Rejoice! The Lord is King!
Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice;
again I say, rejoice.
Power! All the forces in the planet
are powered by the Lord.
Love! All the love in the universe
flows from the Lord.
Joy! All the happiness in the world
is given by the Lord.
Thanks! All our thanks we give back to you.
Psalm 98: Sing along a new song
(Alternative Lectionary Psalm for Christmas Day)
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Marvelous is all he has done!
Victory has been won
and all the earth has seen!
Break out with songs of joy!
Trumpets blast and waves crash
Guitars play and rain claps the beat
Music fills the air and hills cheer!
The Lord is coming, he’s nearly here!
He will set things right
and all will be well.
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Marvelous is all he has done!
Photo is the low small door which is the only way in or out of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem