Resources
Home > Resources > PsalmsThe Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship
Perspectives and Resources for Missional, Emerging, Liturgical, Tiny, Medium-Sized,
Traditional, Seeker-Sensitive, Tall-Steeple, and Just About Any Other Kind of Christian Church
Seminar at the Calvin Symposium on Worship
January 25, 2007
hosted by John Witvliet,
with
James Abbington, Carol Bechtel, Robert Batastini, Reggie Kidd, Stephen Breck Reid, and Chip Stam
The Psalms are a font of inspiration, encouragement, and instruction in the life of both public and private prayer. From Basil to Bonhoeffer to Bono,
the enthusiasm that emanates from wise Christian writers of every historical period points to the Psalms as one of the richest sources of wisdom for
the practice of worship. Yet we often dismiss the Psalms as too complex for worship or too associated with music that is unsingable, and thereby miss
their spiritual sustenance and missional breadth. This session explored ways that all churches-contemporary or traditional, seeker-driven or
liturgical, ethnically homogenous or multi-cultural-can recover the Psalms as a source of vital worship, along with resources for teaching,
preaching, reading, dramatizing, visualizing, and singing the Psalms.
. Outline
for this seminar Audio
Morning Presentations
Welcome by John Witvliet
. Listen
(0.4 MB) 0:58 Overture: Singing Psalm 103, led by Chip Stam
. Listen
(0.5 MB) 0:57Praying the Psalms in God's Language School - John Witvliet
. Listen
(11.4 MB) 24:25 Interlude: Singing Psalm 32, led by Chip Starn
. Listen
(0.5 MB) 0:57Psalm 121 - Carol Bechtel
. Listen
(15 MB) 32:06 Interlude: Psalm 121, led by Carol Bechtel
. Listen
(0.9 MB) 2:01 Psalms 133 and 134 - Stephen Breck Reid
. Listen
(8.8 MB) 18:40 Interlude: Psalms 133 and 134, led by Chip Stam
. Listen
(1.3 MB) 2:48 Panelist Responses and Q&A
. Listen
(8.8 MB) 18:40 Interlude: Psalm 100, led by Chip Stam
. Listen
(0.5 MB) 0:57
Afternoon Presentations
(Additional audio of these presentations is available by request.)
. Resources for Singing the Psalms - Robert Batastini and Jimmie Abbington
. Psalm 22 - Reggie Kidd
. Listen (10.1 MB) 21:19
. Interlude: Psalm 22, led by Chip Stam
. Practical Issues in Using the Psalms in Worship - John Witvliet
- Framing the Congregation's Mode of Engagement (68ft)
- Learning the Psalms by Number (126)
- The Psalms as a Way to Frame/Evaluate Worship (34-35)
- Worship Planning Checklist (83)
. Responses by Panel and all Participants
. A Sampling of Other Creative Expressions
including Todd Farley mime (Psalm 139), Brian Fuller video (Psalm 33), Calvin Seerveld choral reading, published
children's books, Anneke Kaai imagery, Timothy Botts calligraphy, other examples from Chip Stam
. Benediction, Psalm 130, led by Chip Starn