Sing a New Psalm:
Communicating with God Through
the Prayers of the Church
Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline
Lesson 27 God Has Kept an Account
Invitatory: Psalm 46 (RSVCE)
Psalm 56 (RSVCE), Psalm 94 (RSVCE), Psalm 109 (RSVCE), and Psalm 140 (RSVCE)
Saturday Vigils (Week II)
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Volume II of Sing a New Psalm
next lesson: My Lips Shall Proclaim Your Praise
This material coordinates with Lesson 27, “God Has Kept an Account,” on pages 99–102 in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline. Our Catholic Bible study is based on
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, a translation of the psalms prepared by the monks at Conception Abbey in 2010 and first published as The Revised Grail Psalms. The Abbey Psalms and Canticles is a revision of that work, finished in 2020 and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Wording and numbering of some psalms and verses in other translations may differ. The Abbey Psalms and Canticles is being added to Liturgy of the Hours books used in the United States. While the Turning to God’s Word study book is based on The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translation, all online links to the psalms are to the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. A separate copy of The Abbey Psalms and Canticles is needed to read the translation on which the psalms in this study are based.
“Unlike other prayers in sacred Scripture, the prayers contained in the psalms are not inserted into a narrative story that specifies their meaning and function. Instead, the psalms are given to the believer precisely as a text of prayer. Since they are the Word of God, the believer who prays the psalms speaks to God using the very words that God himself has given to us. Thus, in praying the psalms we learn to pray. The psalms are a school of prayer.”—Pope Benedict XVI
welcome to our continuing in-depth study of the psalms
We invite groups and individuals to check out the sample Introduction and Lesson 1 from this 29-
lesson Turning to 
God’s Word Catholic Bible study. Our online study pages include additional questions, commentary, and prayers based on the psalm texts, plus an online glossary. Both Volume I and Volume II of Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church have been granted imprimaturs. A digital version of Volume I: Lauds & Vespers can be purchased from our website shop. Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline is available in hard copy. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words, pray one of the psalms in this lesson, or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
think about praying Compline every night
In addition to the sample for this Bible study, Turning to God’s Word is providing a copy of Lesson 29 In Peace I Will Lie Down, which addresses the nightly Compline prayers based on Psalm 91, Psalm 4, and Psalm 134. The monks at Conception Abbey pray these short psalms each evening—Psalm 91 on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; Psalm 4 and Psalm 134 on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
about the psalms in this lesson**
Three of the five psalms prayed for Saturday Vigils Week II at Conception Abbey and individual or personal laments attributed to David. These are Psalm 56, Psalm 109, and Psalm 140. Psalm 46 (the Invitatory) is classified as a hymn to Zion written by one or more of the sons of Korah. Psalm 94 is classified as a communal lament attributed whose composer remains unidentified.
classifying the psalms
The classification of the psalms, though somewhat standardized, retains an arbitrary nature. Some psalms are classified according to form or type; such forms include the hymn, the lament, and the song of thanksgiving. Psalms also may be classified according to subject matter—royal psalms, for instance, portray the political king of the descendants of Jacob as both the representative of God to the community and the representative of the community to God—or they may be classified according to their use; scholars generally think that hymns exalting Zion were part of a ritual reenactment of the great deeds of God in maintaining Mount Zion and Jerusalem as a home base. Turning to God’s Word is indebted to Fr. Felix Just, a Jesuit priest and biblical scholar, for his organized listing of the psalms by classification and author.
Psalm 46 (the Invitatory) is classified as a hymn to Zion
Zion or Mount Zion is the site of the ancient Jebusite fortress that David took by force before establishing his royal capital there. Zion came to refer to the city of Jerusalem. Mount Zion refers to the elevation upon which Solomon built his Temple, so in the psalms it has come to symbolize the dwelling place of God. Daughter Zion appears in the psalms as a metaphor for the descendants of Jacob, and Zion can refer to them as well. In Christianity, Mount Zion also can represent the eschatological city of God that is to come. In Psalm 46 in this lesson, the descendants of Jacob are encouraged to turn to God in times of trouble. Altogether, six of the 150 psalms are classified as hymns written in honor of Zion, God’s holy mountain. In addition to Psalm 46 (the Invitatory), they include Psalm 48, Psalm 76, Psalm 84, Psalm 87 and Psalm 122.
the largest number of psalms are laments
Forty-three of the psalms, including Psalm 56, Psalm 109, and Psalm 140 in this lesson, are classified as individual laments. The word “lament” means “a passionate expression of regret.” An additional 18 psalms are classified as communal laments, which means they were written to be used by an entire community. These include Psalm 94. Refer to the above-mentioned work of Fr. Felix Just for a complete online listing of psalms classified as individual or communal laments.
what is a lament?
Because the word “lament” as a verb means to wail, moan, or sob in sorrow, when the same word “lament” is used as a noun it means an expression of mourning. It is this meaning that it holds in the psalms in this lesson. In addition to the laments in the psalms, Scripture also includes a book called Lamentations (sometimes referred to as the Lamentations of Jeremiah, although many scholars contest the prophet Jeremiah’s authorship of that work). A lament frequently refers to a funeral dirge, elegy, or burial hymn.
one of several psalms omitted from Liturgy of the Hours books
A difficulty for Christians who wish to incorporate the psalms into their prayers is that in some of these ancient hymns the Psalmists blatantly curse their enemies and ask the LORD to deal harshly with those enemies. This is disturbing enough that the editors compiling the four-week Liturgy of the Hours books chose to leave out a few problematic verses—in the case of the psalms included in this lesson (Saturday Vigils Week II prayed by the monks at Conception Abbey), Psalm 109 is omitted entirely. The editors of Liturgy of the Hours books also chose to omit two other passages included in this lesson—Psalm 56:8 and Psalm 140:10–12 (Psalm 56:7 and Psalm 140:9–11, respectively, in Revised Standard Version Catholic Editions). Consider why the editors of Liturgy of the Hours books might have felt that Psalm 109 and the other two passages should be excluded.
all omissions are noted in this study
Only two other psalms are completely omitted from the current four-week Liturgy of the Hours books, and all three psalms are in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline. Psalm 58 is included in Lesson 10 In the Shelter of God’s Wings and Psalm 83 is included in Lesson 19 Like an Owl Among the Ruins. The four-week Liturgy of the Hours books also omit verses from 20 other psalms; all of which are addressed in Volume I and Volume II. For a complete list, click on this link, which includes a comparison of the two-week cursus (schedule) used at Conception Abbey and in both volumes of our study with the four-week Roman cursus followed by current Liturgy of the Hours books.
who is Ethan in the superscript to Psalm 89?
A few scholars suggest that Ethan and Jeduthun may have been the same person. Ethan is named in the superscript to Psalm 89 in this lesson and is considered the composer of that psalm.) Jeduthun appears in the Old Testament as one of three principal leaders of liturgical music during the reign of David. (The other two music leaders appointed by David are Asaph and Heman.) Jeduthun is named in The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translations of Psalm 39:1 in Lesson 4 I Wash My Hands in Innocence in this volume, and in Psalm 62:1 in Lesson 9 An Overflowing Heart and Psalm 77:1 in Lesson 18 What God Is As Great As Our God?—both in Volume I. These superscripts associate Jeduthun in some way with those three psalms. (David is considered the composer of Psalm 39 and Psalm 62, while Psalm 77 is attributed to Asaph.)
redemption—you could look it up in our archives
The psalms prayed for Saturday Vigils Week II, while not mentioning the word redemption, nevertheless display an awareness of God’s role in redeeming humanity. To learn how redemption is related to the idea of ransom, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
redemption & the Presentation of Jesus
In the Gospel According to Luke 2:22–40 , the concept of redemption enters the Presentation story, but not where it might be expected. The Greek verb λύτρωσις (lytrosis) comes from a word meaning “ransom” or the price for buying back a life. While this verb does appear in the passage, it’s not used to describe Jesus. It appears rather in the Gospel According to Luke 2:38: “And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” The evangelist Luke casts Jerusalem rather than the child Jesus as the thing being held for ransom and shows Jesus as that ransom
? How would you describe the way that Jesus redeems God’s people?
? Consider why it’s necessary for God’s Son to get involved in humanity’s redemption.
? What fate might await men and women who fail to be redeemed?
read the Catechism—silence & contemplative prayer
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 46:11 (Psalm 46:10 in Revised Standard Version Catholic Editions): “Be still, and know that I am God.” Paragraph 2717 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the clear link between silence and contemplative prayer.
2717 Contemplative prayer is silence, the “symbol of the world to come” or “silent love.” Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the “outer” man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered, died, and rose; in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus.
a translation difference involving gender
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 46:6 (Psalm 46:5 in Revised Standard Version Catholic Editions): “God is in her midst, she cannot be shaken; God will help her at the dawning of the day.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “God is within, it cannot be shaken; God will help it at the dawning of the day.” Consider why the editors of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops might have wanted to assign gender to Zion. Which translation do you prefer? (Note that it is not possible to link to either The Abbey Psalms and Canticles or The Revised Grail Psalms; all links on the online pages are to the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE].)
two words swap places
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 94:14: “The LORD will not forsake his people, nor abandon his own inheritance;…” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “The LORD will not abandon his people, nor forsake those who are his heritage; …” The meaning of the two translations appears extremely similar.
a translation difference: the wicked vs. evil man
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 140:2 (Psalm 140:1 in Revised Standard Version Catholic Editions): “Rescue me, LORD, from the wicked; from the violent man keep me safe,…” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “Rescue me, LORD, from evil man; from the violent man keep me safe,…” It seems likely that the editors at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) primarily sought to introduce a bit more inclusive language into Scripture.
a translation difference: make a judgment vs. do justice
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 140:13 (Psalm 140:12 in Revised Standard Version Catholic Editions): “I know that the LORD will avenge the poor, that he will make a judgment for the needy.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “I know that the LORD will avenge the poor, that he will do justice for the needy.” Which translation do you prefer, and why?
the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by passages in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including Psalm 46 (the Invitatory), Psalm 94, Psalm 109, and Psalm 140 in this lesson.
Psalm 56:5—paragraph 990
ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out 
persons or places mentioned in the biblical text under more than one name or more than one spelling. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the biblical text for every lesson in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a passage in Scripture, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book. If you want to revisit a particular commentary, you can look that up by title in the topics index. If you want to learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, you can read the online commentaries and watch any accompanying videos by going to the online study directories. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
You can find links to magisterial documents referred to in Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible studies 
at ex libris—magisterial documents. This page includes a listing of significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open one of the links and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. An online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current three months can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Psalm 46, the Invitatory (NIV)
Psalm 56 (NIV)
Psalm 94 (NIV)
Psalm 109 (NIV)
Psalm 140 (NIV)
close with a psalms-based prayer for Saturday Vigils (Week II)
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can pray any of the psalms in this lesson, or you can use the following short prayer.
O God, you are a stronghold and refuge for all who call on you.
Respond in mercy to those who seek your protection.
Teach us patience that we might be still
and wait on your saving action on our behalf.
Grant that all people may come to know your mercy,
and increase our trust as we place our faith in you.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
the Word you sent to give your faithful people life. Amen.
Lesson 28 My Lips Shall Proclaim Your Praise, Saturday Day Prayer (Week II)—Psalm 119:153–160, Psalm 119:161–168, and Psalm 119:169–176
Lesson 26 The Unfolding of Your Word Gives Light, Friday Day Prayer (Week II)—Psalm 119:129–135, Psalm 119:136–144, and Psalm 119:145–152
you also may like our study of the book of Genesis
The first seven lessons of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provide an in-depth look at the very earliest biblical history—including the two accounts of Creation, events surrounding the Fall of Adam and Eve, the relationship between Cain and Abel, and the baptismal foreshadowing present in the account of Noah and the Flood. Remaining lessons look at lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Click here to view a sample of the first lesson.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II. 
Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—Baruch, Judith, Sirach, Tobit, Wisdom, and First and Second Maccabees—and there are some deuterocanonical passages in the Books of Daniel and Esther. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. Deuterocanonical means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
**You can learn more about the psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church. The first volume covers psalms prayed at Lauds and Vespers; the second covers psalms prayed at Vigils, Day Prayer, and Compline. Numbering of psalms and verses may vary in other translations.
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” and “didst” in the psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering for some passages in this Bible study will vary. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book