Sing a New Psalm:
Communicating with God Through
the Prayers of the Church
Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline
Lesson 4 I Wash My Hands in Innocence
Psalm 26 (RSVCE), Psalm 28 (RSVCE), and Psalm 39 (RSVCE)
Monday Day Prayer (Week I)
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: Awake, O LORD! Come to Our Help!
This material coordinates with Lesson 4, “I Wash My Hands in Innocence,” on pages 19–21 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, an English 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 now owned 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**
All three of the psalms prayed for Monday Day Prayer Week I at Conception Abbey—Psalm 26, Psalm 28, and Psalm 39—are individual or personal laments attributed to David. A unifying theme of the three psalms is the contrast between guilt and innocence, and David appears concerned about how the actions of his own life are going to be judged by God.
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.
the largest number of psalms are laments
Forty-three of the psalms, including all three of the psalms prayed 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. 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 Psalm 26, Psalm 28, and Psalm 39. 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.
a passage 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. Omitted from psalms for this lesson (Monday Day Prayer Week I prayed by the monks at Conception Abbey) is Psalm 28:4–5. Consider why the editors of Liturgy of the Hours books might have felt that this verse shouldn’t be included.
all omissions are noted in this study
Omissions in the four-week Liturgy of the Hours books 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 in most current Liturgy of the Hours books.
who is Jeduthun in the superscript to Psalm 39?
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 this lesson, 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.) A few scholars suggest that Jeduthun and Ethan may have been the same person (Ethan is named in the superscript to Psalm 89 and is considered the composer of that psalm; Psalm 89 is covered in Lesson 13 Praise the LORD Who Rides on the Heavens in this volume.)
judgment—you could look it up in our archives
In Psalm 26:1, David asks the LORD to give judgment in his favor. (Some translations substitute the word “vindicate” for the idea of “judgment”). It’s easy to think we know what judgment is, but what exactly is David asking of God? To learn more, 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.
judge not
Most people accept the idea that judgment consists of a legal decision based on evidence. Along with other legal terms such as justice, witness, and testimony, judgment is employed in Scripture to describe the way in which God’s spiritual laws apply to humanity. In the Gospel According to Matthew 7:1, things get a lot more complicated when Jesus tells his followers: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” It’s one thing not to be critical of another person, but discerning between personal good and bad behavior is a necessary part of being a Christian. How can men and women be expected to act righteously in all situations without some discernment?
It’s worthwhile to think of judgment—and being judgmental—as an attitude related to sentencing. If we think someone is sinning or misbehaving, we can hold that opinion about a person’s behavior—that’s discerning right from wrong. What we can’t do is assume that because we’ve decided a person’s behavior is “bad,” that means that person deserves to go to hell—that’s sentencing. Only God gets to decide who deserves to be sentenced. It’s interesting that in Psalm 26:9–10, David wants the LORD not to sentence him to the same fate as sinners, while in Psalm 28:4–5, he specifically asks God to sentence the wicked. Most people can understand why the editors of Liturgy of the Hours books found this passage problematic. Consider why the monks at Conception Abbey pray it anyway every other Monday.
what are we to make of David’s requests?
David is only human, and in Psalm 28:4–5 he displays as much. It seems to be human nature to want to get even with our enemies, and David is expressing his desire that God lend a helping hand. Is David overstepping? Probably, but it’s important to remember that he has a close relationship with God. Most of us fume and sputter to our closest friends and family about situations we deplore, but just because we say we wish someone ill doesn’t mean we really want to see harm come to them.
how judgment changes between the Old & New Testaments
For the most part, the people of the Old Testament are eager for God to judge between them and their enemies because they are confident that God will rule in their favor. The New Testament firmly establishes the idea of Final Judgment, making the people far more reluctant to assume a judgment in their favor based on whether they have been following God’s law. In the Gospels, Jesus constantly battles the Pharisees over the interpretation of the Law of Moses. A turning point regarding judgment appears in the Gospel According to John 5:45, when Jesus tells his detractors: “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses you, on whom you set your hope.”
? Consider how Jesus’ detractors have been setting their hope on Moses.
? How does Jesus relate to the Law of Moses (if necessary, refer to the Gospel According to Matthew 5:17–18)?
David writes about obedience
The psalms chosen for Monday Day Prayer Week I focus on David’s obedience and others’ unwillingness to obey God. In what may seem a slightly strange twist in Psalm 28, David emphasizes the disobedience of the wicked, apparently in an effort to bolster his own claims to obedience. Obedience is a concept that isn’t very popular in secular society. Men and women want to be in charge of their own lives. God has given humanity free will to choose between good and evil. The LORD has not given humanity the ability to decide that whatever they choose is good. A bad choice remains bad, no matter who makes it and why. A major tenet of Catholic ethics is that the ends can’t justify the means. This boils down to God saying that no matter how much good we might expect from committing sin, we remain responsible for the sin and its negative consequences.
the obedience of Jesus & Mary
Interestingly, one of the most surprising traits of God is his obedience. Think about how Jesus and his Mother are more obedient than any other men and women. Consider why the virtue of obedience is so little valued.
a translation difference: walk vs. have walked
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 26:11: “As for me, I walk in my integrity.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “As for me, I have walked in my integrity.” Although very similar, The Abbey Psalms and Canticles sets the action in the present tense, while The Revised Grail Psalms describes past action. Without access to David’s original manuscript it is difficult to know which language best fits his lament. 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].)
a translation difference: render them their due reward vs. return to them their deserts
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 28:4: “…render them their due reward.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same passage: “return to them their deserts.” Consider what effect this change has on the psalm’s meaning. (Note that Psalm 28:4 is one of two verses in Psalm 28 that are omitted from Liturgy of the Hours books.)
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 26 and Psalm 28 in this lesson.
Psalm 39:9—paragraph 1502
Psalm 39:12—paragraph 1502
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 26 (NIV)
Psalm 28 (NIV)
Psalm 39 (NIV)
close with a psalms-based prayer for Monday Day Prayer (Week I)
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 renowned for your mercy.
Respond in mercy to all those who call on you.
Teach us to make wise choices between good and evil,
and help us to avoid looking at the behavior of others
and deciding that we have the right to determine their guilt.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who died to bring the possibility of eternal life to everyone. Amen.
Lesson 5 Awake, O LORD! Why Do You Sleep? (Week I)—Psalm 100 (the Invitatory), Psalm 40, Psalm 44, Psalm 59, and Psalm 60
Lesson 3 You, LORD, Are a Shield About Me, Monday Vigils (Week I)—Psalm 29 (the Invitatory), Psalm 3, Psalm 9, Psalm 10, and Psalm 31
you also may like our study of the Gospel According to John
The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth, a 25-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines the Fourth Gospel’s view of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, with special emphasis on the institution of the sacraments of the Church as the means by which Christians are purified and made holy. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary, and takes a closer look at the way in which Jesus relates to individual men and women. 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.