Sing a New Psalm:
Communicating with God Through
the Prayers of the Church
Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline
Lesson 7 The LORD Remembers His Holy Word
Invitatory: Psalm 24 (RSVCE)
Psalm 17 (RSVCE), Psalm 25 (RSVCE), and Psalm 105 (RSVCE)
Wednesday Vigils (Week I)
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Volume II of Sing a New Psalm
next lesson: O That I Had Wings Like a Dove!
This material coordinates with Lesson 7, “The LORD Remembers His Holy Word,” on pages 29–32 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**
Three of the four psalms prayed for Wednesday Vigils Week I at Conception Abbey are attributed to 
David—Psalm 24 (the Invitatory), Psalm 17, and Psalm 25. Psalm 24 (the Invitatory) is thought to have been composed by David as a processional, though it usually is classified as “miscellaneous”; it often is included as part of Palm Sunday liturgies. Psalm 17 and Psalm 25 are classified as individual or personal laments and Psalm 25 also is written as an acrostic psalm. Scholars have found it difficult to classify Psalm 105, which generally is considered a “miscellaneous” psalm whose author is 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 24 (the Invitatory) & Psalm 105 are difficult to classify
Scholars find it difficult to fit Psalm 24 (the Invitatory) or Psalm 105 into any single category. In addition to those two psalms in this lesson, the other the miscellaneous psalms are: Psalm 15, Psalm 50, Psalm 78, Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 95, Psalm 108, Psalm 133, Psalm 134, and Psalm 139.
the largest number of psalms are laments
Forty-three of the psalms, including two 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 17 and Psalm 25. 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.
about the acrostic format in the psalms
Psalm 25 is a biblical example of acrostic poetry. Other acrostic psalms in this study include Psalm 34, Psalm 37, and most of Psalm 119; Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 119:105–112, and Psalm 145 are covered in Volume I. Each acrostic psalm is structured to begin successive lines or verses with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This alphabetic pattern serves as both a mnemonic device for memorization and a way to express the completeness of the psalm’s theme. The most well-known example is Psalm 119, in which each of the Hebrew alphabet’s 22 letters begins a section of eight verses. Most of these stanzas are prayed at Conception Abbey as 
part of Day Prayer during Week II, but Psalm 119:105–112 is prayed by the monks as part of Sunday First Vespers during Week I and is covered in Lesson 1 Set a Guard on My Mouth in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.
the popes inspire us—Psalm 24
In a reflection on Psalm 24 (the Invitatory prayed for Wednesday Vigils Week I at Conception Abbey) issued as part of a general audience on June 20, 2001, Pope St. John Paul II 
saw a correspondence to three successive scenes of a poetic triptych that serves as a basis for the prayer composed by David. The saint explains that Psalm 24 includes the following three affirmations: “The first is the truth of creation: God has created the world and is its Lord. The second is the judgment to which he submits his creatures: We must appear before him and be questioned about what we have done. The third is the mystery of God’s coming: He comes into the universe and into history and desires to be free to establish a relationship of intimate communion with human beings.” Pope St. John Paul II quotes Italian commentary to describe what is referred to as three elementary forms of our experience of and relationship with God—”we live by the work of God, we live before God, and we can live with God.”
the popes inspire us—Pope Benedict XVI also reflects on Psalm 24
In another reflection on Psalm 24 issued as part of his homily for the 26th World Youth Day on April 17, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI asked these questions: What are we really doing when we join this procession as 
part of the throng which went up with Jesus to Jerusalem and hailed him as King of Israel? Is this anything more than a ritual, a quaint custom? Does it have anything to do with the reality of our life and our world? To answer this, Pope Benedict says, we must first be clear about what Jesus himself wished to do and actually did. Our own Palm Sunday procession should incorporate Psalm 24 as an image of something deeper, to reflect the fact that, together with Jesus, we are setting out on pilgrimage along the high road that leads to the living God. This is the ascent that matters. This is the journey which Jesus invites us to make.”
for more writings from recent popes
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, including books on the psalms by Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Psalms & Canticles: Meditations and Catechesis on the Psalms and Canticles of Morning Prayer is a collection of reflections on the texts of the prayers at Lauds originally delivered as part of Pope St. John Paul II’s Wednesday audiences. In another volume, Psalms & Canticles: Meditations and Catechesis on the Psalms and Canticles of Evening Prayer, Pope Benedict XVI continued the practice to include the biblical texts prayed at Vespers.
another book about the psalms
Gregory Polan, OSB, recent abbot primate of the worldwide Benedictine Confederation, 
was lead 
translator of The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, the English translation upon which the Turning to God’s Word two-part Bible study of the psalms is based. Abbot Polan is author of The Psalms: Songs of Faith and Praise, which contains commentary and prayers as well as the Abbey’s complete translation of the psalms. Abbot Polan’s book is listed in ex libris—main bookshelf on the Turning to God’s Word website.
behold—you could look it up in our archives
In Psalm 17:15, David expects to behold the face of God, and he implies that this will happen when he awakens from slumber. To learn about the root of the word behold, 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.
read the Catechism—why adoration matters
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translation of Psalm 24:9–10 refers to God as the “king of Glory,” a title 
that reflects David’s awareness of the awesome nature of the divinity of God. Paragraph 2628 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers a solid reason why men and women should be thankful to God and to recognize—to the best of our ability—the vast differences between the Creator and those he has created.
2628 Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the “King of Glory,” respectful silence in the presence of the “ever greater” God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications.
a translation difference: have avoided vs. closely watched
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 17:4: “I have avoided the paths of the violent.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates “have avoided” in the same passage as “closely watched.” “Avoiding” usually isn’t thought to be synonymous with “closely watching.” Consider what effect this translation change has on the psalm’s meaning. (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].)
similar translation differences in the same verse
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 17:7: “Display your merciful love, you who deliver from their foes those who trust in your right hand.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same verse: “Display your merciful love. By your right hand you deliver from their foes those who put their trust in you.” Although there may be a discernible difference between “trusting in God’s right hand” and “God’s deliverance coming through his right hand,” any such differences appear slight.
translation differences that encompass two verses in Psalm 17
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 17:14–15: “Let your hand, O LORD, deliver me from those whose portion in life is of this world. What you have stored up for them fills their bellies; may their offspring be sated with its plenty, and let them leave what is left for their young. As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be filled with the vision of your presence.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same two verses: “Let your hand, O LORD, deliver me from those whose portion in this present life is fleeting. May you give them their fill of your treasures; may their offspring rejoice in plenty and leave their wealth to their children. As for me, in justice I shall behold your face; when I awake I shall be filled with the vision of your presence.” Consider how these translation differences might be changing the meaning of Psalm 17.
three translation differences in Psalm 25
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 25:8: “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he shows the way to sinners.” The Revised Grail Psalms deletes the word “therefore” in the same verse. The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 25:20: “Let me not be put to shame, for in you I take refuge.” In the same verse, The Revised Grail Psalms substitutes the word “trust” for “take refuge.” The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 25:22: “Grant redemption to Israel, O God,”; in the same verse, The Revised Grail Psalms substitutes the word “redeem” for “grant redemption.” Which of these three translation differences suggested by editors at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) strikes you as the most significant, and why?
a translation difference: sojourned vs. dwelt
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 105:23: “So Israel came into Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates “sojourned” in the same passage as “dwelt.” Consider whether this translation change has an effect on the psalm’s meaning.
a translation difference: with deceit toward vs. deceitfully with
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 105:25: “… whose hearts he turned to hate his people, and to deal with deceit toward his servants.” The Revised Grail Psalms substitutes “deceitfully with” for “with deceit toward” in the same passage. Although there is a difference in meter, the two translations appear to mean the same thing.
a translation difference: came vs. was made
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 105:28: “He sent darkness, and darkness came….” The Revised Grail Psalms translates “came” in the same passage as “was made.” Other than the obvious change in meter, what difference might this translation change have on the meaning of this passage?
a translation difference: fruits vs. toil
The Abbey Psalms and Canticles translates Psalm 105:44: “And he gave them the lands of the nations. They inherited the fruits of the peoples’ toil.” The Revised Grail Psalms translates the same verse: “And he gave them the lands of the nations. Of other peoples they possessed the toil.” Which translation of this verse do you find easiest to understand?
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 17 and Psalm 25 in this lesson.
Psalm 24:6 (the Invitatory)—paragraph 2582
Psalm 24:7–10 (the Invitatory)—paragraph 559
Psalm 24:8–10 (the Invitatory)—paragraph 269
Psalm 24:9–10 (the Invitatory)—paragraph 2628
Psalm 105:3—paragraph 30
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 24, the Invitatory (NIV)
Psalm 17 (NIV)
Psalm 25 (NIV)
Psalm 105 (NIV)
close with a psalms-based prayer for Wednesday Vigils (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 operate outside of time and space.
Grant that we may remain patient as we await
your saving action in our lives.
Allow us the grace to be thankful
for all you have done on our behalf.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who never considered that you had forgotten
about your love for humanity. Amen.
Lesson 8 O That I Had Wings Like a Dove! Wednesday Day Prayer (Week I)—Psalm 54 and Psalm 55
Lesson 6 God Looks Down From Heaven, Tuesday Day Prayer (Week I)—Psalm 38 and Psalm 53
you also may like our free year-long study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. In lieu of a sample, check out our free digital lessons.
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.