Orientation (praise/hymns) lament Disorientation cry for help thanksgiving Reorientation promise of praise Cycle of Praise & Lament

1.Submission = to bow down, to pay homage 2.Service = to work, serve, worship 3.Reverence = awe, respect, fear

A Christian Use of the Psalms How does the coming of Jesus affect our understanding of the hymns, laments and thanksgivings?

“The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed” (St Augustine)

As it is written in the second psalm: “You are my son; today I have become your father” God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. “You will not let your holy one see decay” (Acts 13:33,35)

But about the Son he says, “Your throne will last forever and ever” He also says, “In the beginning, Lord you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end” (Heb 1:8,10-12 cf. Psalm 45:6-7; 102:25-27)

‘Each of you has a hymn…’ (1 Cor 14:26) ‘psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts’ (Col 3:16-17) ‘speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…’ (Ephes 5:19-20)

‘They maintained however, that it was their habit on a fixed day to assemble before daylight and to sing a hymn by turns to Christ, as being god’ (Pliny, Roman governor of Bithynia) ‘ The scriptures are read and the psalms are sung, sermons are delivered and petitions are offered’ (Tertullian) ‘It is certain sound of joy without words…it is the expression of a mind poured forth in joy. A person rejoicing in exultation, without words which cannot be understood, bursts forth into sounds of exultation…’ (St Augustine)