Psalms for the Spirit: Recent Episodes
Kiran Young Wimberly
This podcast looks at the connections between spirituality and resilience through the lens of the Biblical Psalms. It explores how the Psalms help people through difficult times – times of personal and collective trauma – through conversations about personal story, field research, and theological reflection from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Listeners might include clergy, seminarians, spiritual directors, hymnwriters, church musicians, mental health practitioners, anyone interested in the intersection between spirituality and lived experience.
Combined with the lyrical air, ‘The Banks of Claudy,’ this beautiful Psalm professes faith in a God who knits us together and knows us intimately. Whether we like it or not, God knows our every thought and movement, but this Psalm continually reminds us that God’s constant presence is one that is loving and accepting of who we are at our best and our worst moments, and that God will continue to lead us in the way that is everlasting.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for You Have Searched Me
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set during the Babylonian exile, this Psalm mourns what was left behind in the homeland. The refrain, inspired by the traditional song ‘The Emigrant’s Farewell,’ echoes the request that God remembers those who grieve and those whose wounds have not yet been healed.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for By the Waters of Babylon
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
With the antiphonal refrain “God’s love endures forever,” this Psalm, set to the sea shanty ‘Bold Riley,’ speaks of the story of the Hebrew peoples’ journey into the promised land and of God’s love that endures through the generations. Like a heartbeat, the refrain is a continual reminder that amid the dramas of our lives and of history, God’s loving pulse is the life force behind it all.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for God’s Love Endures Forever
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Comparing harmony between kindred with the holy oil used for anointing in the temple of Jerusalem, the Psalm claims that such experiences of community bring fullness of life. Set to the Irish tune ‘A Fig for a Kiss,’ this paraphrase chooses the word “harmony,” which is a synonym for unity in the Hebrew and expresses the possibility of harmonious relationship amid diversity, rather than the homogeneity of uniformity.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for How Good It Is
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
These Psalms, sung to ‘The Quiet Land of Erin,’ share hope in a forgiving God who is with us always, even when we are in the depths. Putting these two Psalms together back to back, this song connects the concept of forgiveness with the deep rest of an infant in its mother’s arms ~ loved unconditionally as a beloved child and held with tenderness and compassion.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for From the Depths
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of ascendance to Jerusalem, this would have been sung as a part of a collection of pilgrimage Psalms. Set to the upbeat Irish melody ‘A Fig for a Kiss,’ this evokes the joyful lightness of nearing the pilgrimage destination, almost like a festive dance. It creates the image of peace between all peoples, nations, kindred ~ a peace that seeks the good of all.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Peace be with Jerusalem
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the 18th-century Scottish air ‘MacPhearson’s Lament,’ this Psalm reflects on the comfort of God’s everlasting protection. It begins with the iconic image of the hills or mountains that remind us of where we can find our help, and it continues to unfold the image of God watching over us, never slumbering, offering us shade and shelter, and blessing us as we “come and go,” both now and forever.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for I Lift My Eyes up to the Hills
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The writer of this Psalm praises God for responding mercifully to the cry of the suffering: in return, this individual offers to serve God faithfully. Set to the uplifting Irish melody ‘Galway Shawl,’ this is a Psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from suffering, a testament to the transformation that can come through God’s help, and a commitment to faithfulness in response.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for I Love the Lord
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this moving episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I sit down with SueAnn Shiah ~ a Taiwanese American musician, filmmaker, ethnomusicologist, community organizer, and Queer Christian pastor. Through her creative and pastoral work, SueAnn weaves together questions of faith, identity, belonging, and justice, always grounded in her deep conviction that every vocation can be an act of ministry.
Together, we talk about what is psalmic in her life these days: the courage to tell the truth even when it has consequences, the importance of naming despair as faithfully as we seek joy, and the hope that even the darkest Psalms ~ like Psalm 88 ~ can hold us when no easy answers exist. SueAnn’s story reminds us that faith is not about pretending everything is fine but daring to bring our full selves, our doubts and griefs included, before God.
“The hope is not that things will suddenly be fixed, but that even our darkest truths are not too much for God.”
This episode is an invitation to honesty, courage, and the deep hope that healing begins where truth is spoken.
Featured Song:
Psalm 88: God of My Salvation
Set to the Irish traditional tune Bean Dubh a Ghleanna, this psalm gives voice to deep lament and longing. It is a cry from the depths, expressing sorrow, isolation, and the search for God’s presence in darkness—yet still holding fast to the prayer, “O God of my salvation.”
Find out more about “Summer for the Spirit” at www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Testifying to God’s power to redeem us in times of trouble, this Psalm is set to ‘The Meeting of the Waters.’ It tells story after story of God redeeming people from various situations ~ wandering in deserts, imprisoned by misery and grief, stormy waters ~ and it continues to return to the encouraging message passed on from those who have experienced redemption: “From trouble, God will redeem us still.”
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for O Give Thanks
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this soulful episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I’m joined by Saima Masud, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with a deep passion for compassionate frameworks in antiracism, extremism, and everyday chaos. Saima brings both her professional wisdom and her personal story to this conversation ~ from navigating global crises to finding sacred steadiness in community, storytelling, and even her dreams.
Together, we explore the psalmic practices that lift her spirit these days: reflecting through Ramadan, seeking art from unfamiliar corners of the world, connecting strangers through local storytelling events, and trekking mountains with quiet strength. Saima shares her three-part spiritual practice of hope ~ starting outward, moving inward ~ and the surprising ways trust and healing show up in small moments of connection.
“Some things are not supposed to be answered ~ only noticed, watched, and waited on.”
This episode is a tender reminder that hope is not always loud or easy, but it is alive, and it often begins with one simple act of paying attention.
Featured Song:
Psalm 91: All Who Dwell
A prayer of protection for a loved one, this psalm makes the hopeful claim that God will provide ultimate redemption from the evils that threaten us.
Find out more about “Summer for the Spirit” at www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Recounting the story of the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, this song is set to the English tune ‘The Snow it Melts the Soonest’ proclaims God’s compassion despite the people’s continued rebellion and doubt. Telling the tale plainly and with a slightly ominous tone, this Psalm invites us to confess our own propensity to turn away, even when God has done great things for us.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Banks of the Nile
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this rich and moving episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I’m joined by Rev. Cheryl Meban ~ Presbyterian minister, university chaplain, member of the Corrymeela Community, choir singer, and faithful “walker of the Way.” Born during the conflict in Northern Ireland to English and Scots/Irish parents, Cheryl’s journey has taken her from Belfast to the south of France and back, guided always by the reconciling love of God.
We talk about the psalmic thread woven through her life: from singing in choirs to walking alongside students, from moments of isolation to the strength found in community and scripture. Cheryl shares how Psalm 27 has grounded her through times of fear, challenge, and feeling unseen. We reflect on the healing power of breath, voice, and memorized poetry ~ and how singing together lifts us, literally and spiritually, into connection and courage.
“Sometimes being in community with your past self is part of the story… knowing how God has held us and helped us in the past is part of holding us in the present.”
This episode is a reminder that the ancient words of the Psalms still echo powerfully today ~ offering us solace, strength, and a sense of belonging, even when the way ahead feels uncertain.
Cheryl’s Bio:
Conceived in the loving heart of God, born as a youngest child to English and Scots/Irish parents in the sectarian conflict of Northern Ireland, a follower of Jesus, ambassador of Good News and God's reconciling work in the world. I graduated in Law, which I abandoned for the transforming power of Grace; lived 5 years in France, returned to NI in peace process; was trained and ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. After marriage and the birth of my only child, I became a Chaplain at Ulster University in Belfast, and more recently joined the dispersed Corrymeela Community,, where I lead monthly Corrymeela in the City in Fitzroy Church in Belfast. I'm a walker of the Way, happily accompanied by a small dog and a loving network of friends and family across faiths, denominations and nationalities (but particularly francophile). I do love singing especially in a choir - it incarnates breath and exhales wellbeing, lifting spirits and strengthening the brokenhearted.
Connect with Cheryl through her social channels:
FacebookX (twitter)Instagram
Featured Song:
Psalm 27: The Lord is My Light
The air ‘Down in Yon Banke’ is originally a wordless Scottish country dance song, and in this rendition becomes a prayer for God’s eternal presence.
Learn more about the Habits for the Spirit Course www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/habits-course
Get involved with “Summer for the Spirit” www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide here: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm praises the God of creation and is based on an old version of the air ‘Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn,’ rediscovered by singer Pádraigin Ní Uallacháin, which marks the arrival of summer. It moves through various aspects of the natural world, considering how God is behind it all, and as the Psalm concludes, we are led into thankfulness for all of life’s “good things,” for life and breath, for which we might sing our undying praise.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Praise the Lord All the Earth
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, I’m joined by Jim Deeds, a pastoral worker, poet, and author whose “yes” to God’s invitation years ago set him on a winding and spirit-filled path. Formerly a social worker, Jim now serves communities across Ireland ~ mostly in the Catholic sector ~ offering retreats, pilgrimages, and spiritual leadership training rooted in listening and discernment.
We talk about that pivotal moment when he first said yes to facilitating a parish group ~ how it unexpectedly changed his life ~ and about what’s psalmic in his life right now: a creative writing community that gathered itself around him, almost out of nowhere. In a local café filled with young people from all walks of life, Jim is now witnessing deep honesty, shared pain, and surprising hope through the simple, sacred act of sharing writing with each other.
“When God calls, God gifts.”
This episode is a reminder that sacred spaces can appear in unexpected places ~ on a pilgrimage, in a café, while walking your dog ~ and that the psalmic invitation to praise, to lament, and to trust is always close by. Jim’s story will leave you smiling, stirred, and perhaps even open to the next quiet yes in your own life.
Jim’s Bio:Jim Deeds is a pastoral worker, author, and poet. He works mainly ~ though not exclusively ~ in the Catholic sector, supporting groups, parishes, and dioceses as they seek to discern God's plan in their lives and communities.
Connect with Jim through his social channels:
FacebookX (twitter)Instagram
Featured Song:
Psalm 133: How Good Is It
Comparing harmony between kindred with the holy oil used for anointing in the temple of Jerusalem, this psalm claims that such experiences of community bring fullness of life.
Learn more about the Habits for the Spirit Course www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/habits-course
Get involved with “Summer for the Spirit” www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide here: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm is sung to the air ‘I Wish My Love was a Red, Red Rose,’ and praises God’s compassion and mercy. A song that is sweet and simple in some ways also explores the theme of forgiveness (“far as the east is from the west, so far God removes our sins”) and the finitude of our lives (“though all our days are like the grass that flourishes, then blows”), it remains grounded in the steadfast love of God that will remain far beyond our earthly existence.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I’m joined by Rev. Heather Prince Doss ~ an ordained Presbyterian minister, lifelong traveler, and founder of Progressive Pilgrimage, a ministry that guides spiritually rich journeys for open-hearted seekers. With over 16 years in parish ministry and a love for creative expression, Heather shares how travel, art journaling, and sacred disruption have become life-giving practices for her.
We talk about the power of stepping outside familiar rhythms, the way art and poetry offer space for praise and lament, and how the most moving moments often arise from the unplanned and unexpected. Heather also reflects on the phrase wonder maker ~ a simple shift in language that offered a whole new way of experiencing the sacred.
“What psalmic means to me is to bring all of that praise and lament and need before God in a creative way, whether that's words or music or something more visual.”
If you're craving space to breathe, reflect, or reconnect with what grounds you, this conversation offers a gentle invitation to find what’s psalmic in your own journey.
Heather’s Bio:
Heather is a born traveler, literally. She was born in Germany to military parents, and a love for the world has never gotten out of her bones. This love has carried her all over the United States, to Central America, Europe, Southern Africa, the Middle East, and even to the Presbyterian United Nations Office as a lowly intern. The same love motivated her ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA) where she served as a parish pastor for over 16 years. Alongside parish ministry, Heather has worked serving unhoused communities. She is the founder and owner of Progressive Pilgrimage where where she now works full time to plan and lead spiritual travel for progressively-minded Christians and faith seekers. She is also a creative soul who loves expressing her faith with (very) amateur artistic pursuits like art journaling, poetry, and a variety of visual arts.
Find more about Heather here:
www.progressivepilgrimage.com
Follow Heather on her social media:
facebook:
@progressivepilgrimage
@heather.p.doss
instagram:
@progressivepilgrimage
@heather.prince.doss
Featured Song:
Psalm 84: How Lovely
Set to the beautiful air, “Carrickfergus,” this psalm depicts the pilgrimage of faith, through which we are strengthened by God’s presence.
Learn more about the Habits for the Spirit Course www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/habits-course
Get involved with “Summer for the Spirit” www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide here: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm tells the story of one who is ill in mid-life and of the particular struggles of that experience. It is joined here with Irish words of the original song ‘Taim cortha o bheith im’Aonar mo lui,’ and the refrain “I am weary from being alone.” Both the Psalm and the Irish song contend with grief, loneliness, and the depth of life’s sorrows, yet they take some consolation from simply being able to express that experience in the context of prayer to a God whose “years are forever.”
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for I am Weary
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this inspiring episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I’m joined by Miriam Diephouse-McMillan, a chaplain, ordained minister, and author of Sacred Balance: How Ancient Practices Can Restore Modern Minds. Miriam has served for over 12 years as a spiritual caregiver in a state psychiatric hospital, where she walks alongside individuals facing profound mental health challenges ~ and where she’s witnessed the deep healing that spiritual practices can bring.
Together, we explore what’s psalmic in Miriam’s life: the grounding rhythm of nature, the reflective power of writing, and how joy can be something we seek, not just stumble into. We also talk about the inspiration behind her book and the growing connection between spirituality and mental health in both research and real life.
"Seek the joy. This idea that joy isn't something that just randomly happens to us, but we can actively build it, seek it, look for it in our lives."
If you’re longing for healing, perspective, and a grounded way to walk through this world with hope, this episode will speak to your spirit.
Miriam’s Bio:
Miriam works and writes at the intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health. She loves exploring big questions of meaning, hope, and connection that shape our faith and well-being. Miriam has been a chaplain at an inpatient psychiatric hospital for over 12 years. She provides spiritual care and counseling to people with a wide variety of mental health concerns and helps them explore how spirituality can enhance their well-being. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and a Board Certified Chaplain. Her additional certificate in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy allows her to teach skills for managing difficult emotions and maintaining a fulfilling life.
Find more about Miriam here: https://www.miriamdiephousemcmillan.com/
Get a copy of Miriam’s book, Sacred Balance, for our Summer Co-Read!
Featured Song:
Psalm 25: For I wait
Set to the traditional Irish tune For Ireland I’ll Not Tell Her Name, this reflective setting of Psalm 25 is a prayer of trust and longing. It speaks of waiting on God, and seeking God’s guidance, truth, and mercy throughout the day.
Learn more about the Habits for the Spirit Course www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/habits-course
Get involved with “Summer for the Spirit” www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer
Download your free guide here: “7 Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing in Uncertain Times”
Become a Supporting/Paid Subscriber
You’ll get:
-
Complimentary access to the Habits for the Spirit course
-
Videos of the conversations in Substack
-
The Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook
-
Invitations to future offerings for supporting subscribers throughout the year
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
‘Willy Taylor’ is the inspiration for this song of praise to a steadfast God. The Psalm tells the story of the Exodus, of the Hebrew people’s liberation from slavery, and of the joyful thanksgiving through which we can sing a new song, with the accompaniment of musical instruments and along with the rest of creation.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Sing to the Lord
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Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Almut Furchert, a German-American scholar, therapist, philosopher, and founder of Cloister Seminars. Raised in a pastor’s family in East Germany and now living in the American Midwest, Almut brings a deep well of wisdom drawn from psychology, monastic spirituality, and personal experience of cultural exile and spiritual homecoming.
“It's the connection to the soul; it's singing the Psalms. It's like breathing in and breathing out. It's the food for the soul.”—Dr. Almut Furchert
Together, we explore what it means to live a “psalmic” life—one shaped by sacred rhythms, seasons, and the soul's quiet longings. Almut shares how her healing journey was nurtured through the Benedictine monasteries of the Midwest, where the daily chanting of Psalms became food for the soul and a sanctuary for rediscovering sacred work. She also speaks beautifully about Hildegard of Bingen, music as soul-practice, and the quiet yet powerful rituals that anchor her daily life.
If you're longing for peace, grounding, and inspiration in uncertain times, this conversation will offer you a gentle invitation to find your own sacred rhythm, and perhaps, something psalmic in your life, too.
Follow Almut’s Substack at https://cloisternotes.substack.com/
Find Almut’s writings and teachings on www.cloisterseminars.org.
Featured Song:
Psalm 1: Their Delight
This first Psalm, set to the Irish traditional tune BánChnoic Éirann Ó, speaks of being like trees planted in streams of water, where we can flourish and thrive.
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A prayer of protection for a loved one, this Psalm makes the hopeful claim that God will provide ultimate redemption from the evils that threaten us. Set to the Irish tune ‘Dearthairin Ó Mo Chroí,’ it is a fervent prayer for safety, despite the perils of this world, and it expresses a faith that in the end, God will protect us in a way that this life cannot.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for All Who Dwell in the Shelter
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A Psalm of recognition of the fragility of life as well as God’s eternal nature. Combined here with the Irish traditional song ‘Casadh an t’Súgain,’ it broaches the subject of how we might live with “wise hearts,” recognizing that from dust we came and to dust we return. Importantly, this paraphrase emphasizes that we return to God ~ our maker, to whom we belong in life and in death and who will redeem all of our brokenness.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for From Dust We Came
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A Psalm of abandonment, full of questions without any attempt at resolution, this Psalm presents a heart-rending, honest portrayal of someone in the midst of deep difficulty. Combined with the lamenting tones of the Irish tune ‘Bean Dubh a Ghleanna,’ this song holds a space for the most forsaken experiences of humanity, while continuing to retain a relationship with the God to whom it asks these questions.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for God of My Salvation
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
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The haunting melody ‘My Lagan Love’ accompanies this Psalm’s plea for the listening ear of the loving God who is “Lord of All,” words kept from the original lyrics by Joseph Campbell. This Psalm expresses lament from a place of weariness deepest longing to be saved from the grave, and turns to God for guidance on the way forward, recalling also God’s deep love and goodness.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Love is Lord of All
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Depicting a vision for what this world could be, this Psalm, set to the Scottish tune ‘Lovely Molly,’ imagines love and mercy (or truth or faithfulness, in other translations), justice and peace coming together to greet and kiss. This rendition of the Psalm continues to unfold that vision of the future as one in which God’s goodness and kindness are evident, healing takes place, and the people will sing.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Love and Mercy
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
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Set to the beautiful air ‘Carrickfergus,’ this Psalm depicts the pilgrimage of faith. It recounts the ways we can enter into God’s courts of dwelling, such as through the birds who sing their praise, or through the desert valley that becomes a place of flowing streams, and gain strength for our journey towards our heavenly home.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for How Lovely
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
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This moving Psalm speaks of someone overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, who cries out for salvation and receives deliverance. Set to the tune ‘The Streets of Derry,’ it tells of the distress the psalmist is facing, the weariness from calling out, and the request for God’s face not to be hidden. The Psalm ultimately turns towards the hope that God will rebuild the broken people and that all will dwell in peace.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Save Me, O God
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The tune for this song is the Scottish air ‘Ae Fonde Kiss,’ and the Psalm acts as a benediction prayer. Asking God’s gracious blessing on all people and all nations, it also recalls God’s kindness and sustaining presence and asks for God’s face to shine on us all.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for May God Be Gracious
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Set to the Irish tune the Old Cross of Ardboe, this is a Psalm of joy and thanksgiving, having come through a trying time and experienced God’s listening ear, leading, and help. This is no trite expression of praise ~ it emerges out of a deep and real experience of God’s kindness and support, compassion and love, and ignites a genuine desire to give heart, life, and soul in return.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Sing a Joyful Song
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Happy Still-Easter! Yes, it is still Easter and will be until the first week of June this year, with Pentecost. But, this will be my last Easter Psalm.
This song pulls together the last three Psalms and weaves them with some of the words of the traditional song Happy Are We All Together.
It’s a song full of life and joy, and it speaks especially to the pleasures of life. I’ll never forget when, after we sang this song at a gathering, someone said, “We don’t often sing about the pleasures of life in church.”
How true that can be, and yet, how out of sync with these ancient prayers, passed down through the centuries - these prayers that revel in the joy, the delight, the pleasures God provides in our lives.
We don’t always feel joy and delight in our days. There are plenty of reasons for that. But what I also see is that we can refrain from allowing ourselves even pockets of delight because we think we don’t deserve to experience or enjoy that.
But God is the inventor of joy, the source of delight, the inspirer of all the pleasures this life can hold. So let’s allow ourselves those moments to celebrate, to give thanks. And in doing so, may we all rise and never fall.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for May We Rise.
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This Psalm, set to the tune Rathlin Island by Brian Connors, is written from the farthest oceans and the ends of earth and seeks a reminder of hope out of a place of despair. Wondering if God will listen when facing a difficult situation, and remembering God as Creator of the mountains and silencer of storms, the Psalmist takes strength in God’s great salvation and redemption of even the greatest sorrows.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for You’re the Hope
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In this week’s Easter Psalm, we hear a song of praise to the healer of our souls. It’s a Psalm that creates a vibrant image of earth, moon, and stars singing praise together to the God of Love.
Following the season of Lent, this Psalm takes on a deeper meaning. This is a song of joy in the God who doesn’t ignore our laments, but offers solace for the soul. And at the end of the song, we hear the words of the Doxology woven in, thanking God for provision and care, and also asking that God’s healing, joyful, compassionate love would be experience throughout the earth.
This song is deceptively lighthearted. It truly is a joyful song to sing. Yet it looks under the surface at the needs of this broken and conflicted world, and it recognizes the love of God that rises up above all of that, offering us other way.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
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Written by Ireland’s great composer Turlough O’Carolan, Eleanor Plunkett is a cascading tune, set here to a Psalm of yearning and praise. It begins with longing like a “dry land,” acknowledging our deep desire to be in God’s presence, through which we can be “satisfied” as though our thirst is quenched.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for O God, You Are My God
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Happy Easter, listeners!
I can’t lead a Lenten series without marking its culmination in the joy and hope of Easter. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the Psalms of joy and hope that come at the end of the book of Psalms. What I love about those Psalms is that the hope they offer doesn’t ignore the suffering and brokenheartedness of the world ~ they tend to those hurts and pains, and they recognize the God who offers healing and hope in the midst of life’s challenges. These Psalms sing praise to the God who looks after the vulnerable, who looks after those without power, who loves those whom society might cast aside. So in this week after Easter, we hear this Psalm of praise to the God who knows suffering, who stands with the suffering. This is a God who will outlast the rulers of this world, who lifts the lowly and shows care to the stranger, who cares for the widow and orphan, who welcomes the refugee, whose goodness and mercy never come to an end. And so, in this Easter week, we sing “Hallelujah.”
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hallelujah.
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
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This arrangement, set to the wordless tune ‘Caisleán an Óir,’ portrays the urgency and energy with which the psalmist may have written these words. In this Psalm, we find numerous images of the various ways God can provide refuge and shelter for us when we feel we are at the “end of earth.”
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Hear My Cry, O God
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In this final week of Lent, Holy Week, we really settle into what we’ve been preparing ourselves for since Ash Wednesday: the silence of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The questions that, for a time, went unanswered. The injustice and cruelty that couldn’t be undone. The cavern of grief and loss, of betrayal and failure. The abandonment, the forsakenness.
All this we find in the brutally honest questions posed in Psalm 88. Jesus may have prayed the words of Psalm 22 on the cross, saying “Why have you forsaken me?” but his words also allude to this other Psalm that also cries out from a place of grief, suffering, and a sense of abandonment. While Psalm 22 turns at the end toward praise and hope, Psalm 88 sits longer with the questions, which are never answered or tied up with a neat bow.
Life doesn't always work like that ~ at least, not right away. The hope, though, can be found in the fact that these questions are put into words as a prayer ~ posed to a God who may not answer right away, but who is listening, and who tends to our pain and suffering, and who will remain long after those questions subside.
So this Holy Week, we take courage to sit in the silence with our unanswered questions. We sit in silence with the God of our salvation.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God of My Salvation.
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
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Telling the story of a person hurt by human relationship, this Psalm captures the desire to find shelter in the midst of turmoil. Exploring the concept of home being a place where our hearts can be at rest, this Psalm set to the moving Irish traditional melody Ned of the Hill, addresses that yearning we all have for a place where we can be truly ourselves, fully accepted, safe from the tempests and storms of life.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Wings of a Dove
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Lent is a time in the church year when we look inwardly at our own betrayals, small or large, our own missteps or wrongdoings, our own culpability and responsibility in the dynamics of the structures of the world we live in. This can leave us feeling uncomfortable and exposed. It’s hard to admit and acknowledge where we ourselves have gone wrong, where we ourselves need to seek forgiveness ~ from others, from God, or possibly from ourselves. In the words of Psalm 130, which meets us in the depths, we hear the reminder that with God, forgiveness can be found. Because we know this, because we trust this, we can have the courage it takes to confess our own sins, knowing that this is the first step toward making things right. And in this song, we hear the words of the next Psalm (131) woven in ~ the quiet of our souls at rest in the arms of our loving and forgiving God, offering solace and strength as we reflect on the part we can play in making the world a better place.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From the Depths.
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
This is the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, where there is a special weekly podcast on Wednesdays throughout the season of Lent. For paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
On Saturday the 12th of April, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop for paid subscribers, live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.
Register for the Lenten Workshop (4-6pm UK/Ireland time) here
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This Psalm is known for its messages about a clean heart, forgiveness, and a renewed spirit, and is often used during Lent. Set here with the Irish traditional tune Logan’s Lament, this paraphrase focuses on the imagery of a parent kindly and gently washing away the layers that “hide” us, or that cover up the God-given beauty each one of us possesses, thereby allowing us to be restored to the joy that God intends.
Continue your reflections with the accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Create in Me
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
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As we come a little closer to the part of Lent in which we follow Jesus to the cross, we remember the loneliness of betrayal and the weariness of his suffering. With this season of the church year in mind, perhaps we hear Psalm 102 a little differently. This is a Psalm written from the experience of someone whose life is cut short before its time. The loneliness and weariness of that particular suffering is evident in the heartrending words of that Psalm. And in this arrangement, we hear echoes of the haunting Irish lyrics, “Táim Cortha ó Bheith im'Aonar i Mo Luí - I am weary from being/or lying alone,” giving voice to that weariness and suffering. So as we listen today, we name our own weariness and suffering before a God who knows, who offers strength and solace, and who in the end will never leave us to face our trials alone.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Am Weary
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
This is the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, where there is a special weekly podcast on Wednesdays throughout the season of Lent. For paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
On the 12th of April, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop for paid subscribers, live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.
Register for the Lenten Workshop (4-6pm UK/Ireland time) here
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The lyrical air ‘Dawning of the Day’ (Fáinne Geal an Lae) conveys this Psalm’s message of courage and hope. Through the imagery presented in this Psalm, we see mountains falling into the sea, and the world in upheaval ~ yet, we are also presented with the assuring image of a river that brings joy, and the message that we might be still and know that God is the ultimate ruler over all.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The God of Jacob
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The Psalms help us express a wide range of emotions, but one form of expression they are well known for is Lament. Lament is a cry out against injustice, it’s a complaint against the way things are, it’s an expression of deep sadness or anger. Lament is all that ~ but that’s not all it is. The Lament form of prayer found in the Psalms follows a template that holds all those things in their raw, bare honesty, in the light of hope. Psalm 13, “How Long,” is a perfect example of this. A beloved professor of mine wrote, “Lament is faith’s alternative to despair” (see citation below). So during Lent, we make space for Lament ~ for those raw, bare, honest expressions that could lead us to utter despair ~ but in keeping with this ancient prayer tradition, we hold all that before a loving and listening God as we look for the light of hope and trust and faith to guide our way.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How Long
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
In the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, there will be a weekly podcast that will come out on Wednesdays throughout Lent. And for paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
Toward the end of Lent, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.
Citation: Deborah Van Deusen Hungsinger in “Pray without Ceasing,” p. 138.
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This psalm of longing is set to the relatively well-known traditional melody, ‘Down by the Salley Gardens.’ Its iconic imagery of the deer panting or longing for streams of water, as our souls thirst for God, leads us into this depiction of someone whose soul is “cast down” and needing to be reminded of something to hope in.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for As the DeerLongs for Streams
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This may not be your typical Lenten Psalm, but at a time when the world is springing to life and the days are becoming longer (in the hemisphere I live in, anyway), this week we’ll be hearing Psalm 19. We might think of Lent as a time for more sombre reflections - and while it is important to do that, and we will be allowing space for that in this series - Lent can also be a time to find inspiration in the world around us, to see the beauty that is in our midst, to increase our awareness, to use our senses as we tune in to our surroundings, and to tend to our wellbeing in this way.
This week was St. Patrick’s Day, and the language of nature filled so many of the prayers of his time because of the early Celtic Christians’ close relationship with the cycles of life and the seasons of the year. In the Celtic tradition, there was a teaching that there are two books through which we learn about God: scripture and creation. Today, we hear the words of Psalm 19, which tells of the heavens declaring the works of God, and skies proclaiming God’s glory.
As you listen, consider any moments when the world around you showed you something of who God is. And may we be reminded that amid the brokenness of the world, we can also see the beauty all around.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The Heavens Declare
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
In the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, there will be a weekly podcast that will come out on Wednesdays throughout Lent. And for paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
Toward the end of Lent, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.
Celtic Psalms St. Patrick’s Week Tour
This week, we’re embarking on a St. Patrick’s Day Tour, beginning in Belfast and then traveling from the Northeast to Midwest US. These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time. Please come, sing with us, and say hello!
Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This prayer for strength, courage, and refuge during a time of distress is combined here with the Irish traditional song Spancilhill. The Psalm resolves by transitioning into a testament to God’s help in the past, and an encouragement to those in distress as it offers the words “May courage fill your hearts.”
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Rock of Refuge
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
During Lent, we create a space to listen to our longings. Many of us heard scripture passages this last Sunday about wandering in the wilderness this past Sunday, and in today’s Psalm we hear about our souls longing for God like a dry land. We often ignore our longings, push past them, resist them. And we might even think that Lent is the time to do just that - to fast from things that are unhealthy for us, or to refrain from things we love maybe a little too much. But if we go further under the surface, we hear our deeper longings: our longing for love. Acceptance. Belonging. Forgiveness. Hope. Healing. Comfort. Strength. So today as you listen to Psalm 63, give yourself that space to listen for that longing deep within, that longing that in the end, only God can truly satisfy.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for O God, You Are My God
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
In the Lenten Psalms and Practices series, there will be a weekly podcast that will come out on Wednesdays throughout Lent. And for paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
Toward the end of Lent, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me. Become a paid subscriber for a deeper experience of Lenten Psalms and Practices.
Celtic Psalms St. Patrick’s Week Tour
This week, we’re embarking on a St. Patrick’s Day Tour, beginning in Belfast and then traveling from the Northeast to Midwest US. These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time. Please come, sing with us, and say hello!
Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Proclaiming God’s power to transform sorrow into ‘dancing and song,’ this Psalm is sung to the uplifting Irish melody, “Green Grows the Laurel.” It’s a testament to coming through a time of sorrow and mourning, and finding dancing, song, and joy once again.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for You Have Turned My Sorrow
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to Psalms and Practices for Lent, a new series in Psalms for the Spirit.
In this series, there will be a weekly podcast that will come out on Wednesdays throughout Lent. And for paid subscribers, on Fridays, you will receive a short video leading you through a practice each week, as well as an mp3 of the Lenten Psalm.
Toward the end of Lent, I will also be offering a Lenten Practices Workshop live on Zoom, and I would love for you to join me. If you'd appreciate a chance to go deeper this Lent with these Psalms and practices, I invite you to be part of this journey with me.
It’s Ash Wednesday today, the day marking the beginning of Lent when we embark on a more reflective time. It’s a time when we intentionally pare down the clutter of our lives and go deeper. Deeper to listen for our longings and laments. Deeper as we come to terms with our own mortality and brokenness.
And that’s where Psalm 90 meets us today—on Ash Wednesday—in our frailty and our humanity.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From Dust We Came
Find our more about our music at www.celticpsalms.com
Celtic Psalms St. Patrick’s Week Tour
Beginning on 14th March in Belfast, we are embarking on a St. Patrick’s Day Tour. Please come to one of our concerts, if you’re nearby, and please say hello! These concerts promise to be a healing balm in a hectic and fraught time.
Tour Details here https://www.celticpsalms.com/events/
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The air ‘Down in Yon Banke’ is originally a wordless Scottish country dance song, and in this rendition becomes a prayer for God’s eternal presence, especially in times of turmoil and fear. The Psalm speaks of enemies stumbling and falling in the midst of raging war, and expresses that longing to behold God’s beauty and to see God’s face.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Lord is My Light
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
In this Psalm of discernment, the writer expresses the longing to hear God’s guidance in the stillness of prayer. Set to the traditional Irish melody “For Ireland I’ll Not Tell Her Name,” this song sits with the longing to know how to walk in the right paths of truth and love.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for For I Wait
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This beloved Psalm, describing God shepherding us through green pastures and dark valleys, is set to the well-known traditional Irish air ‘The Parting Glass.’ In this Psalm, we hear themes of restoration for our souls, accompaniment through challenging times, and the hope of a feast and a future of goodness and mercy.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Lord’s My Shepherd
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the Irish air ‘Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore,’ this song captures the lament of the Psalm while adding a drive and energy that brings to light the hope offered at its conclusion. This Psalm typically accompanies reflections on Good Friday, though it is an important accompaniment to any time in which we struggle with a sense of forsakenness.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for My God, My God
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This soaring Irish traditional melody, ‘The Lark in the Clear Air’ brings a lightness to this Psalm about God’s revelation in both creation and scripture. The words of the Psalm remind us that the skies tell a story of who God is, and teach us important things, without words.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for The Heavens Declare
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Today’s guest is Mihee Kim-Kort, a Presbyterian minister, speaker, writer, and as she calls herself “slinger of hopeful stories about faith and church.”
Mihee has been a public figure for some time now - her writing and commentary can be found in the New York Times, TIME Magazine, BBC World Service, USA Today, Huffington Post, Christian Century, On Being, and more (see her bio for the full list). In 2021 she was named one of the “21 Faith Leaders to watch.” By the Center for American Progress. She is co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Maryland and a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies at Indiana University.
In addition to all that impressiveness, Mihee is also a friend of mine, a colleague in ministry, someone who’s been a part of my life for a few decades. And although we don’t talk enough, when we do talk, it’s rich, it’s fun, and while we don’t shy away from going deep, we can’t resist bursting into giggles along the way.
Mihee and I had this conversation… I won’t say how long ago. We had both just gotten over Covid. I had to exit the conversation for 5 minutes with a coughing attack. Kids and dogs continually interrupted us. (Thank goodness for editing!) Yet somehow, in the course of this conversation, we recognize the importance of the Psalms as a companion in times of sorrow and joy, a container for what we find difficult to hold, and a template for the fullest possible expression of what it means to be human – as we process our grief and as we move into resilience.
In particular, I wanted to ask Mihee about a New York Times article she wrote in the aftermath of the Atlanta spa shootings in March 2021, in which 8 people were killed, 6 of whom were Asian women. In response to that terrible event, Mihee wrote an article that asks hard questions, that’s courageous and prophetic. I always wondered how she did that. It turns out that reading the Psalms was part of her story.
Find out more about Mihee Kim-Kort
It’s been a while since I posted a longform podcast! If you haven’t heard the catalog of longer podcasts on Psalms and resilience, they are worth a listen.
I’ve been lucky enough to have incredible conversations with a number of insightful friends and wise teachers, including Barbara Brown Taylor, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Munther Isaac, and Avivah Zornberg. These conversations have enriched my understanding of the Psalms, and how they lift our spirits especially in difficult times, and how they offer healing and hope.
Scroll back on the Podcast Archive to hear other long-form episodes.
If you appreciated this podcast, if it made you think, if it allowed you to go deep, if it made you smile at times, if it offered you something of value, if it brought you some inspiration and consolation… consider becoming a paid subscriber. You will receive a complimentary Psalms for the Spirit Journal ebook (180 pgs) with reflection questions to accompany our 44 Psalms set to Celtic melodies. There will be further bonuses coming up in the near future.
Psalms for the Spirit is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new podcasts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
These ancient words of lament, combined with a haunting medieval traditional Irish melody, express the human longing to see God’s face in times of sorrow. The original tune ‘The Lament of the Three Marys/Coaineadh na dTrí Muire’ depicts the three Marys’ cries of sorrow at the tomb of Jesus - a moving complement to this prayer expressing sorrow and abandonment, and the yearning for signs of hope.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for How Long
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of praise to the Creator of the wonders of nature, this Psalm also contains a call to action - that in our status “underneath the angels,” we need to take responsibility for caring for creation. Set to the Irish tune ‘Far, Far Beyond the Mountain,’ and through the slightly ominous tones of the arrangement, we hear anew the sobering reminder to show respect and dignity to the world we live in.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Majestic
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The very first Psalm, set to the tune ‘Bán Chnoic Éirann Ó,’ speaks of following the “law” of God – and so we remember the greatest commandment: to love God, neighbor and self. When we grow in connection to this love, we can flourish and thrive like trees planted by streams of water. In times of weariness and anxiety, grief and loss, anger at injustice, longing for peace, we can plant ourselves in what is life-giving, with what allows us to experience and express love, with what taps us into the wellspring of true delight.
Get your accompanying journal, which includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice
Paid subscribers receive a free journal PDF, or you can purchase a paperback version
Visit the Celtic Psalms website for scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Their Delight
Find out more about the Habits for the Spirit course: an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit
Follow Kiran’s monthly reflections on Bless My Feet
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Hello Friends,
I just wanted to send out a little video to let you know more about the Habits for the Spirit course that’s starting up this week.
So many of us fit into the cliché of getting all ramped up at the beginning of the New Year, only to feel deflated soon afterwards.
Believe me, I fall into that category too, which is why I felt drawn to offer this course.
Here are 3 things I’ll be focusing on throughout the course:
1) Small and manageable habits: Identifying very small and manageable habits that will be able to improve our day to day life. Sometimes it’s the small and easy changes that can actually make the most difference – but we need to give ourselves the space and time to reflect on how to go about doing that.
2) Holistic habits body, mind, and spirit: in the habits workbook I sent out recently you’ll see that I find that overlap and intersection really important and we often focus too much on one or the other (body, mind, or spirit) and found ourselves imbalanced, and sometimes that can be more depleting rather than life-giving
3) Crossover between sacred and secular – in the resilience trainings I’ve taken over the past few years, I’ve realized how important the connections are between what we’re learning about the body, the brain, the nervous system, and how it connects with our spiritual lives. In fact, spirituality and spiritual practices are a resource for our wellbeing – they might be different practices for each one of us, but they are a huge source of balance, joy, strength, hope.
In the course, I’ll be drawing from resources for spirituality such as Celtic and Ignatian spirituality, resilience skills, productivity mindset.
In the modules I’ll be covering
- stillness and silence that helps us listen to ourselves and to God- tending to our living spaces and environments in a way that weaves into our spiritual life- movement that not only builds strength but clears our minds and lifts our spirits- finding ways to introduce more beauty into our days- the power of word to enrich our lives, whether that be through writing or reading- nourishing our bodies with what’s beneficial to us, that energizes us and makes us feel most ourselves- connecting with people – communities with like minds, people who are different from us and have a lot to teach us, connecting with others as a part of our spiritual practice
There’s still time for you to join us for this course! This is the last announcement I’ll make about it, but what I’ll do is anyone who wants to become a paid subscriber before Friday (when the first module will go out) and lets me know they’re interested, I’ll add you to the list.
Have a great day, and may you feel the light of Epiphany shining into this New Year.
Kiran
Habits for the Spirit
8-Week Digital Course
Are you wondering how you can flourish in 2025? Are you looking for daily habits and spiritual practices to sustain you? Are you longing for a connection between body, mind, and spirit?
Join me for an 8-week online course exploring habits and daily spiritual practices to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit.
The course features:
-
Pre-recorded sessions for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view at a time that’s convenient for you
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Handouts and printables for you to engage with the course material and get your creative juices flowing
-
Optional interactive sessions with other members of the course
Content will be both taught and experiential, and will have a retreat-like atmosphere while exploring subjects such as Celtic Spirituality, Ignatian Spirituality, and resilience skills.
Stay rooted in what gives you strength and peace; find nourishment in body and soul; be inspired to live courageously and joyfully in 2025.
Find out more about Habits for the Spirit
This course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until this coming Monday, Jan 6th ~ Epiphany! If you’re a free subscriber, you can upgrade to paid, and if you’re already a paid subscriber, all you need to do is respond to this email saying “Interested!”
Thanks to those who have already indicated your interest ~ we have a good group so far, and you will be hearing more from me soon.
After January 6th [EXTENDED to Friday], you can purchase the course separately on my website. A paid subscription represents a 60% discount on the course, but that offer will only be available until Monday.
So if you’d like to explore ways to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025, you might want to act now!
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm for Christmas Eve: Sing to the Lord (Psalms 98, 99 and 100).
View the Celtic Psalms Facebook page for clips of Advent Psalms to raise funds for our nonprofit, Celtic Pilgrims.
Click here for our mashup of Sing to the Lord with the Wexford Carol.
Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet.
I’m offering a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025.
The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.
Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I’d love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead.
Find out more about the course
This course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
*Lamp photo from Unsplash
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Advent, I’ll be sharing four Psalms for the season leading up to Christmas. We may not think of Psalms during Advent, but they have been part of Advent liturgies for generations.
Today’s Psalm is Psalm 85: Love and Mercy. Pick up a free printable journal when you become a paid subscriber, or order a paperback version copy here.
For a deeper exploration of this Psalm, listen to Ep. 11 with Paul Hutchinson. Paul will be a guest facilitator on our next Resilient Spirit 6-Day Retreat in May 2025.
Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet.
I’m offering a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025.
The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.
Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I’d love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead.
Find out more about the course
This course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
*Lamp photo from Unsplash
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Advent, I’ll be sharing four Psalms for the season leading up to Christmas. We may not think of Psalms during Advent, but they have been part of Advent liturgies for generations.
Read a winter reflection on my spirituality newsletter, Bless My Feet.
I’m announcing a new online course beginning in January: Habits for the Spirit - a way for us to stay rooted, nourished, and inspired in 2025.
The course will be about habits and spiritual practices we can incorporate into our daily lives to promote wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit. There will be a prerecorded session for each of the 8 weeks, which you can view in your own time, in addition to optional weekly interactive sessions.
Would this be something to sustain and inspire you in the New Year? If so, consider becoming a paid subscriber. I’d love it if you would join me as we find a way to shine our lights in the year ahead.
Find out more about the course
This course will be complimentary for paid subscribers until Jan 6th - Epiphany! After that, it will be available separately on my website.
To register your interest in this course, simply respond to this email saying “Interested!” and I’ll add you to my list when I release more information in the coming weeks. If you become a paid subscriber before January 6th, you will be included automatically.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
*Lamp photo from Unsplash
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This song evokes praise with all our heart, soul and body ~ with all of creation, with all instruments, with all aspects of who we are. Indeed, praise includes what brings us pleasure, joy and delight ~ something we don’t often sing about in hymns, and yet which are such an important aspect of living as fully and vibrantly as God intends. Set to the Scottish tune with Irish words, this paraphrase maintains some of the original language in the refrain of the song ‘Happy are We All Together.’
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for May We Rise on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
In this Psalm, all creation praises the God who heals the broken-hearted. It is combined here with the words from the Doxology and the rousing melody ‘Mo Ghile Mear.’ A song of joy at the outpouring of God’s blessings, this Psalm also tends to the outcasts, the forgotten, those longing for peace in home and hearth ~ that all creation will sing when such blessings are extended to all people.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This joyful song praises the true ruler of the earth: a God of justice and compassion who stands with the vulnerable of this world. Set to ‘Here’s a Health,’ it is a jubilant song of praise, but one that recounts various forms of suffering ~ oppressive power, poverty, false imprisonment, injustice, bereavement, refugees ~ and continually places hope in the goodness and mercy of the one who will ultimately see us through such earthly struggles.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hallelujah on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This is a Psalm about the transformation from a call to battle into a prayer for peace, and is set to ‘The King’s Shilling’ by the Scottish musician Ian Sinclair. The desire for peace is hard won, after facing the realities of war. In the same way, our prayers for people also become more fervent when we encounter the dreadful realities of war, and our hearts are softened as we utter our prayer of blessing on the next generation, that they will become “trees full grown” and “pillars firm,” and that our streets may not be filled with sorrow any longer.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Come, Spirit, Come on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Combined with the lyrical air, ‘The Banks of Claudy,’ this beautiful Psalm professes faith in a God who knits us together and knows us intimately. Whether we like it or not, God knows our every thought and movement, but this Psalm continually reminds us that God’s constant presence is one that is loving and accepting of who we are at our best and our worst moments, and that God will continue to lead us in the way that is everlasting.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for You Have Searched Me on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set during the Babylonian exile, this Psalm mourns what was left behind in the homeland. The refrain, inspired by the traditional song ‘The Emigrant’s Farewell,’ echoes the request that God remembers those who grieve and those whose wounds have not yet been healed.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for By the Waters of Babylon on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
With the antiphonal refrain “God’s love endures forever,” this Psalm, set to the sea shanty ‘Bold Riley,’ speaks of the story of the Hebrew peoples’ journey into the promised land and of God’s love that endures through the generations. Like a heartbeat, the refrain is a continual reminder that amid the dramas of our lives and of history, God’s loving pulse is the life force behind it all.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God’s Love Endures Forever on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Comparing harmony between kindred with the holy oil used for anointing in the temple of Jerusalem, the Psalm claims that such experiences of community bring fullness of life. Set to the Irish tune ‘A Fig for a Kiss,’ this paraphrase chooses the word “harmony,” which is a synonym for unity in the Hebrew and expresses the possibility of harmonious relationship amid diversity, rather than the homogeneity of uniformity.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How Good It Is on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
These Psalms, sung to ‘The Quiet Land of Erin,’ share hope in a forgiving God who is with us always, even when we are in the depths. Putting these two Psalms together back to back, this song connects the concept of forgiveness with the deep rest of an infant in its mother’s arms ~ loved unconditionally as a beloved child and held with tenderness and compassion.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From the Depths on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of ascendance to Jerusalem, this would have been sung as a part of a collection of pilgrimage Psalms. Set to the upbeat Irish melody ‘A Fig for a Kiss,’ this evokes the joyful lightness of nearing the pilgrimage destination, almost like a festive dance. It creates the image of peace between all peoples, nations, kindred ~ a peace that seeks the good of all.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Peace be with Jerusalem on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the 18th-century Scottish air ‘MacPhearson’s Lament,’ this Psalm reflects on the comfort of God’s everlasting protection. It begins with the iconic image of the hills or mountains that remind us of where we can find our help, and it continues to unfold the image of God watching over us, never slumbering, offering us shade and shelter, and blessing us as we “come and go,” both now and forever.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Lift My Eyes up to the Hills on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The writer of this Psalm praises God for responding mercifully to the cry of the suffering: in return, this individual offers to serve God faithfully. Set to the uplifting Irish melody ‘Galway Shawl,’ this is a Psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance from suffering, a testament to the transformation that can come through God’s help, and a commitment to faithfulness in response.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I Love the Lord on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Testifying to God’s power to redeem us in times of trouble, this Psalm is set to ‘The Meeting of the Waters.’ It tells story after story of God redeeming people from various situations ~ wandering in deserts, imprisoned by misery and grief, stormy waters ~ and it continues to return to the encouraging message passed on from those who have experienced redemption: “From trouble, God will redeem us still.”
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for O Give Thanks on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Recounting the story of the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, this song is set to the English tune ‘The Snow it Melts the Soonest’ proclaims God’s compassion despite the people’s continued rebellion and doubt. Telling the tale plainly and with a slightly ominous tone, this Psalm invites us to confess our own propensity to turn away, even when God has done great things for us.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Banks of the Nile on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm praises the God of creation and is based on an old version of the air ‘Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn,’ rediscovered by singer Pádraigin Ní Uallacháin, which marks the arrival of summer. It moves through various aspects of the natural world, considering how God is behind it all, and as the Psalm concludes, we are led into thankfulness for all of life’s “good things,” for life and breath, for which we might sing our undying praise.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Praise the Lord All the Earth on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm is sung to the air ‘I Wish My Love was a Red, Red Rose,’ and praises God’s compassion and mercy. A song that is sweet and simple in some ways also explores the theme of forgiveness (“far as the east is from the west, so far God removes our sins”) and the finitude of our lives (“though all our days are like the grass that flourishes, then blows”), it remains grounded in the steadfast love of God that will remain far beyond our earthly existence.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Bless the Lord, O My Soul on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm tells the story of one who is ill in mid-life and of the particular struggles of that experience. It is joined here with Irish words of the original song ‘Taim cortha o bheith im’Aonar mo lui,’ and the refrain “I am weary from being alone.” Both the Psalm and the Irish song contend with grief, loneliness, and the depth of life’s sorrows, yet they take some consolation from simply being able to express that experience in the context of prayer to a God whose “years are forever.”
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for I am Weary on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
‘Willy Taylor’ is the inspiration for this song of praise to a steadfast God. The Psalm tells the story of the Exodus, of the Hebrew people’s liberation from slavery, and of the joyful thanksgiving through which we can sing a new song, with the accompaniment of musical instruments and along with the rest of creation.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Sing to the Lord on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A prayer of protection for a loved one, this Psalm makes the hopeful claim that God will provide ultimate redemption from the evils that threaten us. Set to the Irish tune ‘Dearthairin Ó Mo Chroí,’ it is a fervent prayer for safety, despite the perils of this world, and it expresses a faith that in the end, God will protect us in a way that this life cannot.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for All Who Dwell in the Shelter on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of recognition of the fragility of life as well as God’s eternal nature. Combined here with the Irish traditional song ‘Casadh an t’Súgain,’ it broaches the subject of how we might live with “wise hearts,” recognizing that from dust we came and to dust we return. Importantly, this paraphrase emphasizes that we return to God ~ our maker, to whom we belong in life and in death and who will redeem all of our brokenness.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for From Dust We Came on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of abandonment, full of questions without any attempt at resolution, this Psalm presents a heart-rending, honest portrayal of someone in the midst of deep difficulty. Combined with the lamenting tones of the Irish tune ‘Bean Dubh a Ghleanna,’ this song holds a space for the most forsaken experiences of humanity, while continuing to retain a relationship with the God to whom it asks these questions.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for God of My Salvation on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The haunting melody ‘My Lagan Love’ accompanies this Psalm’s plea for the listening ear of the loving God who is “Lord of All,” words kept from the original lyrics by Joseph Campbell. This Psalm expresses lament from a place of weariness deepest longing to be saved from the grave, and turns to God for guidance on the way forward, recalling also God’s deep love and goodness.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Love is Lord of All on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Depicting a vision for what this world could be, this Psalm, set to the Scottish tune ‘Lovely Molly,’ imagines love and mercy (or truth or faithfulness, in other translations), justice and peace coming together to greet and kiss. This rendition of the Psalm continues to unfold that vision of the future as one in which God’s goodness and kindness are evident, healing takes place, and the people will sing.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Love and Mercy on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the beautiful air ‘Carrickfergus,’ this Psalm depicts the pilgrimage of faith. It recounts the ways we can enter into God’s courts of dwelling, such as through the birds who sing their praise, or through the desert valley that becomes a place of flowing streams, and gain strength for our journey towards our heavenly home.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How Lovely on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This moving Psalm speaks of someone overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, who cries out for salvation and receives deliverance. Set to the tune ‘The Streets of Derry,’ it tells of the distress the psalmist is facing, the weariness from calling out, and the request for God’s face not to be hidden. The Psalm ultimately turns towards the hope that God will rebuild the broken people and that all will dwell in peace.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Save Me, O God on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The tune for this song is the Scottish air ‘Ae Fonde Kiss,’ and the Psalm acts as a benediction prayer. Asking God’s gracious blessing on all people and all nations, it also recalls God’s kindness and sustaining presence and asks for God’s face to shine on us all.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for May God Be Gracious on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the Irish tune the Old Cross of Ardboe, this is a Psalm of joy and thanksgiving, having come through a trying time and experienced God’s listening ear, leading, and help. This is no trite expression of praise ~ it emerges out of a deep and real experience of God’s kindness and support, compassion and love, and ignites a genuine desire to give heart, life, and soul in return.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Sing a Joyful Song on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
The journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm, set to the tune Rathlin Island by Brian Connors, is written from the farthest oceans and the ends of earth and seeks a reminder of hope out of a place of despair. Wondering if God will listen when facing a difficult situation, and remembering God as Creator of the mountains and silencer of storms, the Psalmist takes strength in God’s great salvation and redemption of even the greatest sorrows.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for You’re the Hope on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
As you probably now know, the journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Written by Ireland’s great composer Turlough O’Carolan, Eleanor Plunkett is a cascading tune, set here to a Psalm of yearning and praise. It begins with longing like a “dry land,” acknowledging our deep desire to be in God’s presence, through which we can be “satisfied” as though our thirst is quenched.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for O God, You Are My God on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
As you probably now know, the journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it! Thank you in advance!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This arrangement, set to the wordless tune ‘Caisleán an Óir,’ portrays the urgency and energy with which the psalmist may have written these words. In this Psalm, we find numerous images of the various ways God can provide refuge and shelter for us when we feel we are at the “end of earth.”
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Hear My Cry, O God on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
As you probably now know, the journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Telling the story of a person hurt by human relationship, this Psalm captures the desire to find shelter in the midst of turmoil. Exploring the concept of home being a place where our hearts can be at rest, this Psalm set to the moving Irish traditional melody Ned of the Hill, addresses that yearning we all have for a place where we can be truly ourselves, fully accepted, safe from the tempests and storms of life.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Wings of a Dove on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
As you probably now know, the journal is available in paperback format on Amazon!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This Psalm is known for its messages about a clean heart, forgiveness, and a renewed spirit, and is often used during Lent. Set here with the Irish traditional tune Logan’s Lament, this paraphrase focuses on the imagery of a parent kindly and gently washing away the layers that “hide” us, or that cover up the God-given beauty each one of us possesses, thereby allowing us to be restored to the joy that God intends.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Create in Me on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
I wanted to share some news ~ the journal is now available in paperback format on Amazon! I had a bit of a thrill when I opened the package and felt it in my hands. I’ve never made a book before!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The lyrical air ‘Dawning of the Day’ (Fáinne Geal an Lae) conveys this Psalm’s message of courage and hope. Through the imagery presented in this Psalm, we see mountains falling into the sea, and the world in upheaval ~ yet, we are also presented with the assuring image of a river that brings joy, and the message that we might be still and know that God is the ultimate ruler over all.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The God of Jacob on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
I wanted to share some news ~ the journal is now available in paperback format on Amazon! I had a bit of a thrill when I opened the package and felt it in my hands. I’ve never made a book before!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This psalm of longing is set to the relatively well-known traditional melody, ‘Down by the Salley Gardens.’ Its iconic imagery of the deer panting or longing for streams of water, as our souls thirst for God, leads us into this depiction of someone whose soul is “cast down” and needing to be reminded of something to hope in.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for As the DeerLongs for Streams on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
Listen to the podcast with Avivah Zornberg
I wanted to share some news ~ the journal is now available in paperback format on Amazon! I had a bit of a thrill when I opened the package and felt it in my hands. I’ve never made a book before!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This prayer for strength, courage, and refuge during a time of distress is combined here with the Irish traditional song Spancilhill. The Psalm resolves by transitioning into a testament to God’s help in the past, and an encouragement to those in distress as it offers the words “May courage fill your hearts.”
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Rock of Refuge on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
I wanted to share some news ~ the journal is now available in paperback format on Amazon! I had a bit of a thrill when I opened the package and felt it in my hands. I’ve never made a book before!
Here’s the link to the paperback journal (on amazon.com, though it is available globally), and if you would be so kind as to leave a review on the Amazon platform in your region, that will help other readers find it!
For the time being, paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit still receive the free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Proclaiming God’s power to transform sorrow into ‘dancing and song,’ this Psalm is sung to the uplifting Irish melody, “Green Grows the Laurel.” It’s a testament to coming through a time of sorrow and mourning, and finding dancing, song, and joy once again.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for You Have Turned My Sorrow on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Listen to Kiran and Celtic Psalms on TEDx
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
A paperback version is now available too!
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
The air ‘Down in Yon Banke’ is originally a wordless Scottish country dance song, and in this rendition becomes a prayer for God’s eternal presence, especially in times of turmoil and fear. The Psalm speaks of enemies stumbling and falling in the midst of raging war, and expresses that longing to behold God’s beauty and to see God’s face.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The Lord is My Light on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A paperback version is now available on Amazon!
An interactive PDF version is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
In this Psalm of discernment, the writer expresses the longing to hear God’s guidance in the stillness of prayer. Set to the traditional Irish melody “For Ireland I’ll Not Tell Her Name,” this song sits with the longing to know how to walk in the right paths of truth and love.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for For I Wait on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A paperback version is now available on Amazon!
An interactive PDF version is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This beloved Psalm, describing God shepherding us through green pastures and dark valleys, is set to the well-known traditional Irish air ‘The Parting Glass.’ In this Psalm, we hear themes of restoration for our souls, accompaniment through challenging times, and the hope of a feast and a future of goodness and mercy.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The Lord’s My Shepherd on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The journal ebook is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
A paperback version will be available soon
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
Set to the Irish air ‘Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore,’ this song captures the lament of the Psalm while adding a drive and energy that brings to light the hope offered at its conclusion. This Psalm typically accompanies reflections on Good Friday, though it is an important accompaniment to any time in which we struggle with a sense of forsakenness.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for My God, My God on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The journal ebook is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
A paperback version will be available soon
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This soaring Irish traditional melody, ‘The Lark in the Clear Air’ brings a lightness to this Psalm about God’s revelation in both creation and scripture. The words of the Psalm remind us that the skies tell a story of who God is, and teach us important things, without words.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for The Heavens Declare on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom check-ins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
Psalms for the Spirit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The journal ebook is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
A paperback version will be available soon
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
These ancient words of lament, combined with a haunting medieval traditional Irish melody, express the human longing to see God’s face in times of sorrow. The original tune ‘The Lament of the Three Marys/Coaineadh na dTrí Muire’ depicts the three Marys’ cries of sorrow at the tomb of Jesus - a moving complement to this prayer expressing sorrow and abandonment, and the yearning for signs of hope.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for How Long on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom checkins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
The journal ebook is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
A paperback version will be available soon
Listen to Kiran’s recent TEDx talk on the Psalms
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
A Psalm of praise to the Creator of the wonders of nature, this Psalm also contains a call to action - that in our status “underneath the angels,” we need to take responsibility for caring for creation. Set to the Irish tune ‘Far, Far Beyond the Mountain,’ and through the slightly ominous tones of the arrangement, we hear anew the sobering reminder to show respect and dignity to the world we live in.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs for Majestic on the Celtic Psalms webpage (www.celticpsalms.com)
Paid subscribers to Bless My Feet (Kiran’s spirituality newsletter) or Psalms for the Spirit receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) with further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice. You will receive a weekly email with a downloadable mp3 of the song and journal pages, and occasional invitations to Zoom checkins with others sharing this Psalms journey.
The journal ebook is also available for purchase on Kiran’s website
A paperback version will be available soon
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com
The very first Psalm, set to the tune ‘Bán Chnoic Éirann Ó,’ speaks of following the “law” of God – and so we remember the greatest commandment: to love God, neighbor and self. When we grow in connection to this love, we can flourish and thrive like trees planted by streams of water. In times of weariness and anxiety, grief and loss, anger at injustice, longing for peace, we can plant ourselves in what is life-giving, with what allows us to experience and express love, with what taps us into the wellspring of true delight.
We opened TEDx Stormont with this song a few weeks ago, and it’s one of our favorites to open concerts with these days, because of its focus on those uplifting themes.
Listen to the podcast to learn a bit more about the background of the song and a few thoughts to ponder before listening to the song in full.
You can find lyrics, scores/books, mp3s, CDs, and videos for Their Delight on the Celtic Psalms webpage.
Paid subscribers receive a free journal ebook (180 pages) as well as an mp3 of the song of the week. The journal includes further questions for reflection and some invitations to prayer and practice.
See below for some sample journal pages - this is what you will find for each of the 44 Psalms… 180 pages worth of reflections and invitations to prayer and action.
With thanks to the brilliant creative and designer, Connie Hunter-Jamison!
Journey the Psalms with me in 2024…
Introducing a new series with accompanying journal
How do the Psalms speak into our lives? How can they help us get in touch with our deeper emotions, and to better understand ourselves? How can they lead us to live fuller, more honest, more authentic lives? What can they show us about who God is and who we’re invited to be in the world?
Starting in early January 2024, I’ll be going through - in numerical order - the 44 Psalms I’ve arranged and recorded with my dear friends the McGraths (Celtic Psalms). Each week I will share reflections on a Psalm of the week, with accompanying journal pages (see the cover above) to enhance your personal journey. In addition, I’ll be doing a weekly short-form podcast with a song and reflections.
The journal pages and podcast will include an introduction to the music and theme of each Psalm; connections to other writings and wisdom; helpful links to the Psalms for the Spirit podcast; reflection questions for you to explore through journaling or other forms of expression; a prayer and an invitation.
The journal eBook/PDF (180 pages!) will be included for all Psalms for the Spirit paid subscribers, or you will be able to purchase it on my website. Each week, paid subscribers will also receive a downloadable mp3 of the featured song to accompany your reflection journey.
The journal will come in Full Digital Format (an ebook/interactive PDF), downloadable on iPads, phones and computers, with embedded links for your convenience and text boxes for your own writing. There will also be a simplified printable version for you to write on by hand, or you can choose a notebook of your own to accompany this process.
The journey will begin in early January and will continue through to November. That’s 44 weeks!
I know that sounds like a long time - who knows what life will bring between now and November. Feel free to dip in and out of it, or to return later to Psalms you might miss. Other than me showing up each week with a Psalm and some reflections, this will be a free-flowing, spacious, gracious space with plenty of room for flexibility. These are resources I’ll be providing that you can take advantage of if it’s helpful to you - or, you can save it for a time when you need it. I will arrange periodic Zoom gatherings so that we can share parts of this journey together.
I believe this is going to be a rich and transformative journey. If you’ve been wondering whether to become a paid subscriber, now might be a great time to hop aboard. Or if there’s a reflective soul in your life, consider inviting them along. If you’d like to support someone who can’t pay at the moment, there’s the option of donating a subscription.
[This episode first aired in December 2021]
Today’s guest is Ruth Patterson – Presbyterian minister, writer, retreat leader - recognized internationally for her deep spiritual insight and her gently powerful work in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
When I first heard about Ruth Patterson, it was with a certain sense of awe, as she was the very first woman – in any denomination – to be ordained in Ireland (well, perhaps since St. Brigit in the 5th century). Not only that, but she speaks with clarity and eloquence, and shows a steady kindness towards everyone she encounters. Ruth is one of those people for whom poetry and meaningful quotations roll off the tongue effortlessly, and whose reflections are profound while also being accessible and applicable to daily life.
The organisation she founded and led for 30 years, Restoration Ministries brings people together across community divides in Ireland around their shared spirituality, and draws on the image of restoration depicted in the Psalms. In this conversation, which we had in the heart of Advent, we talk about the link between the Psalms and the history of Ireland, about the importance of hospitality – towards ourselves, God, others – in moving into a future of restoration, about the journey towards becoming our full selves, and about how awakening to our belovedness is the starting point for healing and wholeness in this world.
So whatever it is that brought you here, I’m glad you’re with us.
More about Ruth:
Ruth Patterson is a Presbyterian minister, and for the last 33 years has been Director of Restoration Ministries (https://restorationministries.co.uk), a non- denominational, Christian organisation committed to peace and reconciliation. In 1976 she was the first woman to be ordained in Ireland. She was the recipient of the Alumna of the Year 2000 award (Edinburgh University / Royal Bank of Scotland), in 2001 an honorary doctorate from the Presbyterian Theology Faculty of Ireland, and in 2003 was awarded an OBE for her efforts in reconciliation. She has authored five books and numerous articles stemming from her commitment to unity and peace. She produces annual scripture guidelines for Faith and Friendship. She is one of four church representatives to L’Arche International and holds the post of Ecumenical Canon in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. She is on the Board of Oneings, a bi-annual publication of the Centre for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
FEATURED MUSIC
Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144) - intro/outro by Celtic Psalms
You Have Searched Me (Psalm 139)
Love and Mercy (Psalm 85 - Forthcoming Album)
From the Depths (Psalm 130)
You can find our published scores, CDs and mp3s through GIA Music
We're also on YouTube, Spotify, and Amazon
There’s a really wonderful opportunity coming up in April 2024 – the Resilient Spirit Pilgrimage to Ireland.
Consider taking 11 days to come to Ireland to explore what brings us joy, strength, hope – resilience – to our lives. We’ll begin with six days at the beautiful Corrymeela residential centre in Ballycastle, on the north coast, which alone will take your breath away, but on top of that we have a program throughout our stay that’s geared toward helping you find resilience within yourself and to develop practices and wisdom that you can take back home with you.
Resilience expert Sara Cook will be our first guest facilitator, followed by the brilliant reflective practitioner Paul Hutchinson. I’ll be leading a retreat day with Celtic Psalms music and space for silence and sharing, and then we’ll have a session on Zoom with the one and only poet/theologian/ Poetry Unbound creator/member and former leader of the Corrymeela community Pádraig Ó Tuama.
Pilgrimage participants will then head a few hours south to the stunning hills and ancient monastery of Glendalough, where we’ll spend a few days connecting with the beauty of nature and the wisdom of Celtic Spirituality, before spending a day exploring the vibrant city of Dublin.
This is going to be a transformative, uplifting, joyful and inspiring experience… Come join us on the beautiful north coast of Ireland at the Corrymeela Centre for the Resilient Spirit Pilgrimage in April 2024. If you’re interested, you can find more information in the episode notes.
See Progressive Pilgrimage’s webpage for more details at https://progressivepilgrimage.com/corrymeela24/
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psalmsforthespirit.substack.com/subscribe
FOR OUR FINAL EPISODE OF SEASON TWO, TODAY'S GUEST is Rebecca Dudley – ordained minister and advisor with the New Zealand Red Cross on legal frameworks protecting people in humanitarian emergencies. Here, we discuss her "Hope Project,” in which she explores the question: how do we pay attention without losing hope? As wave after wave of bad news rolls in, it’s clear that this theme is as timely as ever, and essential for our wellbeing as we take in and respond to horrific news on a daily basis. In our conversation, we talk about the power of the Psalms to reach across time and culture, about hope as bridge and spark and lifeline, about how psychological first aid might support us in times of distress, and how the old spiritual traditions of vocation and intercession can help us find the small thing that is ours to do in this hurting world. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2022/06/02/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-20-how-do-we-pay-attention-and-not-lose-hope-with-rebecca-dudley/ (More about this episode) https://youtu.be/G9RRV1ZHOr8 (Hear more about Rebecca Dudley's Hope Project)
TODAY'S GUEST is Munther Isaac - Palestinian theologian, Lutheran minister, author and academic. This holy week many of us will be thinking of the holy land as we journey towards Easter, and in this conversation we listen to a voice we don't often hear – the voice of a Palestinian Christian, reflecting here on the role of the Psalms in his own life and the affinity his community has for the Psalms – especially as they express complaint and lament on Good Friday, and as they point to a vision of a shared, peaceful future in his land. Born and raised in Bethlehem, Munther Isaac speaks internationally and at the local level on issues related to theology of land and reconciliation, and has written extensively on these themes in his books https://www.amazon.co.uk/Land-Lands-Eden-Renewed-Earth/dp/1783680776 (“From Land to Lands,”) and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Wall-Palestinian-Christian/dp/0830831991/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11O1921SQ9MDA&keywords=the+other+side+of+the+wall&qid=1649948727&s=books&sprefix=the+other+side+of+the+awl%2Cstripbooks%2C96&sr=1-2 (“The Other Side of the Wall.”) In this conversation, we talk about the power of reciting Psalms as a community in times of trouble; about how Good Friday reminds us that even when we feel forsaken, we’re not alone; about how persistence in prayers of complaint and lament is in fact a sign of deep faith; and about the vision of an ideal Jerusalem in which barriers are broken and enemies become friends. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2022/04/14/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-19-persistence-as-a-sign-of-deep-faith-with-munther-isaac/ (More about this episode)
Today’s guest is Ruth Patterson – Presbyterian minister, writer, retreat leader - recognized internationally for her deep spiritual insight and her gently powerful work in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The organisation she founded and led for 30 years, “Restoration Ministries,” brings people together across community divides in Ireland around their shared spirituality, and draws on the image of restoration depicted in the Psalms. In this conversation, which we had in the heart of Advent, we talk about the link between the Psalms and the history of Ireland, about the importance of hospitality – towards ourselves, God, others – in moving into a future of restoration, about the journey towards becoming our full selves, and about how awakening to our belovedness is the starting point for healing and wholeness in this world. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/23/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-18-awakening-to-our-belovedness-with-ruth-patterson/ (More on this episode)
For some, Advent is a time of grief and loss. Today’s guest is John Bell – hymnwriter, author, and broadcaster and a guiding light from the Iona Community as he has for decades created resources for the global church in music, worship and spirituality, including his recent book Living with the Psalms. In this conversation we talk about how the Psalms – much like the incarnation we celebrate in this season – speak of God’s solidarity with us in our vulnerability, how the Psalms give us permission to express doubt and anger when we come face to face with suffering and injustice, how sacred songs have the power to heal and tend to the brokenhearted, and how the Psalms offer us the precious image of God as midwife – delivering us through the pains of life and death. There is some sensitive content in this episode, so please be aware of that as you listen, and make sure you have the support you need in case any of the subjects are difficult to hear about, particularly regarding the tragic loss of infants and young children. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/16/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-17-delivering-us-through-the-pains-of-life-and-death-with-john-bell/ (More on this episode)
Today’s guest is Peace Lee – spiritual director, preacher, and educator on decolonial and feminist perspectives. In this conversation, we reconnect over our mutual love for the Psalms: how they can be imprinted on our hearts and come to us when we need them most, how we can read them afresh as we consider new language for them, the importance of lament in finding healing and wholeness, and how the Psalms can nourish us in building a more just and equitable world. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/12/08/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-16-lament-as-a-sacred-act-with-peace-lee/ (More about this episode )
Today’s guest is Denise Bradley, an expert in trauma theory who has spent decades helping victims of violence find healing. I know Denise from her current work with Corrymeela in which she works with marginalized groups, particularly refugee and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland, and I wanted to learn more from Denise about how the theory of trauma relates to the Psalms. In this conversation we talk about using the Psalms for support in times of fear or traumatic stress, finding inner safety that helps us move forward even when under threat, how the Psalms express all three stages of trauma healing, and about how hope is stronger than fear. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/07/09/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-15-hope-is-stronger-than-fear-with-denise-bradley/ (More about this episode)
Today’s guest is Brother Thierry, a French Benedictine monk who is based at the Holy Cross Monastery in Northern Ireland. I was delighted when Bro. Thierry agreed to talk with me about the Benedictine rhythm of prayer, which includes a swift cycle of daily Psalm singing. In this conversation, we talk about finding happiness in a life of prayer, about being called to pray when others can’t, about how prayer is the only place we can be who we truly are, and about how silence is a listening relationship. I was grateful to get an inside perspective on monastic life, and as always, I was moved by how the psalms can bring us together across religious divides. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/07/03/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-14-listening-in-the-silence-for-what-is-true-with-brother-thierry/ (Find out more in episode notes)
Today's guest is Sunder John Boopalan, a professor specializing in political theology and ethics, with a personal focus on Dalit theology and social justice. Along the same lines as the prominent book "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson, John has written a powerful book called "Memory, Grief and Agency," in which he highlights the marginalization of the Dalit community in India - those who are considered to be outside the caste system, sometimes derogatorily referred to as untouchables or outcastes. In this podcast, we hear about John's personal background with the Psalms, about caste-based violence and humiliations that Dalits endure on a daily basis, and about how Psalms might offer a way to express grief over society's wrongs and transform us into agents of change. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/06/24/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-13-transformed-by-grief-into-agents-of-change-with-sundar-john-boopalan/ (More about this episode)
Today's guest is Sarah Griffith Lund, a minister and author who has focused her life's work on breaking the silence about mental illness. With her generous and gracious spirit, Sarah talks me through the stark realities of mental illness today, made even more extreme because of the pandemic, and how the themes of the Psalms speak to that life experience shared by so many. In our conversation, we talk about walking through the valley of the shadow of mental illness, sitting at table with mental illness, and finding ways to speak into the silence about mental illness. I felt grateful for Sarah's gentle but firm reminder that we simply cannot stay silent when lives are at stake. *There is some heavy content in this episode, so please do ensure that you have proper supports in place if needed. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/06/07/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-12-breaking-the-silence-about-mental-illness-with-sarah-griffith-lund/ (More details on this episode)
Today’s guest is Paul Hutchinson, mediator, therapist, author and brilliant storyteller. A former Director of the Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Centre, Paul has distilled his memories and learnings from that time in his delightful book “Between the Bells.” In this episode, Paul shares about his spiritual journey from seaching teenager to reflective Quaker, and how his background as a therapist and mediator informs his reading of the Psalms. In our conversation, we talk about being drawn to sing a new song, the importance of hosting all our feelings, how we can know when reconciliation is close at hand, and how we are loved in our unfixed state. https://kiranyoungwimberly.com/2021/05/28/psalms-for-the-spirit-ep-11-loved-in-our-unfixed-state-with-paul-hutchinson/ (More about this episode )
Today’s guest is Barbara Brown Taylor – author, speaker, Episcopal priest, retired professor, and all-around-delightful person. Barbara Brown Taylor has long been a highly regarded preacher, and she has written a number of compelling books on the spiritual life, including Altar in the World, Holy Envy, and Learning to Walk in the Dark. In this conversation, we talk about the bird psalms, the bed psalms, and the difficult psalms, and we muse together on what they tell us about our humanity and how God sees us in that. We reflect on making friends with the dust, living gratefully on the earth, celebrating our place in the line of people who come before and after us, and leaning into the cycles of darkness and light, death and new life. http://www.celticpsalms.com/ (Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths)) music can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) Celtic Psalms songs featured in this episode: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-84-how-lovely/ (How Lovely (Psalm 84/Carrickfergus)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeD24QnwoBI (By the Waters (Psalm 137/Emigrant’s Farewell)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-30-you-have-turned-my-sorrow/ (You Have Turned My Sorrow (Psalm 30/Green Grows the Laurel)) CDs and published notations can be found through https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) More about Barbara Brown Taylor: https://barbarabrowntaylor.com
Today’s guest is Dr Avivah Zornberg, renowned Torah scholar, teacher and speaker based in Jerusalem. I first became aware Dr. Zornberg’s work when I heard a lecture she delivered in Belfast, and I was immediately mesmerized by her deep insights into Hebrew scripture – her studies are based on Midrash, literature, psychoanalysis and philosophy. She really brought Moses and other Biblical figures to life for me in a new way. With Passover in mind this weekend, I wanted to explore the use of Psalms in recounting the story of the Exodus, and I was absolutely delighted when Avivah agreed to speak with me not only from her scholarly background, but from her personal experience of the Psalms throughout her life. Our conversation spans from stories of her grandmother to a Jewish theology of the Psalms to prayers said at the Passover table to speaking of what’s under the surface in each of our depths. http://www.celticpsalms.com/ (Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths)) music can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) Celtic Psalms songs featured in this episode: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKGlCWWvvyY&list=PL_P_Y0fJ-hf3_dfwAioeVp7Qrvu1GxNxg&index=10 (God’s Love Endures Forever (Psalm 136/Bold Riley)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVyWPy2Y1ck&list=PL_P_Y0fJ-hf3_dfwAioeVp7Qrvu1GxNxg&index=8 (Banks of the Nile (Psalm 106/The Snow It Melts the Soonest)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-z_gbsGAGc (Sing to the Lord (Psalms 98, 99 and 100/Willy Taylor) ) CDs and published notations can be found through https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) More about Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg: See https://www.avivahzornberg.com/bio.html (https://www.avivahzornberg.com/bio.html) https://www.avivahzornberg.com/bio.html ()
Today’s guest is Karen Campbell, minister and musician, originally from Northern Ireland and currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Karen and I met first when we were both serving Presbyterian churches in the Belfast area, but our friendship has extended into our shared love of music, the Psalms, and spirituality – as well as some fun times and good laughs along the way. Here, Karen shares about her connections with the Psalms throughout her life, leading up to the creation of an album she and her husband David put together during the pandemic period of 2020. I’m grateful to the Campbell family for the music in today’s episode - their son Ian’s voice features in the opening song, followed by David’s voice as well as other musicians from the Church of the Servant with whom they recorded this beautiful and uplifting album. In our conversation, we look at how exploring the psalms through music, art, and honest reflection helped her congregation uncover deep grace in the midst of the pains, laments, and hurts that came to the surface in a turbulent year, and how that process has led them to hear the voices on the margins in a clearer way. Check show notes to see photos of some of the artwork that came out of those sacred times of gathering around the Psalms. Link to https://churchoftheservantcrc.bandcamp.com/album/your-love-dispels-our-fear (Karen and David Campbell’s Album “Your Love Dispels Our Fear” ) https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/category/housechurch/dark-times-deep-grace/ (Dark Times Deep Grace Series) can be found on the Church of the Servant Website Celtic Psalms songs featured in this episode: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) http://www.celticpsalms.com/ (Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths)) music can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) CDs and published notations can be found through https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) More about Karen: Karen grew up in Northern Ireland. Before becoming a pastor, she worked for 3 years in Nairobi, Kenya teaching music and worship at Daystar University. She has worked in both rural and city settings, but longs for people to become fully mature, spirit-filled worshippers and followers of Jesus who unite together in being kingdom influencers in the world. Karen came to be co-pastor at Church of the Servant in 2018. Karen is passionate about fulfilling Church of the Servant’s mission statement: to enable a fellowship where the burdened and suffering will find support and comfort, where the alienated will be accepted, and where those seeking God will be shown the way. Karen is married to David and they have three sons, Ian, Callum, and Duncan.
Today’s guest is Kate Wiebe, founder of the https://www.ictg.org (Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth). We both entered seminary only days after 9/11, an event that influenced many of us as we began our theological studies not far away from the areas that had been traumatized by those events. It wasn’t until years after we’d graduated that I found out that she’d gone on to do doctoral work on how people come through times of crisis, and that her studies led to the founding of ICTG, an organization focused on helping groups respond to large scale crises such as natural disasters and acts of mass violence, as well as more private crises that devastate smaller communities. In our conversation, Kate and I explore how spirituality and the Psalms weave into her life’s work of being a guide for people through the rugged terrain of the valley of the shadow of death. This episode contains references to numerous traumatic incidents, so please keep your triggers in mind, either by having proper supports in place or by listening to a previous episode instead – I’d recommend episode 2 which offers lots of practical tips on building resilience in day to day life. I can’t imagine a gentler guide through life’s rough paths than Kate, and I’m sure you’ll learn so much from the wisdom she shares, as I did when we talked. Kate mentions a chart on her website - you can find that https://www.ictg.org/phases-of-disaster-response.html (here) Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths) music can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) Celtic Psalms songs featured in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UPNN7anIlc (Save Me O God (Psalm 69/The Streets of Derry)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-46-the-god-of-jacob/ (The God of Jacob (Psalm 42/The Dawning of the Day)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-23-the-lords-my-shepherd/ (The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23/The Parting Glass)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) More about Kate Wiebe: Rev Dr Kate Wiebe is a pastor in the Presbytery of Santa Barbara, CA, a telehealth counselor at La Vie Centers in Pasadena, and a volunteer with the Institute for Collective Trauma & Growth, which she founded in 2012. Over the last two years, Wiebe has found herself increasingly drawn to follow the research and invest time and energy more locally. She supports the development of local resources among individuals, families, and groups to become refreshed and to thrive amid adversity, especially through counseling, mentoring, and encouraging congregational ministries. As time allows, she continues to offer national and international subject matter expertise and consulting on disaster response and organizational restoration after crises. Her most treasured time is with her family, including her husband and four children.
Today’s guest is Eric Sarwar, a minister, musician and academic, from Pakistan and currently based in California. I first met Eric many years ago when he was visiting Northern Ireland, and I remember my kids and I dancing around the kitchen to some of the music he left behind for us to listen to. A few years later, Eric and I met again at a conference in the States, and shared music across our traditions, which shows just how universal music can be. Eric has a deep personal love for the Psalms and has studied the history of the Psalter used in Pakistan. I wanted to hear from him what the Psalms have meant for his Pakistani diasporic community, and also about his fascinating doctoral work looking at the Psalms as a starting point for interfaith dialogue with Muslim neighbors. I’m grateful to Eric for sharing his music for this episode – you’ll hear him singing and playing his harmonium to demonstrate the sounds of the psalter he grew up hearing, and you’ll also hear a recent recording of a musical collaboration that is really delightful. This time, check episode notes for a link to the video of our fuller conversation, including footage of Eric playing and singing some traditional Pakistani psalm settings. View https://youtu.be/xbrVognVop0 (video of the conversation with Eric here) Links to songs by Eric: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAgx3yCHo2g (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAgx3yCHo2g) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCXM0-7P-E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCXM0-7P-E) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRHTZ9Knmwo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRHTZ9Knmwo) Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly and The McGraths) can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube). Celtic Psalms songs featured in this episode: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-86-love-is-lord-of-all/ (Love is Lord of All (Psalm 86/My Lagan Love) ) More about Eric Sarwar: Rev.Dr. Eric Sarwar (Ph.D. Fuller Theological Seminary) has a three-dimensional ministry calling: (1) Musician, (2) Minister, and (3) Missiologist. Along with church planting and inspired intuition, he established the first-ever Tehillim School of Church Music & Worship in Pakistan. Dr. Sarwar is a passionate preacher, translator, an excellent communicator, and a phenomenal catalyst for music and mission-related ministries worldwide. As a music composer and songwriter recorded four albums and various songs for children and youth ministry, published three books and articles, and interviews on worship and witnessed through music in the Islamic context.
Today’s guest is Erin Hayes-Cook, a Presbyterian minister based in Rahway, New Jersey – a short commute away from New York City. I’ve known Erin for about two decades now, and I was interested to get back in touch to hear about some of her current work around building resilience in her congregation’s spiritual lives as well as the broader community during these wearying times. In this conversation, we explore marking time through rituals, creating space to meet with God, and poetry as a creative process in understanding who we are. Serendipitously, this podcast coincided perfectly with the launch of Erin’s new project River of Resilience, which offers practices in resilience for people of color traumatized by racism. Through this project, Erin seeks ways to offer healing for people whose bodies, minds and spirits have been affected not only by the pandemic but by the pervasive racism that has been all the more exposed in this past year. Here is the link to follow or support the River of Resilience Project: https://www.facebook.com/River-of-Resilience-105731851459792 (https://www.facebook.com/River-of-Resilience-105731851459792) Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly and The McGraths) music can be found on https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube). Published notations, CDs and downloadable mp3s can be found at https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) Songs featured in this episode: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144/The King’s Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-63-o-god-you-are-my-god/ (O God, You Are My God (Psalm 63/Eleanor Plunket)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-42-as-the-deer-longs-for-streams/ (As the Deer (Psalm 42/Down By the Sally Gardens)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-130-131-from-the-depths/ (From the Depths (Psalm 130-131/The Quiet Land of Erin)) More about Erin Hayes-Cook: In January of 2013 Rev. Hayes-Cook accepted the call to be the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Rahway, New Jersey. She has served First Rahway for 8 years as the first woman of color to pastor the community in its 275 year history. Gaining great joy in walking alongside the diverse community she serves through her local presbytery and synod, she looks forward to the the River of Resilience initiative to help offer healing practices in the face of racism. Rev. Hayes-Cook and her husband Lawrence welcomed their first child in June of 2019. She loves a good cup of coffee, writing, and working out with her Crossfit community.
Today’s guest is Pádraig Swan, trained in the Jesuit tradition and serving as the Director of Faith and Service Programmes at Belvedere College in Dublin, Ireland. Pádraig and I would usually get into interesting conversations about spirituality while our families are visiting each other – kids racing around the room or climbing on us while we talked, amid good food and cups of coffee and tea. Not only that, but when Pádraig brought a group to the Corrymeela residential center on their annual retreat, I had the privilege of leading them in a Taizé evening worship that was always a very special and memorable experience. In our conversation, Pádraig weaves together his background in Ignation spirituality, and in particularly the practice of the daily examen prayer, as well as his experience of living with the Taizé community in France, as we explore together how the Psalms help us to examine our spirits in the mess of our everyday life. Songs featured in this episode: Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly and the McGraths) music can be found one https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify,) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-104-praise-the-lord-all-the-earth/ (Praise the Lord, All the Earth (Psalm 104/Thagamar Féin an Samhradh Linn)) For published notations of Celtic Psalms music see https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA Music) I’m grateful to the https://www.taize.fr/en_article27873.html (Taizé community) for making available some of their beautiful recordings of Taizé chants, and also to Pádraig for his lovely singing at the end of the episode. http://www.exultet-solutions.com/shop/pages-product_music_info/partner_id-10/product-4141/laudate-omnes-gentes.html?zenid=e70abfcce51888a021439e3dad280b85 (Bless the Lord (Laudate Omnes Gentes album)) http://www.exultet-solutions.com/shop/pages-product_music_info/partner_id-10/product-11428/adem-in-ons.html?zenid=e70abfcce51888a021439e3dad280b85 (Dans nos obscurités (Adem in Ons album - in Dutch)) http://www.exultet-solutions.com/shop/pages-product_music_info/partner_id-10/product-4141/laudate-omnes-gentes.html?zenid=e70abfcce51888a021439e3dad280b85 (Nada te Turbe (Laudate Omnes Gentes album - in Spanish)) Psalm 117 Praise the Lord All You Nations (sung by Pádraig Swan) More about Pádraig: Pádraig Swan is originally from Carlow, but has lived and worked in Dublin for many years. He is married to Colleen, and they have two children, Saoirse (8), and Seán (4). Pádraig has a long relationship with matters of faith and how faith meets the reality of human life. His own faith is influenced by time spent at the Taizé community, Corrymeela, 3 years studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood, working in business for over 20 years, transitioning to young adult ministry, deepening encounters with Jesuit Spirituality, and now as Director of Faith and Service Programmes at Belvedere College SJ, a Jesuit Secondary School in Dublin. Padraig is a member of the Corrymeela Community and serves on the parish council of his local parish.
Today's guest is Brian Hehn, the Director of https://congregationalsong.org/ (The Center for Congregational Song) with the Hymn Society in the United States and Canda. He is an accomplished song leader and musician, and has a huge heart for getting people to sing together. Here, he reflects on the power of singing to transform us into better people, and how not singing together through COVID has been difficult but may lead to some necessary shifts in our singing culture. Episode Notes: Brian refers to "Be Still and Know" by John L. Bell https://hymnary.org/tune/be_still_and_know_that_i_am_god_bell (https://hymnary.org/tune/be_still_and_know_that_i_am_god_bell) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcSzEmcQ08 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcSzEmcQ08) View Brian's Election Vigil here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ER4yn9nhQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ER4yn9nhQ) Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly and The McGraths) music can be found onhttps://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 ( iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify, )https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube). This episode features: https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come, Spirit, Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-107-o-give-thanks/ (O Give Thanks (Psalm 107/The Meeting of the Waters)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-22-my-god-my-god/ (My God, My God (Psalm 22/Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore)) Notated music published by GIA can be found https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (here) Brian's full bio: Brian is an inspiring song-leader equally comfortable leading an acapella singing of “It Is Well” as he is drumming and dancing to “Sizohamba Naye.” Experienced using a variety of genres and instrumentations, he has led worship for Baptists, Roman Catholics, United Methodists, Presbyterians, and many more across the U.S. and Canada. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Wingate University, his Master of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and is certified in children’s church music (K-12) by Choristers Guild. He has articles published on sacred music and congregational song in multiple journals and co-authored two books under the title “All Hands In” published by Choristers Guild. While working for The Hymn Society as the Director of The Center for Congregational Song he also serves as adjunct professor of church music at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina. Brian lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife, Eve, and son, Jakob.
Today's guest is Sara Cook – a social worker who has worked in conflict response, peacebuilding and mediation in Northern Ireland and internationally for the past two decades. Sara offers trainings in the Community Resiliency Model through the Trauma Resource Institute, and here, she draws connections between resilience, spirituality and the psalms, providing practical tools to balance the adversity and the joy in our lives. This episode features the following songs by Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths): https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-144-come-spirit-come/ (Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-46-the-god-of-jacob/ (The God of Jacob (Psalm 46/The Dawning of the Day)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-84-how-lovely/ (How Love (Psalm 84/Carrickfergus)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-139-you-have-searched-me/ (You Have Searched Me (Psalm 139/The Banks of Claudy)) https://www.celticpsalms.com/portfolio/psalm-23-the-lords-my-shepherd/ (The Lord's My Shepherd (Psalm 23/The Parting Glass))
Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & The McGraths) music can be found at www.celticpsalms.com, https://itunes.apple.com/tt/artist/kiran-young-wimberly/654441561 (iTunes), https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GkI27HmBtB3cNIku7xRdf (Spotify), https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celtic-Psalms-Kiran-Young-Wimberly/dp/B00D0STVQI (Amazon), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6naf-l9ewLmFWs2ExcrPA (YouTube) CDs and published notations can be found through https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) Sara Cook can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-cook-394312b8/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-cook-394312b8/) Here is her full bio: Sara Cook is a social worker and conflict response specialist who has extensive experience working with people affected by conflict in Northern Ireland and internationally. Her peace building work includes mediation, dialogue and storytelling encounters between conflict-affected populations, including victims and survivors of violence, security forces and paramilitaries. Much of her work addresses the psychosocial impact of conflict, including the impact of mediation and peace building work on practitioners. For 20 years, Sara has designed and implemented methodologies to address conflict-related impact and provides training and facilitation in mediation, dialogue, trauma intervention and resiliency. She has trained people from over 30 countries, including humanitarian aid workers supporting the resettlement of Syrian refugees in both Turkey and Lebanon. She is a UK representative to Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth and is a board member of Mediation Northern Ireland and the VSB Foundation.
Today's guest is Rev. Dr. Amy Ruth Schacht – a Presbyterian Church USA minister who has served in Laurel, MD for the past 20 years. Amy has studied neuroscience and its connection to the life of faith. Trigger warning: Amy briefly mentions the topic of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. Amy talks about a book that was influential to her: The Archaeology of the Mind, by Jaak Panksepp and Lucy Biven. This episode features the following songs by Celtic Psalms (Kiran Young Wimberly & the McGraths): Come Spirit Come (Psalm 144/The King's Shilling) You Have Searched Me (Psalm 139/The Banks of Claudy) All Who Dwell (Psalm 91/Dearthairin o Mo Chroi) Wings of a Dove (Psalm 55/Ned of the Hill)
Celtic Psalms music can be found at www.celticpsalms.com, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube (Kiran Young Wimberly & The McGraths) CDs and published notations can be found through https://www.giamusic.com/store/search?elSearchTerm=celtic+psalms (GIA music) Rev. Dr. Amy Ruth Schacht serves at Laurel Presbyterian Church in Laurel, Maryland, USA.