The Psalm for tomorrow under the revised Common Lectionary (for those who pay attention to such things, is Psalm 8. What follows is a paraphrase of Psalm 8 for 2 voices that I wrote for the New Irish Arts 10th Anniversary Show, entitled Genesis: A Celebration of Creativity.
BOTH: O LORD , our God, your name is honoured in all that you have made!
Voice 1: Beyond the boundless reaches of space
Voice 2: Higher than the heavens where the angels offer you their symphony of worship;
Voice 1: While here on earth even nursing infants gurgle in adoration
Voice 2: Toddlers shout songs of praise
Voice 1: Silencing the cynical sneering of the enemy
Voice 2: Drowning out the godless chatter of the age.
Voice 1: When I stare into the heavens above,
I see your fingerprints all over the sky…
Voice 2: I see jewellery of the finest of workmanship
with the moon mounted in an almost infinite setting of stars…
Voice 1: And I feel so small…
Voice 2: I sense the expanse between heaven and earth,
Voice 1: Creator and creature…
Voice 2: And I wonder why you bother with me?
Voice 1: Why you would look once, never mind twice, in my direction?
Voice 2: Yet I am always on your mind
Voice 1: You care for me night and day…
Voice 2: You have made me little less than a god…
Voice 1: The crown of all creation,
Voice 2: A jewel that brings joy to your heart.
Voice 1: You charged me with looking after your handiwork
Voice 2: You laid everything at my feet:
Voice 1: All creatures great and small;
Voice 2: domesticated and wild
Voice 1: The flocking birds, and shoaling fish
Voice 2: and the whales whose songs of praise circle the seven seas.
Voice 1: Beyond the boundless reaches of space
Voice 2: Higher than the heavens where the angels offer you their symphony of worship;
Voice 1: While here on earth even nursing infants gurgle in adoration
Voice 2: Toddlers shout songs of praise
Voice 1: Silencing the cynical sneering of the enemy
Voice 2: Drowning out the godless chatter of the age.
Voice 1: When I stare into the heavens above,
I see your fingerprints all over the sky…
Voice 2: I see jewellery of the finest of workmanship
with the moon mounted in an almost infinite setting of stars…
Voice 1: And I feel so small…
Voice 2: I sense the expanse between heaven and earth,
Voice 1: Creator and creature…
Voice 2: And I wonder why you bother with me?
Voice 1: Why you would look once, never mind twice, in my direction?
Voice 2: Yet I am always on your mind
Voice 1: You care for me night and day…
Voice 2: You have made me little less than a god…
Voice 1: The crown of all creation,
Voice 2: A jewel that brings joy to your heart.
Voice 1: You charged me with looking after your handiwork
Voice 2: You laid everything at my feet:
Voice 1: All creatures great and small;
Voice 2: domesticated and wild
Voice 1: The flocking birds, and shoaling fish
Voice 2: and the whales whose songs of praise circle the seven seas.
© David Campton 2004
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