Living Psalm 27

Living Psalms Book

Psalms in the form of words and art, reborn in the specific contexts of our world, privileging the voices of historically marginalized communities and those acting in solidarity with them.

#Living Psalm 27_Cook for Second Sunday in Lent March 16, 2025

There is another song of praise
that clings to the last note of faith
that there’s no fear in love.
Perfect love, that old song goes,
casts out fear. O Light of Love, what do we fear?

The list is too long and
there is so much to grieve.
That could be all we talk about when
we pray. We could expound upon our fears
and let them pile up: fear on top of fear,
grief upon grief. Towering over
us so that it feels like there’s
nothing else in this world.

We lift our voices, together,
not just to despair but to praise.
To see your face nodding,
revealing that perfect love,
whispering to us, ever so gently,
“I know. I know.”

Praise in the doubt.
Praise through the worry.
Praise in the midst of all that is uncertain.
Praise for what we will never understand
but we so want to believe.
Praise of the faith you find in us
and that love that might
just cast our fears.

When so much is uncertain
and fear overwhelms, we will praise
that you are not the root of our fears.

Let this song of praise
echo through all the chambers
of our hearts. Let us
sing of your salvation
together.

Living-Psalm-27_Cook-for-March-16-2025 Download

Living Psalm 27 was written by Elsa Cook.

Living Psalms Book is created by UCC Witness & Worship Artists’ Group, a Network of UCC connected artists, activists and ministers bridging the worship and liturgy of the local church with witness and action in the community. Maren Tirabassi, editor

Logo is detail from Living Psalm 80 by Sophia Beardemphl, Redwoods, CA. Recovering from significant bullying, Sophia, age nine, read Psalm 80 and thought of brokenness that needs mending. She drew this broken and mended bowl.