Though we don’t do it as often as I like, the United Methodist Church occasionally sings responses to the Psalms. A leader will read a portion of the psalm, the congregation will read a portion, and then we sing a brief response. The book of Psalms is the oldest book of hymns we have, and people have been singing these hymns for thousands of years. They were singing them before there was an English language, before the world as we know it was mapped, for generations and generations.

One of my favorite Psalm responses is actually a restatement of part of the fifth verse of  Psalm 30. In the NIV, it reads:

weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

We sing it as “In the night, weeping may tarry, with the morning light comes joy.” It’s sung very simply, and the highest notes in what is more of a chant than a song, are on morning light. It’s a chant and for me it’s a prayer. I sing it often when I read this prayer.

Watch, O Lord,
with those who wake,
or watch or weep tonight,
and give your angels charge
over those who sleep.

Tend your sick ones,
O Lord Jesus Christ;
rest your weary ones;
bless your dying ones;
soothe your suffering ones;
pity your afflicted ones;
shield your joyous ones;
and all for your love’s sake.

Amen.