Book of Lectionary Psalms (TEXT ONLY)
  • Does such a book exist? I would love to set the Psalms for use with my SATB choir. The trouble is, I don’t have an easy indexing of which Psalms are used in what grouping. What I mean is, the Psalms as found in the Lectionary don’t just use the first stanza as their response. Also, frequently there are verses left out or ordered differently. So is there a book of the Psalms only, as they appear in the RCL for the purpose of having the text handy to set to music? Or do I need to just get a Lectionary Vol.1 and go through it the “long way”? Thanks!
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Welcome to the Forum!

    The Lectionary psalms don't match what is in the New American Bible consistently, so they are somewhat sui generis.

    If a collection of the texts exists by itself, I'm not aware of it. You can look for a used copy of the Lectionary, I suppose, or transcribe the psalms from a hand missal such as "Daily Roman Missal" or "St Paul Sunday Missal".

    If you wants to get ahead of the curve for your project and use the Revised Grail Psalter, a book with the full texts of the RGP is available from GIA, though you'd probably need to get the antiphons from a current lectionary.
  • Hey! Thanks for the response. I’ll check out the grail psalter as well. But yes, I’m usually pretty good at digging things up on the interwebs so when I couldn’t find a collection of just lectionary psalms I figured that’s because there wasn’t such a book to be found.
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,025
    Don't know if this will help you, but maybe. It's an index that lists which verses of which psalms are used on each Sunday and major feast. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.

    http://www.catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Index-Sundays.htm

    The texts of the psalm response and verses aren't provided; only the biblical citations.

    Also, you could purchase Michel Guimont's collection of psalm settings from GIA (or something similar from another publisher) just to use it for the texts, which are taken verbatim from the Lectionary for each psalm's response and verses. Ignore the music and use the book for the verbatim texts of the psalms only.
  • Thank you I appreciate that. I was thinking about the verbatim musical collections I just wanted to avoid it if possible. But yes that may be my next option before a “classic lectionary vol 1”.

    Currently we are in Respond and Acclaim at my parish, and I feel like I saw a note somewhere in respond and acclaim or some resource that they’re changing their text in two small spots to make it verbatim because that is the new directive from the USCCB. Is that accurate? Is there a new direction that it should be verbatim or are we still on “all that are approved by the USCCB or local Bishop”?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    The Lectionary is considered part of the Roman Missal (see its title page), so its content can't be modified with just the permission of one bishop.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,943
    But, in the USA, sung responsorial psalms are not limited to the current Lectionary texts, but may also use translations previously approved for liturgical use, so there's a much wider array of licit texts for sung responsorial psalms, as has been discussed in other threads over the years here.
  • Liam, correct. And so my assertion was that I think I have seen recently that the bishops are pushing for a stricter following of the Lectionary text (which would be a new development in the US). Is that accurate? Does anyone here know?
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,943
    Only for recited psalms. And that roll-out is being done at a leisurely tempo, shall we say.

    With regard to sung responsorial psalms, I am not aware of any movement to change the final paragraph of the USA version of GIRM No. 61, nor to revoke approvals of translations previously approved for liturgical use to have the same effect.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Is it possible that OCP is being required to conform Respond'n'Acclaim to the standard texts because it is published new every year?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    “Published new” lol. (I now what you mean. I’m just giggling about the turn of phrase.)

    Mr. Alstott must have a lovely Swiss chalet by now from all his royalties. (I say this as an envious composer.)
    Thanked by 1MNadalin
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    (That's right; it's certainly not composed anew.)