Holy


In our Sunday worship the psalm follows the first reading and is meant to respond to it in some way, much as the sequence hymn is often intended to anticipate the gospel reading. The lectionary framers who matched up first readings and psalms often seem to have been pressed for imagination, but for Trinity Sunday they’ve done well. The Old Testament reading is Isaiah 6:1-8, the prophet’s encounter with The Lord. No one, especially no one who has ever read Revelation chapter four, could possibly visualize Isaiah’s scene as quiet and peaceful. God is present: storm clouds churn and boil, lightning flashes, thunder booms. Multitudes are gathered round the throne, singing praises, and the voice of The Lord is heard.
29  Afferte Domino


1
Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, *
    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.


2
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; *
    worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.


3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
    the LORD is upon the mighty waters.


4
The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; *
    the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.


5
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; *
    the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;


6
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
    and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.


7
The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; *
    the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.


8
The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe *
    and strips the forests bare.


9
And in the temple of the LORD *
    all are crying, "Glory!"


10
The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; *
    the LORD sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11
The LORD shall give strength to his people; *
    the LORD shall give his people the blessing of peace.
This flashing, booming, thundering, tree-splitting psalm is the people’s perfect response to and participation in Isaiah’s vision. And not only in Isaiah’s vision, but in the vision of St. John the Divine as in the spirit he steps into heaven and finds himself in the very throne room of God!
In our worship, we also enter God’s presence, and no time or place more powerfully than with our Trinity hymn “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” and in the Sanctus of the Eucharist.
TW+