The Psalms

Over the past several months, my oldest son, Michael, has become completely captivated by King David. After watching DAVID (2025, Angel Studios), he has wanted to know everything he can about the shepherd who became king. The film does a wonderful job of weaving together many of the familiar accounts from Scripture—Samuel’s anointing of David, Jonathan’s friendship, the Philistines, and David’s remarkable musical gifts. Like any retelling, it also takes some artistic liberties, which has led to some wonderful conversations about what is found in Holy Scripture and what has been added for the sake of the story.

Of everything that has captured Michael’s imagination, David’s singing has made the deepest impression. Naturally, that means we have listened to the soundtrack countless times in our family van.

Those car rides have given us an opportunity to talk about the Psalms. I explained that King David is traditionally credited with composing many of them—nearly half of the Psalter that we chant together at All Saints.

One afternoon I opened Michael’s Bible to Psalm 22 and showed him that these were the very words our Lord Himself prayed from the Cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (St. Matthew 27:46). Michael saw with his own eyes that the Psalms are not just songs about God, but prayers that Christ Himself prayed. We spoke about how Jesus took upon His own lips the words of David, fulfilling them in His Passion.

The titles that accompany many of the Psalms are often overlooked, yet they remind us that these songs belonged to the worship of God’s people. The tune for Psalm 22 is traditionally known as, “The Doe of the Dawn.”  While the melody itself has been lost to history, the words remain. Generation after generation, God’s people have continued to sing them.

Though we no longer know the melody, we still know the Shepherd. The same Lord who inspired David’s songs now gathers His Church to sing them still.

Perhaps one day Michael and I will learn what “The Doe of the Dawn” sounded like. Until then, we will continue singing the Psalms that have sustained the people of God for nearly three thousand years, joining our voices with the whole Church—on earth and in heaven—as together we lift up our hearts and voices unto the Lord  

God’s Peace,

Mason Sawyer
Postulant for Holy Orders