There is a richness of scriptural resources for reflecting on our faith at Christmas. These resources come from the developing traditions of Christmas worship in the early centuries of Christianity. This post concerns especially the psalms that are proposed by the Revised Common Lectionary for our Christmas worship celebrations.
In the ancient Roman church, a Christmas Mass was originally celebrated as a vigil service at the manger of St Mary Major in Rome. It was a small service originating under Pope Sixtus III, and was known as The Angel’s Mass, as the story was told of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:1–14).
In time, a large public service was added at the church of St Peter on the morning of Christmas Day, presided over by the Pope. This practice continues to this day. This service was known as The Shepherd’s Mass, for the story of the shepherds coming to visit the newborn child (Luke 2:8–20).
A third service, The Mass of the Divine Word, was added in the fifth century, originally to celebrate St Anastasia, whose body, it was said, rested in the palace church of the Byzantine Governor in Rome. The focus of this service shifted, over time, from a veneration of the saint’s remains, to a celebration of the Incarnation. The Gospel read at this service was John 1:1–14.
These three Gospel passages were retained in the Common Lectionary when it was created in 1983, drawing on the ancient Roman practices, and continued on in the Revised Common Lectionary of 1992. To the three Gospel passages were added nine additional readings—three psalms, three from the prophets, and three from the epistles. The three options are identified as Nativity of the Lord Proper I, Proper II, and Proper III.
Alongside the Gospel passage and the prophetic passage for each of the three traditional services for Christmas (Nativity of the Lord I, II, and III), there is a psalm offered for each service. We would do well to use them to guide our response at Christmas, as we hear the story and celebrate the birth of Jesus. The three psalms (Psalms 96, 97, and 98) come from a sequence of songs offering praise—a note that is entirely suitable for the Christmas season!
Collectively, these psalms call us to “sing a new song to the Lord” (Ps 96:1; 98:1), to rejoice (96:11–12; 97:8, 12; 98:8), and to celebrate that “the Lord, he is coming, coming to judge the earth … with righteousness and with truth” (96:13; 97:2; 98:9). Justice and joy mark each of these songs.
The first psalm of the three, Psalm 96, invites us to “worship the Lord in the splendour of holiness” (v.9), a message that I have seen painted in many church buildings, often over the front sanctuary area. The last verse reminds us also that God’s desire for the people of the earth is righteousness and truth; an ideal that we would do well to remember daily in our lives away from the sanctuary, enmeshed in our ordinary activities.
For the middle of the three traditional medieval services for Christmas (Nativity of the Lord II), Psalm 97 was sung. It sounds a tone of celebration in the first verse, but then paints what feels like a dark, menacing picture of God (vv.2–5). The clouds, fire, lightning, darkness, and seismic tremors in these verses are intended to convey the exalted majesty of God, “the Lord of all the earth” (v.5). This may be an alien set of images for us, perhaps. Yet Israel is called to respond with joy; this portrayal of the glory of God lifts the people out of their mundane lives and transports them to “high over all the earth” (v.9).
Light and joy are associated with God, because God strengthens those who are righteous and supports those who are “upright in heart” (v.11). This is the essence of who God is; God is characterised by righteousness and glory (v.6). We might think of Israel’s God as evoking fear and terror when divine judgement is made; this psalm, and many others, show a different picture. There is no sense of being cowed or ground down by a menacing God; rather, it is cause for celebration. The response which is sought is joy and gladness (v.8).
Psalm 98 was sung in the third of the three traditional medieval services for Christmas (The Mass of the Divine Word). It is offered today by the lectionary as part of the readings for Nativity III. That third service was a joyful celebration of the Incarnation, which is the climactic affirmation of the Gospel (John 1:14). So the recurrent songs of praise and joyful noise throughout verses 4–8 are most pertinent; this is a fine way to celebrate the good news of how God comes to us in Jesus, which is what we celebrate at Christmas.
The orchestra that is playing includes both instruments played by humans (lyre, voice, trumpets, horn) as well as the flooding seas and the surrounding hills; it is a full, cosmic celebration. The psalm is introduced with a common invocation, “sing to the Lord a new song” (Ps 96:1; also 33:3; 144:9; 149:1). It closes with a recurrent affirmation of God’s “judgement with righteousness” (Ps 96:13; also 50:6; 72:2; 96:13).
The linking of judgement and joy is striking, and may feel unusual for us; but see Heb 12:22–24, where the same link is made as the author of this letter exhorts their readers, “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel”. Justice based on clear judgement and joy generated by celebratory gatherings belong together.
See
An Informed Faith 