Joyce Borger

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Fourth Sunday of EasterGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words* We belong. We belong to God, the Good Shepherd. Psalm 23 says: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths    for his name’s sake.Even though I walk    through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil,    for you are with me;your rod and your staff,    they comfort me. You prepare a table before me    in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil;    my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me    all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord    forever.—Psalm 23 NIVSong of Praise“Now the Green Blade Rises” Crum“The King of Love my Shepherd Is” Baker“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” WattsCall to ConfessionGod loves us. Christ, when asked what was most important for his followers to do, said:  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"God loves us. Yet we consistently fail to love God or our neighbor. In sorrow for our failure but with assurance of God's loving compassion, let us offer our prayer of confession. Prayer of ConfessionMerciful God, you pardon all who truly repent and turn to you. We humbly confess our sins and ask your mercy. We have not loved you with a pure heart, nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have not done justice, loved kindness, or walked humbly with you, our God.Have mercy on us, O God, in your loving-kindness. In your great compassion, cleanse us from our sin. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Do not cast us from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain us with your bountiful Spirit through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. —based on Psalm 51:10–12 (The Book of Common Worship. © 1946, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 26., alt., PD)Assurance of PardonPeople of God, be assured that you are forgiven and live lives of gratitude following God's commands.As John, the apostle, wrote: "The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that God lives in us: We know it by the Spirit God gave us." —1 John 3: 24 NIVRevised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Fourth Sunday of Easter

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Easter SundayGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words: from Psalm 118*Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;    his love endures forever.Let Israel say:   “His love endures forever.”The Lord is my strength and my defense;    he has become my salvation.The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live,    and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The stone the builders rejected    has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this,    and it is marvelous in our eyes.The Lord has done it this very day;   let us rejoice today and be glad.—Psalm 118:1, 14, 16–17, 22–24 NIVSong of Praise*“Forever” Tomlin“I Stand Amazed” Gabriel“Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven” Wordsworth“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” WesleyCall to ConfessionChrist when asked,what was most important for his followers to do, said:  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"   As much as we may have tried to do that this past week, we have failed. We have failed because we don't quite trust God's power and ability to work in and through us to make things new. We remain captive to our doubt and fear and do not love as we are called. And so, we come to God, humbly confessing our sins, knowing that our God is compassionate and desires to offer us forgiveness. Let us pray together saying: Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak and abuse the earth you made. Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.—Book of Common Worship (Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.). © 1993, Westminster John Knox Press., p. 317 [271], alt., PDAssurance of PardonGod has promised to forgive us our sins, so with the psalmist let us, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;    his love endures forever.The Lord is your strength and your defense.The Lord is your salvation.  We will not die but live,    and will proclaim what the Lord has done.Revised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Easter Sunday

This is part of the worship series, "Worship Resources for Eastertide”Easter Sunday | Eastertide 2 | Eastertide 3Eastertide 4 | Eastertide 5 | Eastertide 6  Ascension Day | Eastertide 7 For those who may be looking for resources for the beginning of worship during Eastertide—the season after Easter—consider the following resources based on the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, year B, but adaptable to any context. As I read through the lectionary readings for this season, many of them centered around love: God’s love for us and the call of Christ’s followers to love each other. Thus, that refrain echoes throughout these resources. Another theme that began with Mark’s account of the women at the tomb is that of doubt and faith and how closely the two reside in each of us.Title IMAGE: JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears at Emmaus from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48275 [retrieved April 2, 2024]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).NOTESA downloadable copy of all of the openings of worship from Easter through Ascension can be found in the resource section below.All material not written by the author is indicated and can be used in worship setting without additional permission. Please do include all copyright notices when using the material and add the following when utilizing the newly written material or referencing the resource as a whole: —Joyce Borger © 2024 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.*Congregation is invited to stand in body or spirit.Third Sunday of EasterGod's Greeting*Christ is risen!Christ is risen indeed!The God who has the powerto make what was dead alive again,and loved us so much that he sent Christto die for our sins so we may live—that is the God who calls us here today,and greets us with these words:"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine."—Isaiah 43:1Opening Words [Invite the congregation to be seated]For some of us it may be easy for us to declare that "Christ is risen", we feel it in our bones, we see the evidence around us. Others of us are full of doubt, or at least have a few questions we'd like to ask of God. And we are in good company, the psalmist also had a few questions for God. Today, our opening words come to us from Psalm 4. It is a dialogue between God and both doubt and faith, which often are not that far from each other. Reading today is [name] as doubt, [name] as the voice of God, and [name] as faith. Doubt:Answer me when I call to you,      my righteous God.Give me relief from my distress;      have mercy on me and hear my prayer. God:How long will you people turn my glory into shame?      How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Faith:Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;      the Lord hears when I call to him. God:Tremble and do not sin;      when you are on your beds,      search your hearts and be silent.Offer the sacrifices of the righteous      and trust in the Lord. Doubt:Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”      Let the light of your face shine on us.Fill my heart with joy      when their grain and new wine abound. Faith and Doubt:In peace I will lie down and sleep,      for you alone, Lord,make me dwell in safety.—Psalm 4 NIVSung Prayer“Come to Us, Beloved Stranger” Downing“Shine on Us” Smith and Smith“Psalm 4: O God, Defender of the Poor” Idle“O For a Closer Walk with Thee” CowperCall to ConfessionGod calls us to "tremble and do not sin" and to "search our hearts". When we search our hearts we find that we have sinned. It isn't that our doubt or the act of questioning God is sinful,but rather when we stop coming to God, when we knowingly turn our back on God, running after delusions and false gods thinking they have the answers. So we come to God in this time of confession not because of doubt or questions, but because we have turned to the wrong places for answers and need our hearts attuned to God's. Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, so many psalms reveal a heart sighing, crying, and breaking with sorrow, yet still clinging to faith in you. Even in the midst of sorrow and doubt we acknowledge that we are afflicted by sin, that things are not as they should be in the world or in our heart. And in good times we think we have the answers and don't need you, And so we fail to recognize our sin at all. In Jesus Christ, you have given us what we need most, yet somehow we continue to turn to other places, other people, other things and ideologies. Even though it is Christ's cross that makes our salvation and forgiveness possible, we consistently get distracted by the world's vain promises. Send your Spirit to set the world aright, and in good times and in times of struggle tune our hearts to God's so that we may truly sing your praises.Humbly we beg your pardon for our sin and ask that your truth will be revealed, and our hearts open to receive Christ Jesus as Lord of every part of our life, trusting in his unfailing love. Amen. —TWS 2.2.39, alt., Joyce BorgerAssurance of PardonReceive these words of grace: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him". —Psalm 103:8–13 NRSVUERevised Common LectionaryYear B: Easter—Third Sunday of Easter

Sometimes what is most familiar to us begins to lose its depth—to feel worn, or quietly distant. And yet, what is familiar often holds deep truth—truth, waiting to be seen again. To rediscover its wonder, we must return to it slowly, with fresh eyes and a receptive heart. This can be true of the psalms—for me it was Psalm 23. In seeking to enter this psalm more deeply and recover its richness, I spent time reflecting on the image of the shepherd as it has been portrayed through art. Then, I returned to the text itself, lingering with it, allowing its words to speak anew as I examined my own heart and life. What follows is a litany shaped by that process: scripture, reflection, and image woven together. It is best led by two voices—one proclaiming the words of the psalm, the other offering the reflection. But it could be spoken by one person. And while it is labeled as a litany, it could take the place of a sermon or form the basis for an entire service. However you chose to use this litany, make sure to move slowly. Do not rush the words. Allow the pauses and times of reflection to remain open and unfilled. In the silence, make space for stillness, contemplation, and for the quiet voice of the Spirit.The paintings included here are all in the public domain and are available through Wikimedia Commons. By clicking on the title of each work, you can access downloadable image files as well as additional information about the artist and the piece.The images are also gathered in the resource section below and have been compiled in a slide presentation to accompany the litany. The slide presentation is available at this link as a "Google slideshow" that you can download, save, and edit for your own use. The asterisk* within the liturgy indicates when to advance the slides.May this litany be a gentle instrument of the Spirit, through which what is familiar is opened again—into deeper meaning and renewed wonder.Psalm 23NRSVUE with Art and ReflectionPsalm: *The Lord is my shepherd; Psalm: *The Lord... Reflection:—not the things, or people of this world. Psalm:*The Lord is...Reflection:—not was, or will be, but present, here, now. Psalm: *The Lord is my...Reflection:my, mine. Despite their number, the shepherd knows their sheep—the sheep are known, and they know their shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd; the Lord knows us personally. The Lord knows our name,our story, our strengths, and our wounds. We are known—we belong.  Psalm: *The Lord is my shepherd; Reflection:God cares for us, watches over us, protects us. God loves us.  Psalm: *I shall not want.Reflection:Do you trust the God, who knows you better than you know yourself to be your provider? [Pause] When you are in need, where do you turn?  *Silent Reflection Psalm:*[The Lord, my shepherd,] makes me lie down in green pastures; Reflection:God knows when we need to rest—sometimes even before we do. What have the green pastures looked like in your life? [Pause] Have there been times when God has made you rest? [Pause] What did that look like? [Pause] Did you recognize it? Did you give thanks? *Silent Reflection Psalm: *[The Lord, my shepherd,] leads me beside still waters; Reflection:For what do you thirst? [Pause] Have you asked God to open your eyes that you might see the water, come to it, and drink? *Silent ReflectionPsalm: *[The Lord my shepherd,] restores my soul.Reflection:This is not only a future promise, but a present reality. God nourishes; God provides;God restores—again and again.  Psalm: *He leads me in right paths.  for his name’s sake. Reflection:Oh, if only we would follow, instead of wandering after what distracts and entices us. God shows the way,but we must be willing to walk it. Where do you see God leading you today?  *Silent Reflection Psalm: *Even though I walk through the darkest valley, Reflection:How deep is your trust in God? [Pause] What if God's leading takes you through difficulty, through uncertainty, through darkness? Will you still trust God? [Pause] The path may not be easy,but God will not abandon us.Psalm: *Even though I walk through the darkest valley,  I fear no evil,Reflection:Sometimes we must speak truth before we fully feel it. Declaring "I fear no evil" is not denial—it is an act of faith. Can you say those words today? Do you trust your shepherd to lead you through?  *Silent Reflection Psalm:   *I fear no evil,for you are with me;    your rod and your staff,    they comfort me. Reflection:We are not alone. Never alone. The God who knows us is with us, always. The rod and staff—tools of guidance and correction—remind us that God not only comforts, but also redirects, protects, and calls us back when we wander. When God is beside us, we can move forward with quiet confidence: all will be well.  Psalm: *You prepare a table before me    in the presence of my enemies; Reflection:One of the hardest callings is this: to live in peace, even among those who oppose us. Can you imagine the trust it takes to sit and eat, surrounded by those who wish you harm? God prepares the table—but will we sit down? Will we release fear, resentment, control? [Pause] Who are your enemies? What does it look like for God to set a table for you in their presence?   *Silent Reflection Psalm: *you anoint my head with oil; Reflection:Imagine dry, cracked skin being soothed by warm oil. Healing. Restoration. Renewal. Oil also marks calling—being set apart for a purpose. God heals us, yes,but also sends us. Where do you need God's healing? Where might God be calling you?  *Silent ReflectionPsalm:     *my cup overflows.Reflection:Can you imagine such a rich life? [Pause] —a life rooted in trust, sustained in both rest and hardship...—a life guided by the Shepherd, where even the valleys are not without hope...No wonder the psalmist says, "my cup overflows." This is a life of deep and abiding blessing.  Psalm: *Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me    all the days of my life, Reflection:Not occasionally. Not conditionally. Surely. Always.  Psalm: *and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord    my whole life long.Reflection:Always and forever with God.What joy. What peace. What promise! Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Lent—Fourth Sunday in LentYear A: Easter—Fourth Sunday of EasterYear A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 23 (28)Year B: Easter—Fourth Sunday of EasterYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 11 (16)Year C: Easter—Fourth Sunday of Easter

This psalm may be especially meaningful during the Easter season or any time we wish to reflect on the gift of salvation.

Sometimes when we read a psalm, it can feel disorienting. Is the psalmist lamenting or praising God? Is this a psalm of doubt or faith? Psalm 22 is one such psalm. It opens with a despairing cry, questioning whether God has abandoned them, yet later it offers bold words of praise for a God who has done mighty things.If we are honest, this is often our experience. Even as people of faith, there are moments when we wonder where God is. Why does God not intervene? Why does suffering continue unchecked?  And yet…we remember. We remember what God has done. We recall the times when God’s presence was felt unmistakably near, when help appeared in miraculous ways. We remember. And so, we trust. We trust that God is still present, even when that presence feels shrouded. While God may not act in the ways we expect, and though evil may seem relentless, we hold on to our hope born of faith that one day we will see that God was at work all along. We trust that God is sovereign and will ultimately be victorious—that indeed, our God “has done it”! Viewed in this light, even words of despair, when addressed to God, are words of faith. In our anguish, we turn and speak to God with raw honesty that flows unabated and unrestrained from the depths of our soul. We tell the truth of our pain while simultaneously holding to the truth of God’s faithfulness. These are not contradictions to resolve, but tensions to embrace. At times, we manage a tenuous balance, holding both doubt and faith with quiet defiance; at others, one truth seems to have the upper hand. And there are moments when, overcome by immense grief and despair, we rely on the Christian community to bear witness for us—to speak of God’s faithfulness and sing God’s praises on our behalf. Psalm 22 contains the words Christ had on his lips, flowing from deep within, as he was crucified on the cross. In that moment, we see these two truths embodied: the agony of feeling forsaken and the unshaken trust that God reigns and is worthy of praise. Whether you use Psalm 22 on Good Friday or at another occasion, this psalm offers a powerful opportunity for communal reflection. The following reading employs two voices to help bring out the dual truths contained within the one psalm. Encourage the readers not only to speak the words, but to inhabit them. How might they give voice to both truths?Psalm 22 NRSVUEReader 1:My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;    and by night but find no rest. Reader 2:Yet you are holy,    enthroned on the praises of Israel.In you our ancestors trusted;    they trusted, and you delivered them.To you they cried and were saved;    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. Reader 1:But I am a worm and not human,    scorned by others and despised by the people.All who see me mock me;    they sneer at me; they shake their heads;“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!” Reader 2:Yet it was you who took me from the womb;    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.On you I was cast from my birth,    and since my mother bore me you have been my God. Reader 1:Do not be far from me,    for trouble is near,    and there is no one to help.Many bulls encircle me;    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;they open wide their mouths at me,    like a ravening and roaring lion.I am poured out like water,    and all my bones are out of joint;my heart is like wax;    it is melted within my breast;my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;    you lay me in the dust of death.For dogs are all around me;    a company of evildoers encircles me;they bound my hands and feet.I can count all my bones.They stare and gloat over me;they divide my clothes among themselves,    and for my clothing they cast lots.But you, O Lord, do not be far away!    O my help, come quickly to my aid!Deliver my soul from the sword,    my life from the power of the dog!    Save me from the mouth of the lion! Reader 2:From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:You who fear the Lord, praise him!    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;    stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!For he did not despise or abhor    the affliction of the afflicted;he did not hide his face from me    but heard when I cried to him.From you comes my praise in the great congregation;    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.The poor shall eat and be satisfied;    those who seek him shall praise the Lord.    May your hearts live forever!All the ends of the earth shall remember    and turn to the Lord,and all the families of the nations    shall worship before him.For dominion belongs to the Lord,    and he rules over the nations. Reader 1:To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,    and I shall live for him. Reader 2:Posterity will serve him;    future generations will be told about the Lordand proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,    saying that  Bothhe has done it.Revised Common LectionaryYear A: Holy Week—Good FridayYear B: Holy Week—Good FridayYear C: Holy Week—Good FridayYear B: Season after Pentecost—Proper 23 (28)Year C: Season after Pentecost—Proper 7 (12)Year B: Lent—Second Sunday in LentYear B: Easter—Fifth Sunday of Easter

Psalm 116 is a psalm of thanksgiving traditionally used at the conclusion of the Passover meal. It isn’t surprising, then, that in Christian worship it is often used on Maundy Thursday and as a response of gratitude following the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It is also fitting to use this psalm on other occasions for thanksgiving.

Psalm 31 with its testimony like text that speaks of all that the Lord has done finds its home in services with many different themes throughout the liturgical year. Depending on your context and focus, you may want to utilize different portions of this psalm so I have kept the verse numbers and provided a simple responsive reading for a leader and worshipers or two voices. You can use the entire psalm or choose a few verses.

This psalm is often used with Palm Sunday and Easter services as it celebrates what the Lord has done. It is arranged for use with a congregation and leader or two voices.

“Out of the depths” begins most English translations of Psalm 130. I prefer the Latin, De profundis, as the sound of those Latin words communicates the despair, the profundity of the situation that the psalmist invites us to inhabit. With the psalmist we find ourselves in a dark place from which we cannot escape. Maybe we have tried to climb out by ourselves and failed; maybe we have called out to people passing by, but still we sit in darkness. We’ve lost all hope. And in the midst of this despair and darkness we turn to God, pleading that God might hear us despite our unworthiness. And just like the first sliver of light pierces the night sky as morning dawns, so does hope glimmer through our despair. Our God is a forgiving God, a redeeming God, a God of love. This is the testimony of all believers. This is the story of grace. When I read this psalm, my mind’s ear adds a deep cello-like drone at the beginning to underscore the depths. In a worship setting, such music can help emphasize both the depths in which the psalm begins and the progression throughout the psalm. To integrate chords with the psalm text consider using the chord progression i-VI-III-VII which fits the four sections of the psalm quite well. If you play that progression in A minor, you can easily transition into Eelco Vos’s  arrangement of Karl Digerness’s “Out of the Depths I Cry to You” from Psalms for All Seasons (see links following the Psalm). You could also play the progression in E minor and transition to the text and tune by Martin Luther AUS TIEFER NOT, “Out of the Depths I Cry to You”, or another version of Psalm 130 written in a minor or modal key.  While a group of strings would be ideal, the chords could also be played softly on the organ or a keyboard. If using a piano you will lose the drone effect, but you could improvise an arpeggiated pattern based on each chord. Make sure to practice with the reader who should pause between each section for the chord change.  Psalm 130 with “Out of the Depths” by Karl Digerness Am chord/iOut of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.    Lord, hear my voice!Let your ears be attentive    to the voice of my supplications!F chord/VIIf you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,    Lord, who could stand?But there is forgiveness with you,    so that you may be revered.C chord/IIII wait for the Lord; my soul waits,    and in his word I hope;my soul waits for the Lord    more than those who watch for the morning,    more than those who watch for the morning.G chord/VIIO Israel, hope in the Lord!    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,    and with him is great power to redeem.It is he who will redeem Israel    from all its iniquities.—Psalm 130 NRSVUEIf using the arrangement by Elco Vos found in Psalms for All Seasons 130D, transition by playing the first four measures as an introduction. Pdf lead sheets, guitar charts, Sibelius music scores, jpegs for bulletins and lyric text files are available for purchase through City Hymns. The lead sheet most easily accessible is in G. In which case, play the progression in Em, ending the last section with a sustained D chord. From there go to a C2 chord, then follow the G-D-C2 introduction on the lead sheet. YouTube RecordingSpotifyAmazon Music