Ancient songs still know our names. We open a wide-ranging conversation on why the Psalms continue to steady hearts across Jewish and Christian traditions, moving from the comfort of Psalm 23 to the moral clarity of Psalm 1 and the sheltering promise of Psalm 91. Along the way, we dig into how Hebrew parallelism makes ideas sing, why familiar translations carry deep emotional ties, and how music—old and new—turns prayer into something you can hold when grief blurs the edges.

Rudy shares how Psalm 91 became a daily anchor during the pandemic, a sung reminder of refuge when headlines felt like storms. David walks us through Psalm 1’s rooted life versus weightless chaff, showing how wisdom and Torah shape character over time. We don’t shy away from hard texts either: Psalm 137’s love for Jerusalem and its shocking final verse reveal scripture’s unfiltered honesty about rage and loss, giving voice to emotions we’d rather edit out yet need to bring before God.

We also explore the living tradition: blues and jazz adaptations that make lament feel contemporary, country renditions that carry prayer to new ears, and the Liturgy of the Hours that threads psalms through morning and night around the world. With All Saints and All Souls on the calendar, we reflect on memory, purification, and the communal ways faith holds us in every season. Whether you’re a lifelong psalm-reader or just curious, you’ll leave with a simple promise: there is a psalm for what you’re facing today, and singing it might be the beginning of healing.

If this conversation moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a word of comfort, and leave a review to help others find us. What psalm has carried you lately?