and#8220;Relax It is Just Godand#8221; is a podcast of worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church.  Rev. Dr. Jerry Tankersley is preaching from Matthew 13. We begin our new sermon series on the Parables of Jesus from Matthewand#8217;s Gospel. We are reading from the NRSV. This is also a communion Sunday.

This Sunday we are also introducing Plainsong using Tone V.1 for Psalm 1.

This way of singing the Psalms goes back to the 3rd and 4th century Christian Church as it was handed down to the Church from the Hellenistic Jewish Synagogue worship. This way of singing places the emphasis on the Scriptural text rather than on a melody or harmony.

This way of singing allows us to sing all the verses of any particular Psalm. John Calvin, the great Protestant Reformer, believed that the Church should only sing the Psalms in this way. They were sung without any musical instrumentation. The Reformers intended for the hymns and other music to support the singing of the Psalms, never to supplant them. Plainsong has all but fallen out of practice in the Presbyterian Church throughout America. While many Scottish Presbyterians sing the Psalms using Plainsong in every worship service. As you listen, may you hear Psalm 1 more fully.