Substitute Psalms
Date: March 2, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: These two questions pertain to General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) No. 61: 1. Since singing of the psalms is encouraged in GIRM 61 and not all psalms have been set to music, when we choose a "substitute" psalm (for singing), are we supposed to choose only from the list of "common psalms" in the lectionary (depending on the season)? Or may we choose a psalm (of similar theme or message) that is originally assigned on other days (not necessarily same season) but is not in the list of "common psalms"? 2. Does the psalm (with musical setting) have to correspond word-for-word with what is in lectionary? Or will different choice of words in the response or verses be acceptable so long as they come from the same part of the Bible? -- M.A.S., Philippines
Answer: With respect to the choice of psalm we note the following from the Introduction to the Lectionary:
“b. Responsorial psalm and acclamation before the gospel
“89. Among the chants between the readings, the psalm after the first reading is very important. As a rule, the psalm to be used is the one assigned to the reading. But in the case of readings for the Common of Saints, ritual Masses, Masses for various needs and occasions, votive Masses, and Masses for the dead the choice is left up to the priest celebrating. He will base his choice on the principle of the pastoral benefit of those participating. But to make it easier for the people to join in the response to the psalm, the Order of Readings lists certain other texts of psalms and responses that have been chosen according to the various seasons or classes of saints. Whenever the psalm is sung, these texts may replace the text corresponding to the reading.
“90. The chant between the second reading and the gospel is either specified in each Mass and correlated with the gospel or else it is left as a choice to be made from those in the series belonging to a liturgical season or to one of the Commons.”
While the above text allows for significant flexibility, it does not grant absolute freedom, and the preference is to maintain the assigned psalm as far as possible.
Therefore, I think that one should choose one of the common psalms assigned by the lectionary to the season or class of feast and may not replace it with another psalm that might seem appropriate. The lectionary itself allows a much wider choice for the common, votive and ritual Masses.
This would seem to be the logic used by the framers of the lectionary. They first spent years carefully choosing psalms suitable for each reading along with their responses. Second, to favor singing, they offer a selection of common psalms suitable for most seasons and feasts. This should be enough to cover most situations.
Having completed this delicate task it does not seem logical that the norms would then allow for practically anybody to replace the assigned psalm with another psalm that in their opinion conveys the same message. It could well vacate the concept that the psalm is intended as a meditative response to the reading that has been proclaimed.
With respect to the choice of versions of the psalms that do not correspond exactly to the lectionary, I cite the version of the GIRM used in the United States with its additional text.
“The Responsorial Psalm
“61. After the First Reading follows the Responsorial Psalm, which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and which has great liturgical and pastoral importance, since it fosters meditation on the Word of God.
“The Responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should usually be taken from the Lectionary.
“It is preferable for the Responsorial Psalm to be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is concerned. Hence the psalmist, or cantor of the Psalm, sings the Psalm verses at the ambo or another suitable place, while the whole congregation sits and listens, normally taking part by means of the response, except when the Psalm is sung straight through, that is, without a response. However, in order that the people may be able to sing the Psalm response more easily, texts of some responses and Psalms have been chosen for the different times of the year or for the different categories of Saints. These may be used instead of the text corresponding to the reading whenever the Psalm is sung. If the Psalm cannot be sung, then it should be recited in a way that is particularly suited to fostering meditation on the Word of God.
“In the Dioceses of the United States of America, instead of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary, there may be sung either the Responsorial Gradual from the Graduale Romanum, or the Responsorial Psalm or the Alleluia Psalm from the Graduale Simplex, as described in these books, or an antiphon and Psalm from another collection of Psalms and antiphons, including Psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the Responsorial Psalm.”
To this may be added the guidelines offered by the U.S. bishops on liturgical music “Sing to the Lord.” Although these guidelines have no legal application outside of the United States, they do generally express sound liturgical reasoning.
On at least one occasion, however, the Holy See did solicit a more precise definition as to what was meant by “another collection of Psalms and antiphons” to ensure the suitability of the texts involved.
“The Responsorial Psalm
“155. The Responsorial Psalm follows the first reading. Because it is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word, and is in effect a reading from Scripture, it has great liturgical and pastoral significance. Corresponding to the reading that it follows, the Responsorial Psalm is intended to foster meditation on the Word of God. Its musical setting should aid in this, being careful to not overshadow the other readings.
“156. ‘As a rule the Responsorial Psalm should be sung.’ Preferably, the Psalm is sung responsorially: ‘the psalmist, or cantor of the psalm, sings the psalm verses and the whole congregation joins in by singing the response.’ If this is not possible, the Psalm is sung completely without an intervening response by the community.
“157. The proper or seasonal Responsorial Psalm from the Lectionary for Mass, with the congregation singing the response, is to be preferred to the gradual from the Graduale Romanum. When the Latin gradual is sung in directum (straight through) by choir alone, the congregation should be given a vernacular translation.
“158. Because the Psalm is properly a form of sung prayer, ‘every means available in each individual culture is to be employed’ in fostering the singing of the Psalm at Mass, including the extraordinary options provided by the Lectionary for Mass. In addition to the proper or seasonal Psalm in the Lectionary, the Responsorial Psalm may also be taken from the Graduale Romanum or the Graduale Simplex, or it may be an antiphon and psalm from another collection of the psalms and antiphons, including psalms arranged in paraphrase or in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the diocesan bishop.
“159. Songs or hymns that do not at least paraphrase a psalm may never be used in place of the Responsorial Psalm.
“160. If it is not possible for the Psalm to be sung, the response alone may be sung, while the lector reads the intervening verses of the Psalm ‘in a manner conducive to meditation on the word of God.’”
Some authors have argued that the words “instead of the psalm assigned” in GIRM 61 would allow for almost any approved psalm to be used in the liturgy.
I strongly doubt this is a correct interpretation for the reasons given in my reply to the first question above. Since it refers to singing, I believe it refers above all to another version of the prescribed psalm different from that of the lectionary.
The example that the inquirer gave me in his original e-mail could perhaps be used if it received episcopal approval for such liturgical use. In English, there is a long tradition in both Catholicism and Anglicanism of the use of sung metrical psalms; these may be used whenever the bishops approve the texts for use in the liturgy.
The approval of a specific text for liturgical use is reserved to either the national bishops’ conference or the local bishop.
It is important to note that this is different from the “imprimatur” given in the diocese of the publishing house. This document merely assures that a work is free of doctrinal error but does not mean that it is suitable for liturgical proclamation. For example, there have been cases in which versions of the psalms that were rejected by a bishops’ conference as unsuitable for liturgical use later appeared as private collections with musical notation and proposed for use in parishes.
Therefore, I would say that if a collection of psalms and antiphons is to be proposed for an entire country, the publishers should submit the text for approval to the bishops’ conference.
If this permission is not sought, the approval would fall upon each individual bishop. Pastors should not use these versions to replace the responsorial psalm although they may be used as songs in other moments such as for the entrance procession and presentation of gifts.
It is also worthwhile recalling that the Holy See invited bishops to provide stable texts for the most important parts of the liturgy, including when alternative texts are approved. Thus, the 2001 instruction Liturgiam Authenticam stated:
“36. In order that the faithful may be able to commit to memory at least the more important texts of the Sacred Scriptures and be formed by them even in their private prayer, it is of the greatest importance that the translation of the Sacred Scriptures intended for liturgical use be characterized by a certain uniformity and stability, such that in every territory there should exist only one approved translation, which will be employed in all parts of the various liturgical books. This stability is especially to be desired in the translation of the Sacred Books of more frequent use, such as the Psalter, which is the fundamental prayer book of the Christian people. [...]”
“108. Sung texts and liturgical hymns have a particular importance and efficacy. Especially on Sunday, the ‘Day of the Lord,’ the singing of the faithful gathered for the celebration of Holy Mass, no less than the prayers, the readings and the homily, express in an authentic way the message of the Liturgy while fostering a sense of common faith and communion in charity. If they are used widely by the faithful, they should remain relatively fixed so that confusion among the people may be avoided. Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, the Conferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national and diocesan Commissions and with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing. This document shall be transmitted for the necessary recognitio to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.”
Pope Francis has modified some of the norms of this instruction while others, such as the preparation of the above-mentioned directory or repertory, have proved much more arduous tasks than originally foreseen. Some bishops’ conferences, however, have published such national repertories or have official online sources which fulfill a similar role.
* * *
Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.