Friday, November 17, 2023

Psalm 141 [Prayer Walk]

Releasing this single—a bit of music therapy from our Holy Paraclete—from the distantly forthcoming Revenant Psalms, Vol. III. While this is an ongoing project, the prospect of a third volume is so far off, it seems best to release this track now, as the "healing balm" offered by this classic metrical paraphrase of Psalm 141 (slightly modified by yours truly) is sorely needed now on so many fronts, from the personal and the individual to the international, global, and cosmic. With so many losses being borne and with a friend in her 80s soon to inaugurate a stone labyrinth that she personally installed in her back yard—all of these reasons seemed to lobby for sending this contemplative track out into the world to do its pastoral, therapeutic work. 

Here's a nice link to listen ad-free (where you can also access your preferred streamers):

 https://timslemmons.hearnow.com/psalm-141-prayer-walk

Here the YT link: 



Listen closely and you will hear the plodding guitar track doubled at the mid-point when the psalmist asks for help in avoiding going astray, "when evil footsteps lead the way," and then finds his true yoke-mate (as it were) to keep his steps on the straight and narrow. At the end, "Charlemagne the dog," the true rock-star of the family (pictured on 2020's Persevere), makes a special guest appearance with a couple of well-timed percussion solos—first just outside the studio door, then on the way out the hall—with his nails on the parquet, no doubt summoning me out for another prayer walk ... no telling where.

Like other works of indie artists and authors with a day job, these tracks have no sponsors behind them or prominent promotional platforms from which to break through the brave new world's batteries of bots and algorithms, just word of mouth and your willingness to share organically. So do please share widely, especially with those in need of peace, comfort, solace, and healing, with worship leaders, and with those inclined to intercession and prayer walking. Thanks and may God bless us everyone.

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