The next Scripture reading in the Liturgy of the Word is the Responsorial Psalm. We remain seated as a lector reads or a cantor sings the psalm response. Then we recite or sing in return. Usually the psalm relates in some way to the First Reading, so we should be watching for shared themes or another kind of connection. Sometimes, for instance, the First Reading calls us to praise, and the Psalm allows us to express that praise in word or song.
There are usually three or four verses in the responsorial psalm, and we recite or sing the response in between them. We should speak or sing out fully, for we are praying to God in the words that God has given us. In fact, the psalms are ideal for both liturgical and private prayer. They express nearly every human emotion, and they allow us to approach God in and through those emotions, bringing Him our joy and sorrow, our fear and pain, our love and excitement, and most of all, our worship.
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