I learnt this psalm during the UK lockdown. The National Theatre were showing wonderful productions of great plays. Each week a different play was released. I used the story lines to hang passages of scripture. Embedding verses into memories like these is very effective.
I have used many films. plays etc as journey pegs because they are often vivid, easy to recall and have a defined chronology.
So Psalm 148.
Praise the LORD
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Note PRAISE from the HEAVENs is the subject of this first section
This psalm is overwhelmed with All’s . God is supreme. The whole universe is called to praise him.
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word
Note PRAISE from the EARTH is the subject for the next section
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
3 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!
The last section says God’s majesty is above BOTH EARTH and HEAVEN!
The National Theatre production week 6 was Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. A strange story to use you might think ! But in fact the story has wonderful truths in it about the human condition, loneliness, corruption etc. Here is a detailed map of how to hang a poem onto this play.
I assigned each section to a different character and put them in very clearly defined locations.
Praise the LORD
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Elizabeth Lavenza
the pretty pure young fiance of Victor Frankenstein.
High waisted Empire line long dress puffed sleeves
MOUNTAINS
Swiss Alps/ blue sky/ sunshine / trees
Elizabeth is in a high nest in a tree , angels come down to be with her and bring toast!
- Praise the LORD x5 – use your hand to count off
- where ? Heavens – everything points up . She raises her arms up and looks up
- Rhyming word images : Heights = high nest, Hosts = toast
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
The HAIDMAID
– a plump rounded girl with long grey dress
MOUNTAINS
She points out to her mistress the Sun, the Moon and the Shining Stars!
- The Highest Heavens = two H ladders stacked on top of each other . She climbs up them and finds herself in water above heaven!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
MONSTER in shabby clothes , ugly , bare legs and feet
LABORATORY
dark, glowing red,
pulsating
The monster has just been created and become conscious. He is holding a LETTER ( Let) He is referring to Victor Frankenstein who created him. Use nmemonic PC Egg because the monster emerged from what the scientist hoped would be a politically correct egg!
- P = Praise
- C = commanded ( scientist created )
- E = established ( for ever and ever – ” can I die”
- G= Gave ( decree= ducky!) (“It shall not pass” – Gandalf)
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
SCIENTIST Victor Frankenstein
ORKNEYs
the sea then the bleak mountains the narrative travels from the deep sea up through fire, snow up to the top of mountains and down to the land
- SEa creatures Deeps = SEDiment
- Fire and Snow, Hail and Mist ( hot fire, cold snow, cold hail, hot mist)
- Creeping things and flying birds = worms
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Alphonse Frankenstein – FATHER of Victor
in beautiful 19th century clothes
City HOUSE Geneva
Wedding
- Note the EARTH x2
- K P P R = Kipper – Kings peoples princes Rulers Kipper for breakfast
- Young Men Maidens
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
MONSTER
NORTH POLE
bleak alone
clutching a LETTER
- LETTER = LET note the Monster repeats his previous refrain and clutches a letter each time he appears
- His Name Alone = His Name Lonely Egg
- Majesty = MG car – the monster drives off into orbit- above heaven and earth!
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!
OLD Good man
De Lacey
a peasant
PEASANT’s HOUSE
- The final scene. The old man’s oration as at the end of a Shakespeare tragedy.
- He raises an ALPINE HORN
- note sequence : People Saints People