CANTUS: The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother)

Cantus sings Bobby McFerrin's beautiful work "The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother)"
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linktr.ee/cantussings

[@meemyselfandi]

For all of you complaining about a God being referred to as "She:" If you look it says dedicated to my mother, this is because Bobby McFerrin wrote it for his mother, an accomplished vocalist. He said that when he first thought of it he saw his wife interacting with his child, and thought, surely we can see God's love through the love of a mother to a child. There's a beauty in that sentiment, and it doesn't need to be marred by silly banter. God's love is shown through love from our mothers and daughters, AND our fathers and sons -- and many many more connections. This is just one way Bobby McFerrin chose to honor his mother, and praise God for having blessed him with her.

[@3sistersinthespirit935]

Asante ?Thanx Sara . This is #beUtiful and on point!!! But isnt God the personification of us All..both masculine and feminine

[@edkramer1970]

I don't think God has chromosomes - X or Y.

[@JohnWilmerding]

Besides, if G-d is male, how big is _________?

[@clairen4584]

If you look for the reference to one of the Names of God: "El Shaddai" = *El* combines with word *shaddai* . Shaddai is derived from word *shad* meaning 'breast'.. God in feminine expression as The Satisfier, The All Sufficient One, the Well- many- Breasted One. El Shaddai is mentioned (41) times -- found (31) times in the Book of Job alone.

[@toddwaddingtonproductions4227]

Totally accepting of "God" with all the titles it has been labeled with for thousands of years. Whatever God is, I'd be really surprised if he, she, it had ANY opinion to how we addressed it.

[@PLG1958]

Gorgeous, gorgeous! Thank you, thank you!

[@ThorAbian]

Tonight as I drove home, I heard this song on the radio...I'd not heard it for 16 years, since a friend played it at my Mother's funeral. Such a beautiful song, magnificent for its simplicity. I am grateful to God, that S/He made Bobby McFerrin, and that this piece of music exists: just as it did 16 years ago, it comforts my soul.

[@moonkraab]

Played at my mother's funeral also❤

[@davidbrookes9430]

A beautiful chant, sung with such warmth and feeling, and dedicated to all mothers. I would love to get the chant and use it with my church choir.

[@MrDontAsk3]

Man, this is an awesome performance of this song. The vowels, the harmony, the fact that theres no visible conductor or conducting, it's truly amazing.

[@AnandaGarden]

Three tissue music. Throughout history, and in all lands, including the West, God has been worshipped as Father, Mother, and divine Friend.

[@bronwyndove8384]

I agree Carol. It made me tear up. Love, Bronnie

[@roberthicker8488]

So beautiful. Like Anglican chant with a twist of cool.

[@benzotron]

I love when the basses hit that low note and it just resonates with such careful power.

[@patriciareed3109]

best part of being a soprano standing in front of the baritones!

[@bonniehaghirian7940]

"We created them in our image, male and female." Even in Genesis we find the dual gender of God. This is a beautiful arrangement of Psalm 23. Thank you for sharing.

[@HeidiGarrido]

Rolling my eyes at all of the argumentative comments on here. It's a beautiful song, this group did it so wonderfully. I'm not religious at all and I can still appreciate this piece of music and the singers here, geez! Simply lovely, Cantus!

[@MrDontAsk3]

I'm pretty sure the reason it's "She" is because Bobby is referring to his mother as a godly figure. She was kind of an earthly shepherd to him, so he references the psalm to honor her. Also, the bass in this song is awesome!

[@Maryleticia]

Who is the bass?

[@lazoolazoo3771]

Beautiful.

[@canoeman621]

Simply lovely.

[@dirty05martini]

9 men... ONE voice. Abolutely Beautiful.

[@betsy1947]

What beautiful harmony!

[@zynzane9680]

So beautiful!

[@scottydawg68]

Stunning!

[@christelsiebenberg3287]

So beautiful. Thank you.

[@MrAdhdx10]

My heart is smiling

[@sallierosemadrone8353]

Beautiful!!!

[@sousa63]

Hate to break your theological bubble but God has a feminine aspect and has a masculine aspect. God is niether female or male. This song simply takes on the feminine aspect of the trinity.

[@LoveTheMusicAll]

I agree with you sousa63 and I try to avoid using pronouns when speaking of God. It is also true that the spirit of wisdom was considered female - you can see this in the Bible especially in the Apocrypha. To that end, The Inclusive Bible, a translation by Priests for Equality, consistently refers to the Holy Spirit as female. The Trinity, then has 1) God without a gender assignment, 2) Jesus Christ who was male when he walked among us, and 3) the Holy Spirit who is female.

[@eeli1]

God. So beautiful.

[@pianoaction]

great performance! thank you!

[@KrisMcIrl]

i have never heard this before and it is stunning!

[@jennifermiceli5608]

So beautiful - thank you for posting

[@widlwood-wisdom]

Phenomenal performance! Thank you and blessings!

[@queenofweaves916]

This is beautiful 🥰

[@ChristopherZimmerman]

Absolutely stunning. I loved your interpretation of such a stunning piece.

[@sociallyawkwardboss]

Stop complaining guys and just enjoy the song.

[@gigitrue63]

Don't you get it that it if offensive to some people to have what they hold so dear taken so lightly by others?

[@TheJakebriscoe]

the soprano/s is/are incredible

[@annelieshoeflaken1422]

Zo prachtig gezongen!

[@yettocometarragon1916]

liololololololololololol!!! i love it !!!!!! yall killed it!!!! you sound just like Bobby!!!!1 wow simply beautiful...... bravo bravo bravo!!!!!!

[@CompassionateFIre]

Why is it that so many supposedly "religious" people are the most likely to place limits on G-d. God is neither male nor female. The problem is human lack of imagination, which is manifest in the limitations of our language. Since our language is inadequate, it doesn't matter if we use masculine or feminine pronouns. Regardless of the pronoun this is beautiful, inspired piece of music.

[@stuartfielding905]

What is it about choral performances that you know within the first couple of seconds whether it will be any good or not? This is outstanding.

[@JStrader]

The Bible also talks about Sophia as a feminine and spirit-filled aspect of God's essence. Blasphemy is a human unwillingness to accept God's creative nature while dogmatically presuming to place God in a container that God has not established for The Divine or creation.

[@joetribuzio95]

What an amazing sound...and that bass? Wow

[@Maryleticia]

Who is that bass?

[@Eiolgjen]

Beautiful. And those who object to the "she" don't understand Biblical translation and the other feminine references to God in the Bible. English doesn't have an all encompassing pronoun that is larger than he or she or it.

[@segosametsi]

I am in awe. Ke a leboga.

[@widlwood-wisdom]

No, actually the Psalm, part of the Hebrew Scriptures you may know at the Old Testament was not written about Jesus for Jesus had not yet walked the earth. It is a Psalm written about God. Knowing that God is larger and more complex than we as mere mortals can conceive many regard God without gender, of all genders and of one or another gender.

[@Vocalisse92]

@outdoorsue I would have to agree with @deepbluenothing because without a conductor they need to keep in check with each other. I think they do a beautiful job!

[@mariadulcegarrido7791]

Absolutly delicius

[@musicsinger59]

Beautiful performance! Is this available in sheet music form for male chorus as its sung?

[@Zenju__]

This is an impeccable performance. Cantus, for the sake of curiosity, did you perhaps get a sheet from Bobby McFerrin himself? I imagine it would be quite hard to know every individual voice.

[@musicsinger59]

Where can you buy the sheet music?

[@johnsteven6273]

I'm posting this question on a few of the recordings of this piece. I can't be the only one to wonder about this. Is Bobby McFerrin Episcopalian/Anglican? As soon as I listened, I thought this was basically an Anglican chant. I then I looked up the sheet music and it does seem to be a single Anglican chant with the rhythm written out and some changes in the spacing of the voices from verse to verse alla Stanford and his setting of Psalm 150.

[@franciegross1159]

God is neither male nor female, and God is both male and female. Don't attempt to put puny human limitations on Her/Him. Just listen and enjoy the music. If God desires it, you might even begin to understand...

[@MsSkyciel]

Of course I am glad you could have this group do a dedication for your mom. I will be listening to it asap... when I figure out why I am not getting sound right now! Typical. Thinking of you and how we had drop -in privileges... which I miss. And for GOD'S sake don't ruin this in Glynni's memory. How petty to always put your own opinions into everything. Love you pet Tupper for me.

[@SirCommoner]

Did you manage to get a sheet from Bobby McFerrin?

[@vocalplanula]

hola amigos, ¿cómo pedo conseguir la partitura vocal?

[@Komnyus]

Where is Bobby?

[@NuggetEternal]

How come I see some different faces to this group? Are they official members or guests or what?

[@terriergal]

It's too bad, too, because they do a beautiful job at it.

[@GITSVermeer]

41 people seem to have a hearing problem...

[@CDRshadowsun]

The title "Lord" is not gender-specific. For example, the Queen of England holds the title "Lord of Mann," and many other women have held the title of "Lord."

[@my4giraffes]

in God there is neither male nor female... straight out of the Bible

[@BerenikiRegina]

None of the psalms have anything to do with the man Jesus of Nazareth, who was born 1000 years after they were written.

[@terriergal]

Because it isn't the 23rd Psalm. It's some goddess worship.

[@mikemorrison281]

terriergal Bobby McFerrin wrote this adaptation as a dedication to his mother when she died. His father is a minister of music and music teacher. It's not goddess worship, he's just honoring his mom.

[@stevenmilloy9979]

Buy the original SATB and take it down a whole step.

[@writereducator]

I'm all for honoring one's mother, and all good mothers, and Mary the Mother of God. But if you believe Psalm 23 is part of Divine Revelation, why would you want to set aside the language God chose to refer to Himself? If you believe the Blessed Trinity is part of Divine Revelation, why would you refer to the Son, Jesus Christ, as the daughter?

[@terriergal]

Except that Jesus said "before Moses was, I AM" so unless you want to call Jesus a liar (which you are free to do at your own risk) you are plainly wrong. Jesus claimed to be God. This is why we are trinitarians. And why this version of Psalm 23 is blasphemous.

[@feuilletoniste]

The Bible (both Old and New Testaments) refers to God as both a mother figure and a father figure, with attributes that have been traditionally been given both masculine and feminine valence. "...thus says the LORD, "Behold, I extend peace to her [Jerusalem] like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem." " - Isaiah 66:7-13 (Quoting Jesus) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” - Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 Note also that both men and women were created in the image of God, meaning that God must have both masculine and feminine attributes. “Humankind was created as God’s reflection: in the divine image God created them; female and male, God made them.” - Genesis 1:27 But surely God is infinitely greater than our little gender constructs! Much of what we understand of him/her we do through metaphor. The image of God as a father was one that made sense in a time when women had no power or standing in the community. But thankfully we have started to move beyond those days, and we can have communities and practices of faith that are more inclusive and welcoming to all people, regardless of sex or gender. By changing the pronouns in this psalm, Bobby McFerrin wasn't doing anything sacrilegious or unbiblical - certainly not blasphemous! He was, rather, reminding us of the infinity of God, and the abundance of his/her/their love.

[@outdoorsue]

I'm sorry, but their stage presence is distracting... I've thought that since 2003. I hoped it would have changed after all those years.

[@XxWeccaxX]

this is the 23rd psalm. Just uses a different pronoun and its a different translation than the traditional, is all.

[@WisteriaLane18301250]

Timothy king.......wonder what you'll be saying when you stand at God's feet on judgement day....don't say u weren't warned.

[@MrNoneskull]

Stacey Martin Mythology is fun. Now back to my nonstop goat sacrifice/masturbation extravaganza. Toodles!

[@duronimos]

I really don't find this version of the 23rd psalm edifying at all. Its weird. God has been revealed through His son who claimed that He and his father were one. He didn't say mother. In His presence I will dwell not her presence. Honestly!!!!

[@mikemorrison281]

Graeme Robertson Bobby wrote this to honor his mom. It's not a theological statement.

[@jamesgem1809]

You're weird!

[@adromu83]

this is not good. She must be He. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can makes this true.

[@MrNoneskull]

Your statement is antiquated and invalid. Welcome to 2013. Cheers.

[@jeremyrhoads6899]

Gereformeerd Belijden, shhh.

[@clydelewis1241]

Totally unacceptable. The Bible says The Lord is my shepherd. Everybody wants to have their own standard of worship and hoping that God would approve of it. Well lets us wait until Jesus comes then it is not those who say Lord Lord but those who do the will of God.

[@LayneBenofsky]

Gatekeeping is not sexy, Clyde.

[@xerkS7]

She ? What ? Bye !

[@reverich04]

She? Last time I checked, Jesus (about whom this psalm was written) is a man. Way to ruin a beautiful song. Bleh!

[@epowell63gmail]

Wow, these guys have amazing voices. Too bad they chose a revisionist document. This pandering to Unitarian feminists is silly. Beautiful form ... ugly content.

[@johnmarquardt1991]

She? blasphemy

[@rw9692]

What?? She? Bye!