The seven Catholic responsorial psalm options, and six more psalm verses whose words fit a wedding day.
One psalm in the book is headed a wedding song: Psalm 45, written for a king's wedding. Beyond that, many psalms speak of blessing, loving kindness and joy. For a Catholic wedding the choice is set. ForYourMarriage.org, the marriage site sponsored by the US bishops, lists seven psalms as options for the responsorial psalm at a nuptial Mass. All seven are below with a key verse from each.
The first section covers the Catholic options, with the verse ranges and refrains the site gives. The second covers psalms for any wedding ceremony. Tick the ones you are considering and print them to compare with your partner or your officiant.
The seven options listed on ForYourMarriage.org, the USCCB marriage site. The verse ranges are the ones that site gives. The verse shown is from the World English Bible.
Let your loving kindness be on us, LORD,since we have hoped in you.
Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Option one uses Psalm 33:12, 18 and 20 to 22, with the refrain The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. This closing verse asks for loving kindness to rest on us, in the plural.
Oh taste and see that the LORD is good.Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Option two uses Psalm 34, and one of its refrains is Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. ForYourMarriage.org lists this psalm as verses 2 to 9, which are verses 1 to 8 in the World English Bible.
But the LORD’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him,his righteousness to children’s children,
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
Option three uses Psalm 103:1 to 2, 8, 13, 17 and part of 18. This verse says the LORD's loving kindness lasts from everlasting to everlasting and reaches to children's children.
Praise the LORD!Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,who delights greatly in his commandments.
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Option four uses most of Psalm 112:1 to 9, with the refrain Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord's commands, or Alleluia. The psalm goes on to describe a generous, steady person whose house is blessed.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,who walks in his ways.
Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
Option five is Psalm 128:1 to 5, the psalm that pictures a wife as a fruitful vine and children around the table. Its refrain is Blessed are those who fear the Lord, or See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
The LORD is good to all.His tender mercies are over all his works.
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Option six uses Psalm 145:8 to 10, 15 and 17 to 18, with the refrain How good is the Lord to all. This verse carries the same words: the LORD is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.
both young men and maidens,old men and children.
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Option seven uses Psalm 148:1 to 4 and 9 to 14, with small parts left out, a call for all creation to praise. This verse names every age in one line: young men and maidens, old men and children.
For any service, Catholic or not. Short passages whose words fit a wedding day.
With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led.They shall enter into the king’s palace.
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.
From Psalm 45, which its heading calls a wedding song. The bride and her companions are led with gladness and rejoicing into the king's palace.
This is the day that the LORD has made.We will rejoice and be glad in it!
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day that the LORD has made. The psalm says we will rejoice and be glad in it, so the whole gathering is included.
May God be merciful to us, bless us,and cause his face to shine on us. Selah.
God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
A short blessing asking God to be merciful to us, bless us and make his face shine on us. It is in the plural, so it can be spoken over the couple or by them.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in,from this time forward, and forever more.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward and forever more. It is a blessing on every departure and return, with no end date.
May he grant you your heart’s desire,and fulfill all your counsel.
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
May he grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill all your counsel. It is spoken by others on someone's behalf, as guests do at a wedding.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,for his loving kindness endures forever.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. The second half repeats in every verse of the psalm, so guests can answer it.
Psalm 45 is the only psalm whose heading calls it a wedding song. It praises a king, then speaks to his bride, then describes her procession into the palace with her companions. Because it is long and written about royalty, a reading might use only verses 10 to 15. Psalm 128 is the other psalm that pictures married life, with a wife like a fruitful vine and children around the table.
Bibles do not all number the psalms the same way. ForYourMarriage.org lists Psalm 34 as verses 2 to 9, and its refrain I will bless the Lord at all times is verse 1 in the World English Bible that this site uses. The words match, but the numbers are shifted by one. When you give a reading to your parish, use the numbering your parish uses, not the one on this page.
ForYourMarriage.org, the USCCB marriage site, lists seven options: Psalms 33, 34, 103, 112, 128, 145 and 148. Each has a set selection of verses and a refrain.
Psalm 128 speaks of married life directly, and Psalm 45 is headed a wedding song. For a short reading, Psalm 67:1 and Psalm 121:8 work as blessings.
Psalm 67:1 is a one-line blessing in the plural. Psalm 118:24 and Psalm 136:1 are also a single verse each.
Psalm 45. Its heading calls it a wedding song, and verse 15 describes the bride being led into the king's palace with gladness and rejoicing.
ForYourMarriage.org gives two choices: Blessed are those who fear the Lord, or See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Psalms for Marriage and LovePsalms for Family and HomePsalms for Blessing and FavorPsalms of Thanksgiving and ThankfulnessPsalms about God's LovePsalms of Happiness and Joy