Title: FOCUS ON THE LITURGY
Author: Nicole Bluhm
Last saved by: WELS

This article first appeared in the Spring 1990 issue of “Focus on Worship”, a former publication of WELS Commission on Worship. Trends and resources may change over the years, but the insights of this article are still useful for us today.

Singing the Verse in Lutheran Worship
by Bruce R. Backer

Gradual: 	All they that wait on Thee shall not
    	be ashamed, O Lord.
                	Show me Thy ways, O Lord, teach
	me Thy paths.
Verse:	Alleluia! Alleluia!
	Show us Thy mercy, O Lord: and
	grant us Thy Salvation.
	Alleluia!

This text is found in The Lutheran Hymnal on page 54. There it is called the Gradual for the First Sunday in Advent. It is really made up of two songs: the Gradual and the Verse. The layout above shows this. These two songs were sung in a setting of three readings in the Roman Mass: Old Testament - Gradual – Epistle -Verse - Gospel
The Gradual is a two‑part song consisting of the Responsory and the Versicle. The Verse is an A-B-A song. The psalm section, called Verse or Versicle is framed by Alleluias. The Verse with its Alleluias allowed singers to offer praise to God with a strong emotional impact. The Word of God was being proclaimed. The kingdom of heaven was at hand. Extended Alleluias allowed singers to build a bridge with eternity.
By the fifth century the number of readings in the Mass was reduced to two. As a result the Gradual and the Verse were combined and sung in sequence before the reading of the Gospel. At the time of Luther they were sung in the same way at the same time. In his Latin revision of the Mass (Formula Missae) Luther retained the singing of the Gradual and Verse, either or both. However, in his German revision (Deutsche Messe) he substituted a hymn for the chants between the lessons. It is interesting and instructive to note that Luther did not end the practice of singing between the lessons, nor did he suggest the reading of Scripture passages.
There has been a concerted effort among Lutherans in America to encourage the singing of the Gradual and the Verse, but the effort has met with limited success in both the WELS and the Missouri Synod. With the publication of new hymnals in ELCA and LCMS and with the introduction and growing use of the three‑year (and three-lesson) lectionary, Lutheran church musicians took another look at the singing of the Gradual/Verse in the Order of Holy Communion. They decided to place the emphasis on the second part of this text, the Verse. Our new liturgies recognize this emphasis. The Verse appears before the Gospel in three of the major services. Pastors and choir directors ought to think seriously about including the sung Verse in the service and make plans for its regular use.

Why Should the Verse Be Sung?
Singing the Verse reinforces the message, meaning and mood of the Sunday. Reading a choir composition is dull. Imagine reciting the Hallelujah Chorus. Reading something between two lessons is also dull. A change in the medium of presentation between readings is desirable. Singing is the perfect change. When the text, "Show us Thy mercy, O Lord: and grant us Thy salvation" is sung, the Verse becomes a pointer with high profile, preparing the worshiper to hear about Jesus who is entering Jerusalem to save His people from their hopeless predicament. Such relationships become more apparent when Verse and Gospel are woven into the sermon.
Singing the Verse helps give seasons of the church year their different colors. The Verse with its Alleluias is somewhat restrained during Advent. Worshipers are preparing to receive the Savior by putting off the works of darkness and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. The mood is serious, yet it is not without joy. The sung Verse with its Alleluias portrays this mood perfectly. On Christmas Day the Verse changes from the minor mode to the major. The Alleluias include joyful leaps of a 5th and also syncopation. Jesus has come; the joy is without restraint.
Singing the Verse reminds worshipers that the Lord is speaking. In Old Testament times decrees of the king were read, but the Word of the Lord was often proclaimed and accompanied with singing and dancing, sometimes with ecstasy. Thus it was not difficult to confuse announcements of laws of the king with proclamations of the Lord. This differentiation should occur today. IRS regulations are read. Laws passed by Congress are reported. But the Word of the Lord is announced with singing. Such a presentation helps remind us that God is speaking and it points to the joyful good news of Jesus Christ, which is the pervasive subject of the Scriptures.
Singing the Verse links present worship with worship in heaven. Every time we worship we should be encouraged to know that this worship is being done on an eternal time line and connects directly with the worship of the Father and of the Lamb before the throne in heaven. We have built-in reminders of this link in the Order of Holy Communion: the Gloria Patri of the Psalms, the Gloria in Excelsis, the Sanctus and the multiple Alleluias when the Word of God is read and proclaimed. Instruction will cease some day, but the praise of God will never cease. The elementary type of praise we render now will be perfected in heaven. But it is praise now, and it will be praise then. Singing the Alleluias makes the connection. Let worshipers enjoy a bit of heaven when the Word is read and proclaimed!
How Should the Verse be Sung?
It should be sung every Sunday and festival during the “choir season,” September until the Festival of Pentecost. Can one choir do this? Yes, it can; it has been done. However, if such a project staggers the imagination, consider the resources available for singing the Verse: mixed choir, men or women of the choir, children’s choir, teen choir, soloists and combinations of the above. If the music director employs all these resources with tight organization, there should be relatively little difficulty in singing the Verse every Sunday and festival.
Two prominent Lutheran publishing houses have printed settings of the Verse, Concordia (CPH) and Augsburg‑Fortress (AF). The set from CPH is entitled Verses and Offertory Sentences. It consists of eight choir volumes plus two volumes of organ accompaniments. Sixteen composers prepared the settings. The set from AF is entitled Verses and Offertories. It consists of eight volumes (a September through May choir will need six). An accompaniment edition is not needed. One composer is responsible for each volume. (Both LBW and LW have reestablished the ancient use of an Offertory which changes with the Sundays of the church year. Although our new liturgies will not prescribe this, choirs may find a use for these offertories as the offering is being received.)  [Since the original printing of this article Northwestern Publishing House has published their own Verse of the Day series and two sets of Seasonal Responses – see below.]
Diversity of style marks both publications. Each covers a wide spectrum of melodic treatment, from chant to modal to tonal melodies. Rhythms vary from chant to regular meter to more complex figures. Many settings use traditional harmonies in functional relationships. Other settings make use of impressionistic devices and other non‑traditional sonorities. Textures in these publications are light. Composers often give the vocal part to one or two voices and add an accompaniment which is lean. Four‑part choral sections do not often appear. Occasionally the accompaniment becomes more colorful and heavier, and in both series the Easter Alleluias are scored for SATB. Both publications prescribe or imply the use of the organ. The Advent-Christmas volume from AF offers minimal use of handbells.
Choir directors will be happy to observe that the CPH set retains basic melodies throughout a season or part of a longer season. However, directors may find that a selection of volumes from both series will add interest and help to keep his choir committed to the singing of the Verse.
No single volume from either publication can be considered representative of the complete set. However, a comparison of the first volume (Advent‑Christmas) from each set is instructive.
In the CPH volume Richard Hillert presents a simple treatment of the Advent Verse. His settings are at the same time elegant and sensitive to the mood of Advent. He achieves a high degree of seasonal unity with the use of the same Alleluias for four Sundays. His six-fold Alleluia achieves the goal of jubilation; it points to heaven. Hillert prepares one flexible formula for the psalm verse. Variety may be achieved by having a different solo group or soloists sing it. Most choirs will have no difficulty in preparing these settings.
Robert Wetzler brings interesting variety to the presentation of the Advent Verse in the AF series.  He frames the psalm verse with two or sometimes three Alleluias. He sets the entire Verse in a number of ways: unison, two‑part and four‑part choir. Furthermore, the accompanying instrument plays a significant role in these settings. In the Verse for Advent 2 it adds color and heightens the effect of the presentation. Many choirs will enjoy singing these Advent compositions.

Verses of the Day Series – Northwestern Publishing House

Part I | Advent ‑ Transfiguration | 28N0003
Part II | Ash Wednesday – Easter 7 | 28N0004
Part III | Pentecost – Pentecost 12 | 28N0005
Part IV | Pentecost 13 – Christ the King | 28N0006
Set I and Set II | Seasonal Responses | 28N0009

Verses and Offertory Sentences ‑ Concordia Publishing House [CPH]

Part I | Advent ‑ Christmas | 97-5501
Part II | Epiphany ‑ Transfiguration | 97-5502
Part III | Ash Wednesday ‑Maundy Thursday | 97‑5503
Part IV | Easter Day ‑ Easter 7 | 97‑5504
Part V | Pentecost ‑ Pentecost 9 | 97‑5505
Part VI | Pentecost 10 ‑ Pentecost 18 | 97‑5506
Part VII | Pentecost 19 ‑ Christ the King | 97‑5507
Part VIII | Selected Lesser Festivals | 97‑5508
Accompaniment I | (Choir Vols. I‑IV) | 97‑5509
Accompaniment II | (Choir Vols. V‑VIII) | 97‑5510

Verses and Offertory Sentences – Augsburg Fortress

Part I | Advent I – The Baptism of our Lord | 11-9541
Part II | Epiphany 2 – Transfiguration | 11-9544
Part III | Lent | 11-9545
Part IV | Easter – The Holy Trinity | 11-9546
Part V | Pentecost 12 – 20 | 11-9539
Part VI | Pentecost 21 – Christ the King | 11-9540
Part VII | Lesser Festivals, Vol. I | 11-9542
Part VIII | Lesser Festivals, Vol. II | 11-9543

Pastor Backer is professor emeritus at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota and has served on the Christian Worship hymnal committee and WELS Commission on Worship.