Funeral reading
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14
King James Bible
“Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” by King James Bible is a scripture reading read at a funeral or memorial service. It takes about 40 seconds read aloud, usually by a guest reader. It is in the public domain, so the full text is printed on this page and goes straight into a ceremony script.
The full text
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Public domain, so these words can be printed in a ceremony script or an order of service.
What it is about
Light and courage, and short enough to open with.
Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: light · courage · not being afraid · waiting · strength.
Questions about reading it aloud
How long does “Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” take to read aloud?
“Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” takes about 40 seconds read aloud at a ceremony pace, which is slower than conversation — roughly 130 words a minute. That is the figure the run-sheet uses when it works out the timing for the whole service.
Who usually reads “Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14”?
Usually a guest reader rather than the officiant. “Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” runs about 40 seconds, which is a manageable amount to hand to a friend or family member. Give them a printed copy of their own, in a size they can read without their glasses, and tell them where to stand and how you will introduce them.
Can “Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” be printed in a ceremony script?
Yes. It is in the public domain, so the full text is on this page and can be printed in a script or an order of service.
Where this text was checked
Checked word for word against a full-text edition that is itself the authority — a Project Gutenberg or Wikisource transcription, a publisher’s own edition, or the issuing body’s page.
Checked
A reading is two minutes of the hour.
The rest is the welcome, the life, the remembrances, the committal — and knowing what comes next. Answer some questions about them and get the whole service, written out, with this reading in its place.
Other readings that suit the same service
- Psalm 23a minute and a halfKing James Bible
- Psalm 46:1–7, 10–11a minute and a halfKing James Bible
- Psalm 91:1–6, 1150 secondsKing James Bible
- Psalm 13045 secondsKing James Bible
- Deuteronomy 31:6–840 secondsKing James Bible
- Eshet Chayil — A Woman of Valour (Proverbs 31, JPS 1917)55 secondsJPS 1917 translation