Funeral reading
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14
King James Bible
“Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14” (King James Bible) is a scripture reading read at a funeral or memorial service. It takes about 50 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.
Where it comes from
Psalm 27 is headed “A Psalm of David” in the King James Psalms; the verses here are selected from it.
What it says
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The speaker asks for one thing only: to live in God’s house all their days and see the beauty of the Lord. The selection ends with confidence and an instruction to wait: the speaker believes they will see God’s goodness in the land of the living, and tells the listener to wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and be strengthened.
Light and courage, and short enough to open with. Read at a funeral or memorial service. Themes: light · courage · not being afraid · waiting · strength.
Who it suits
Funerals for people of strong, unanxious faith, and services where the family wants courage as much as comfort. It suits someone who loved their church or place of worship, because of the line about dwelling in the house of the Lord. It is shorter than most psalms chosen for funerals.
Where it goes in the ceremony
As a first reading, or as the reading before the eulogy. Often read by a grandchild or a member of the person’s congregation.
Reading it aloud
The text on this page is 108 words. At a ceremony pace of about 130 words a minute, which is slower than conversation, that comes to about 50 seconds of reading.
- The opening is two questions. Let them sound confident rather than anxious; the answer is assumed.
- The verses are drawn from different parts of the psalm, so there are small jumps in thought. Pause at each one.
- “Wait on the Lord” appears twice at the end. Make the second one gentler, as a close.
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 50 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 50 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 halfAnother psalm of David about fearing no evil
- Psalm 13055 secondsWaiting for the Lord, from the depths
- Isaiah 40:28–3145 secondsThey that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength
- Psalm 46:1–7, 10–11a minute and a halfKing James Bible
- Psalm 91:1–6, 11a minute and a halfKing James Bible
- Deuteronomy 31:6–855 secondsKing James Bible