Psalms for All Seasons ‎#1E

1E. Feliz la gente (How Blest the People)

Text Information

• First Line: Feliz la gente (How blest the people)
• Title: Feliz la gente (How Blest the People)
• Spanish Title: Feliz la gente
• Author: Juan A. Espinosa
• Translator: Mary Louise Bringle, b. 1953
• Refrain First Line: Feliz será (How blest they are)
• Language: English; Spanish
• Publication Date: 2012
• Scripture:
  Psalm 1
• Topic: Atheism; Blessing; Church Year: All Saints' Day; Commitment; Conflict; Discipleship; Elements of Worship: Praise and Adoration; Emmaus Road; Endurance; Evil; God: Obedience to; God's: Seeing; God's: Will; God's: Word; God's: law; God's: Love; Jesus Christ: Good Shepherd; Jesus Christ: Mind of; Jesus Christ: Teacher; Jesus Christ: Way, Truth, and Life; Judgment; Mercy; Obedience; Remnant of Isarel; Servants of God; Truth; Wisdom Psalms; Year A, Ordinary Time after Pentecost, October 23-29; Year B, Easter, 7th Sunday; Year B, Ordinary Time after Pentecost, September 18-24; Year C, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, 6th Sunday; Year C, Ordinary Time after Pentecost; September 4-10; Texts in Languages Other than English: Spanish
• Copyright: © 1990 Juan A. Espinosa, admin. OCP Publications

Tune Information

• Name: FELIZ EL HOMBRE
• Composer: Juan Espinosa
• Arranger: Marcus Hong
• Key: d minor
• Copyright: © 1990 Juan A. Espinosa, admin. OCP Publications; Arr. © 2011 OCP PUblications
• Notes: The first four stanzas flesh out Ps. 1:1, elaborating on the sorts of paths that should be avoided. In contrast, st. 5 describes the fruits of the righteous path. Even when sung by English-speaking congregations, the refrain is best sung in Spanish. There is a playful, rhythmic interplay between the steady eighth-note pattern in the bass of the accompaniment and the driving 3+3+2 rhythm of the melody. These counterrhythms can be heightened by percussion instruments such as shakers and woodblock.