Thread and Psalm
Whenever I return to a cross stitch project I’ve spent hours on, I’m immediately brought back to how I felt when I last held the fabric. Like an imprint. This is especially true of my current project, ‘O Marie’ by Reflets De Soie, which is woven with song.
Over the last year, I’ve spent a lot of time with the Psalms. They were always part of the soundtrack of my church growing up, but only recently have I come to truly appreciate how valuable and supportive they are in practice.
With O Marie, I frequently find myself humming Psalm 103 in our choir’s preferred melody (similar to the version I found here, though slower).
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies
Psalm 103 is a hymn, a song of praise, which begins and ends with a call to worship. It celebrates steadfast and enduring love while affirming God’s justice and care for the vulnerable.
The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Another comforting aspect is the clear message that divine anger is neither final nor everlasting.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever.
Psalm 103 was a regular part of our Orthodox church’s service. It was sung in the customary rhythmic, monophonic manner of liturgical chant, yet was appropriately joyful and spirited to suit the theme. And beneath the surface was a deeper layer of exultation and devotion: as the choir sang out in praise, the priest quietly and simultaneously recited the Prayers of Light, another set of ancient verses offered in gratitude.
To me, this beautifully captures the essence of knot magic. On the surface is a pattern of song, rich and expressive, indicative of the artist’s skill and unique style. But another thread moves invisibly through the fabric, a current of love and reverence, a solid, steady message beneath an elaborate design.
And just as I weave the threads of prayer, rejoicing, love, gratitude, and memory into the pattern, centering on the exultant spirit of the choir with the solemnity of the priest, the charge travels through the fabric and back to my hands in a continuous loop.
The Psalms are powerful, naturally lending themselves to a full practice. While repetitive prayer and meditation is common, the written words are also so effective and can be utilizied in countless workings, often paired with candles, oils, incense, etc. I’ve felt most at home weaving them with textile.
Like visiting scripture, knot magic is an act of returning, and is especially effective at binding memory and intention. When this project is finished, the stitches will embody the choir’s joy mixed with my underlying prayers, and I hope they’ll go on singing from the cloth.