A Change for the Darkling Psalter

I’m making a change to the Darkling Psalter. Going forward, everything—both text and audio—will be freely available.

If you’ve been following the Darkling Psalter over the past four years, you’ve seen it evolve. Much of that has come from trying to discern what this project is, while also responding to life as it unfolds and to the feedback many of you have offered. This change is another step along that path—a small pivot as the shape of the work continues to come into focus.

Up to now, I’ve been paywalling every other episode of the podcast. That model made sense at first—it helped generate some income, which in turn helped keep the project going. But it also creates friction and limits how people engage.

So it is time for a pivot.

New Model for Paid Subscribers

At the same time, I do want to keep this work sustainable. So the model going forward will be closer to patronage. If the Darkling Psalter has meant something to you, and you’d like to support it so it can continue to grow, you’ll still be able to become a paid subscriber.

If you originally subscribed in order to access the full podcast, and now that it’s becoming free you’d prefer to step down from a paid subscription, that is completely fine—no questions asked.

Here is a help file on how to cancel a paid subscription.

New Features for Paid Subscribers

For those who do choose to remain as paid subscribers, I have a few ideas about new tools and features for paid subscribers who want to go deeper into the Darkling Psalter:

• Guided reading paths through the psalms, organized around themes like lament, anxiety, anger, and praise—something you can actually move through over days or weeks, available as downloadable PDFs.

• Occasional “closer readings” of a psalm, where I place the text alongside notes/annotations on the images, word choice, allusions and meaning

• Short, guided “audio liturgy-style” version of a psalm—slower and more prayerful, with space to reflect and prompts to pray

Each of these would take time to develop, so before building them out, I’d value your input. Is this something you would actually use and value?

If one of these stands out as most helpful, you can select it in the poll below.

I’ll share more as these take shape, and I’d also value your input as I build them.

For now, I just want to say thank you. Whether you’re a paid subscriber or a free reader, the fact that you’re here—and that this work has found a place in your life—means a great deal to me.

Andy