Singing the Psalms

In the previous posts I have taken a hard line against Exclusive Psalmody -- even positing that it encourages disobedience to the New Testament commands concerning singing (though that is not the intent of its proponents). But an argument against Exclusive Psalmody is not and ought never to be an argument against singing the Psalms. The songs preserved in the book of Psalms are inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, correction, instruction in righteousness, as are all the Scriptures. Though metrical adaptations of the Psalms are not themselves inspired, many of them have been if kept intact and close to the text. Many hymns do not teach the text of the Bible, and some do not even teach the truth. In contrast, that is not a problem with the Psalms, assuming the arranger doesn't tamper with the meaning.

Examples of Psalters available online:
Parallel Latin/English Psalter
The Genevan Psalter
The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament
The Psalter
The Psalter according to the use of The Episcopal Church
The Psalter for Public Worship, 1912 Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church
The Scottish Metrical Psalter
Three psalters' worth of tunes

A Discourse on Singing of Psalms as a Part of Divine Worship
Three ways to sing the Psalms

[Note: I link these items as a matter of interest, instruction and examples. Their presence does not mean I endorse them or have examined them for scriptural content. The 1912 Psalter of the United Presbyterian Church may be the best online representative of psalms from an Exclusive Psalmody viewpoint.]

In 2009 I published a diverse collection of poetry titled A Sheaf of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs.* The first 150 poems were based on the 150 Psalms of the Old Testament – though they varied widely from metrical rearrangements of the words to paraphrases of Psalms into New Testament language. My hope was to encourage a renewed commitment to singing of the Psalms – especially among those overly committed to hymns – because “it is evident that some churches are failing to obey the Lord in this command.” It was hoped that the arrangement would impress upon our minds that we are singing the Psalms.

* The first 26 psalm versifications can be viewed at the url linked above.