This site has been created in conjunction with the Scottish Metrical Psalm Sing at the Reformed Presbyterian International Conference held on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion, IN). The Psalm Sing will take place on Thursday, July 26, 2012, at 2:00 p.m., in the Phillippe Performing Arts Center, Room 141.
We hope that the resources that you find here will assist you in praising the Triune God of Holy Scripture, using His own inspired songbook; especially as it has been translated in the Scottish Psalter of 1650.
The 1650 Psalter 
May I be so bold as to pose a question to get this blog started?
It is my understanding that fewer than 20 congregations in North America use the Scottish Psalter in their worship. Given the excellence of this Psalm book, how can we encourage its greater use and appreciation in the American churches, whether in addition to another Psalter, or as the sole Psalter for public worship?
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Tim,
Do you know anything about those congregations that use the 1650 Psalter? I am curious to know if they are in a particular denomination or region of North America.
Our congregation in New Braunfels, TX uses the 1650 Psalter in our worship. We sing 3 Psalms in the morning worship and 3 Psalms in the afternoon worship.
It is an amazing Psalter. I can’t imagine why its fallen into such disuse…well, I think I have a few ideas. The actual opinions of the Westminster Divines mean very little to the modern denominations that claim all or part of the Westminster Confession. Most who use the WCF don’t sing the Psalms, so it isn’t too surprising that they don’t care for the Psalter approved by the Assembly. Another observation is that many Reformed/Presbyterian churches have moved away from more traditional translations of the Bible such as the KJV and Geneva versions. That movement to more modern language has also led to the abandonment of the 1650 Psalter.
This website is certainly a helpful way to promote the use of the 1650 Psalter!
A couple of suggestions to promote the use of the 1650 Psalter:
1) Use it in family worship.
2) Use the KJV or Geneva versions of the Bible in corporate and family worship.
3) Start using “thee” and “thou” in your everyday speech.
Just kidding on that last one, but we do need to make sure our children are familiar with the vocabulary of the 1650 Psalter.
Rev. Koller,
The North American congregations to which I referred that use the 1650 were:
Free Church of Scotland (continuing)
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Presbyterian Reformed Church
There are also a few congregations that use the Comprehensive Psalter, which is essentially the text of the 1650.
All three of these denominations use the KJV Bible version, so I think you are right to connect the choice of Bible version with the choice of Psalter.
Most Psalm-singing congregations on the US side are in the RPCNA, and the RPCNA has published many updates to the Psalter. I am aware of perhaps only one RPCNA congregation that uses the KJV and none that use the 1650. And yet, over the same number of years, many (but not all) Scottish Presbyterian denominations have stuck with the same Bible version and Psalter. Does this represent a differing sense of identity? Do the North American Presbyterian churches have less felt connection with the UK/Scotland on these matters?
One anecdote that may exemplify this is a comment made on a blog that I read several years ago. Someone from the UK referred to the RPCNA Psalter as “that hippy American psalter”. No one needed to be offended, for this comment was clearly made in jest, but I later wondered if this represented a real difference in perspective between the two lands. If one visits the websites of the Scottish Reformation Society and the Trinitarian Bible Society, one will see much activity devoted to maintaining an appreciation of things that are both old and excellent. I do not see that same historical appreciation in North America. This appreciation still exists to be sure, but it is less visible.
I use both the 1650 and a newer version. Whilst I think the importance of Psalter unity isn’t given enough thought when congregations look to a newer version, I wouldn’t oppose the introduction of a newer version. Would you guys?
David,
I am not opposed to newer Psalters at all. I want to encourage greater interest in the singing of the Psalms. I know others prefer more updated language, I don’t think that is a bad thing. New is not always bad.
In my own experience, however, the motivation for change is the thing that worries me the most. When people want to make something more attractive to a particular culture, sometimes bad things happen. I also am a little cautious with people who become addicted to the need for constant updating or improvement. Sometimes with these people, a Psalter might be changed so many times that it ends up transforming into the Trinity Hymnal.
A good example can be found in the modern English translations of the Bible. With all of the effort to introduce countless translations to please consumers of every kind, none of them are superior to the KJV or the Geneva Bible. The newer versions might improve a few phrases or update some out-of-use words, but they often will make certain other sacrifices to make these “updates”. Since the newer versions are not any better, in my opinion, it makes me wonder if we might perhaps be better served in spending our time on more worthwhile projects.
Hi all,
I’m so happy to find this website (and to have found the Exclusive Psalmody website). I’ve been looking at all things Psalm singing for the past few months. I purchased a small 1650 SMV psalter first and fell in love with it. And just today I discovered that one can purchase downloadable recordings of all of them! I also purchased the split-leaf (staff) Sing Psalms, based on the helpful reviews at Exclusive Psalmody. While I do appreciate this psalter (a lot!), I’m thinking that the need is so urgent, and we have the wonderful, time-tested 1650 right at hand, I think I’m going to settle with it for my personal and family’s use. It’s not inaccessible for anyone, I think, with some instruction. Thanks much for this website. May the Lord bring reform the singing of his people.