The 1650 Psalter

Act of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland

Assembly at EDINBURGH, August 6, 1649. Ante meridiem. Sess. ult.

Reference to the Commission for Publick Affairs, for re-examining the paraphrase of the Psalms, and emitting the same for publick use.

The General Assembly having taken some view of the new paraphrase of the Psalms in metre with the corrections and animadversions thereupon sent from several persons and presbyteries, and finding that they cannot overtake the review and examination of the whole in this Assembly; therefore now after so much time and so great pains about the correcting and examining thereof from time to time some years bygone, that the work may come now to some conclusion, they do ordain the brethren appointed for perusing the same during the meeting of this Assembly, viz. Masters James Hamilton, John Smith, Hugh M‘Kail, Robert Traill, George Hutcheson and Robert Lowrie, after the dissolving of this Assembly to go on in that work carefully, and to report their travails to the Commission of the General Assembly for Publick Affairs at their meeting at Edinburgh in November; and the said Commission after perusal and re-examination thereof, is hereby authorized with full power to conclude and establish the paraphrase, and to publish and emit the same for publick use.

—A. KER.

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Act of the Commission of the General Assembly for Publick Affairs

EDINBURGH, November 23, 1649. Post meridiem.

The Commission of the General Assembly having with great diligence considered the paraphrase of the Psalms in metre, sent from the Assembly of Divines in England, by our Commissioners, whilst they were there, as it is corrected by former General Assemblies, committees from them, and now at last by the brethren deputed by the late Assembly for that purpose: and having exactly examined the same, do approve the said paraphrase as it is now compiled: and therefore according to the power given them by the said Assembly, do appoint it to be printed and published for publick use; hereby authorizing the same to be the only paraphrase of the Psalms of David to be sung in the Kirk of Scotland; and discharging the old paraphrase and any other than this new paraphrase to be made use of in any congregation or family after the first day of May in the year 1650. And for uniformity in this part of the worship of God, do seriously recommend to presbyteries, to cause make publick intimation of this act, and take special care that the same be timeously put to execution, and duly observed.

—A. KER.

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Act of the Committee of Estates of Parliament

EDINBURGH, January 8, 1650.

The Committee of Estates having considered the English paraphrase of the Psalms of David in metre, presented this day unto them by the Commission of the General Assembly, together with their Act, and the Act of the late Assembly, approving the said paraphrase, and appointing the same to be sung through this Kirk, therefore the Committee doth also approve the said paraphrase, and interpone their authority for the publishing and practising thereof: hereby ordaining the same, and no other to be made use of, throughout this Kingdom, according to the tenour of the said Acts of the General Assembly and their Commissioners.

—T. HENDERSON.