Browsing the ARP website I came across this peculiar section on approved and unapproved song books.
It mentions some that are approved that have caused a lot of controversy... such as the CRC Psalter Hymnal of 87 which caused lots of trouble (at least here in Grand Rapids).
But on the list of unapproved song books they mention the Book of Psalms for Singing that the RPCNA produces.

Does anyone know any ARPs that use this book?
Is this list followed or is it empty suggestions?

Which Psalter does your congregation use and why?

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Pastor Nathan Eshelman, Los Angeles, CA
Reformed Presbyterian Church
PRESBYTERIAN THOUGHTS
Los Angeles Reformed Presbyterian Church
RPCLA Sermons Online
Puritan Reformed Seminary

We use two songbooks, one in the AM, one in the PM. We have a congregation which is composed of people partly from Presbyterian, partly Reformed backgrounds. We use the Trinity Hymnal in the evening; and in the morning, the older version of the CRC Psalter-Hymnal (pre-revision, so yes, these are getting tattered and worn).

My impression of the ARP page is that specific books were approved by their 2003 Synod, however, I do not get the impression from some of the descriptions (for example on the Trinity Psalter) that the "non-approved" list is a list of "books that may not be used." Merely that these were not on the list of denominationally sanctioned options.

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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Our church uses the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter as found in The Scottish Psalmody or The Psalms of David in Metre.

Presbyterian Reformed Church Form of Government and Book of Discipline:

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Andrew

We use the Trinity Psalter, but we only sing out of it once a year, if that. I plan to suggest to our Session that we either use it more or gather them up and give them to a congregation that will actually use them.

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Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
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Devout souls do not take offence at the depths and difficulties of God's Word, but are, thereby, drawn to intenser contemplation of them. - Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)

We use The Psalms for Singing: A 21st Century Edition.

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

This is consistent, since our congregation is also Presbyterian Reformed. Please visit the Precentor in Charlotte blog for additional 1650 Scottish Psalter resources.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
disabled - cancer
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

zzzzzz ...

We use the Trinity Hymnal, so we use both Psalms and hymns.

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Stephen Welch
PCA Teaching Elder
Nova Scotia :cheers:

We use the Book of Praise -- Anglo-Genevan Psalter, containing 150 Psalms set to the tunes used in Calvin's Geneva. It also includes 65 hymns. At the moment, we're also testing a collection of 28 hymns.

We use the Book of Praise because this is what our churches have agreed upon.

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Wes Bredenhof
Pastor, Providence Canadian Reformed Church
Hamilton, Ontario
www.bredenhof.ca
Gospel Talk Radio Program

We use the 1912 United Presbyterian Psalter. Many in the congregation would like to use the Book of Psalms for Singing as well since it is our denominational song book.

Some use the 1650 in family worship!

We use the Book of Psalms for Singing...

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Pastor Steve Bradley
Trinity Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA)
www.trinityrpc.org
www.sermonaudio.com/trinityrpc
www.reformedvoice.com/trinityrpc
Riva, MD

Back home, my church uses The Book of Psalms for Singing.

Currently, I lead our Traditional Protestant service in singing a Psalm from The Psalms of David in Metre. (Kaalvenist's Xanga Site - 2/4/2008 3:21:27 PM)

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Sean P.M. McDonald
Communicant Member of Lisbon Reformed Presbyterian Church, Lisbon, NY
Infantryman (SGT), 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY
Husband to Laura, father to Olivia
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"Lex praescribit, evangelium inscribit." (The law prescribes, the gospel inscribes.)

We use the the Book of Psalms for Singing and the 1912 United Presbyterian Psalter that is within the Trinity Hymnal. Some in our congregation use the the 1650 Scottish Metrical in family worship.

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Christopher Reeder
Husband to Kara, Father to Abigail (8), Caleb (7), Grace (5 1/2), Zoë (4), Elijah (2), Hannah (1), and Mary (due February 2010)

Member: Pilgrim Presbyterian Church (OPC), Raleigh, NC

We use the Trinity Hymnal, it has a Psalter in it, so whatever edition that is.

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et

The 1976 Blue 'Psalter Hymnal'

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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA

"What sort of pledge and how great is this of love towards us! Christ lives for us not for himself!"
John Calvin, Commentary on the Hebrews (7:25)

HAHA! Dominee Kok, that's exactly the one I grew up with (and love, ESPECIALLY the ones that had "Ere Zij God" glued in the back cover).

Couldn't stand the grey ones ('87 version.)

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Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

The FRC uses the Blue Psalter.

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Pastor Jerrold H. Lewis. (Dipl. IT; Assc. A; B.Th; M.Th Candidate, PRTS)
Lacombe Free Reformed Church
"A hot iron, though blunt, will pierce sooner than a cold one, though sharper."

JOHN FLAVEL

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I thought you chose a very appropriate tune for that portion of Psalm 22.

Red Trinity Psalter.

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Raymond Victor Bottomly
Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

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Thanks Jay. "Scottish Metrical Psalms" CD 1 from the RPCI, Track 5, features that tune for verses 27-31. I'm not terribly original.

For family worship we use The Book of Psalms for Singing.

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Rich
PCA, Northern VA
Student, New Geneva Theological Seminary

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We use The Book of Psalms for Singing as published by the RPCNA. But I do not recommend it because so many of the tunes are difficult for people to "carry" (sing) in a congregation. I prefer the Trinity Psalter. It was edited by Terry Johnson, minister of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA, and the tunes (melodies) are overall easy for a Congregation to sing.

I think it's very important, for those of us who strive to give our congregations an appreciation for the psalter, not to promote a bad outlook for it by forcing them to try to sing difficult tunes, which can in themselves prove to be a real distraction while they are genuinely seeking to worship God. It's my desire to see people grow in their love for using the psalter, and I think difficult melodies can present something of an obstacle to that.

DTK

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Sola Scriptura est norma normans non normata
D. T. King, pastor
Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Elkton, Maryland
Augustine (354-430): Therefore what He [i.e., Christ] has deigned to speak to us, we ought to believe that He meant us to understand. But if we do not understand He, being asked, gives understanding, who gave His Word unasked. NPNF1: Vol. VII, Tractates on John, Tractate XXII, §1.

If we had to use the BPS, I would have to take a course to be able to continue to be a precentor.

We have a tradition, public Psalm sings only, of singing Psalm 98 to the tune Desert. Thankfully the congregation and guests know it well enough. I couldn't handle much more musical sophistication beyond that.

We use the Trinity Psalter and often sing Psalms out of the Trinity Hymnal.

We've also used some of the Psalm arrangements done by Hugh Sung of Christ Covenant PCA in Hatboro. These have the advantage of being modern tunes, but ones which actually carry the weight of the words.

You can find them online at: Music

- Andy

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Pastor Andy Webb
Providence PCA, Fayetteville, NC
BUILDING OLD SCHOOL CHURCHES
"Providence is a Christian's diary, but not his Bible. Sometimes a bad cause prevails and gets ground; but it is not to be liked because it prevails. We must not think the better of what is sinful, because it is successful. This is no rule for our actions to be directed by." - Thomas Watson

You would have to syllabilize that one out for me Jay. I had trouble with psalm 107 tune remember. This one makes that one look easy.

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Traci
Lynnwood OPC
"I have taken all my good deeds, and all my bad deeds, and cast them through each other in a heap before the Lord, and fled from both, and betaken myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace."--David Dickson

How is it? (also what is the difference between Staff and Sol-Fa?)

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Richard
CofE
UK

It is very good. Sol-Fa has the music written out, Staff has a line telling you how high the notes are, but not the music itself.

Hey, Traci, I'm with you. If it were up to me, we would be singing Psalm 98 to the tune Crediton at the Psalm sing as well as in a regular worship service.

We use the Trinity Hymnal.

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Sterling Harmon
Presbyterian Church of Coventry (PCA)
Coventry, CT
Deacon
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Desert has always been a favorite at every Reformed church of which I have been a member. We love it. However, it helps to have an oxygen tank on hand for recovery purposes afterward.

We use the Trinity Hymnal as well as the CRC Psalter Hymnal, but we intermix the two during worship and we have a third as well. During evening worship we sometimes use a chorus book.

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Jeff Wyman
Man Under Care
Little Farms Chapel OPC, Coopersville, MI
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." - Isaiah 45:22 (ESV)

Interesting. Thank you for that observation.

I have to say that I don't have a ton of experience with many of the Psalms yet as we're building up the repertoire of very small children and it's been a long time since I attended a congregation that uses the Psalter at all. I had a Pastor a number of years ago who was married to the daughter of an OPC minister who had grown up singing the Psalms with her family. They sang the Psalms with their children and I was "hooked" on the idea back then before we had children.

My four are all under five and it's my goal to add a new song every month or so because it takes a long time for them to commit verses to memory. We haven't found the tunes to be too difficult yet and I hope I don't encounter really complex tunes. I simply love, however, that my children are committing the Psalms to memory and the blessing to me has been enormous. My five year old boy has fears at night and I always remind him of what we sing in Psalm 3.

I do agree that our goal ought to be to get congregations to sing the Psalms together. Unfortunately, the goal for many Churches would be to sing any Psalms today because they are virtually absent from many congregations. Those that argue against Exclusive Psalmody would do well to argue for the inclusion of the Psalter along with the other songs they are arguing for.

I also agree with some keen observations made by Mike Horton and others on the White Horse Inn. Many of the praise choruses that quote the Psalms aren't really singing the Psalms as composed but simply take the concluding refrains from the end of the Psalms. They frequently only quote "...I will worship you..." but leave out all the wonderful works that God has done for His people. They also leave out many of the laments and other really deep and profound wrestling that occurs in the Psalms. It impoverishes us that we don't sing such songs to salve our souls or give expression to certain devotional thoughts that are most beautifully expressed in the Psalms.

A few weeks ago I was very blue one Sunday Evening after hearing that a family was leaving our Church due to all the turmoil ongoing. During family devotions we began to sing Psalm 3 and I just cried out to the Lord.

"...and from His hill, to me His answer sped."

If the CRC Psalter Hymnal is grey then we use these same two. I like the psalms in the Trinity Hymnal. I wish we had the Trinity Psalter as well.

We use the Book of Psalms for Singing.

Steve

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Steve Clevenger, Pastor
Covenant Reformed Baptist Church
Warrenton, VA
www.covenantword.org
http://reformedbaptistfellowship.wordpress.com

Ours has a blue cloth cover. Like Bruce's church, our psalters are rather old. Little Farms was a CRC mission church, but we left the CRC due to doctrinal issues.

Is CREC is what I remember in ours now that I think of it. Ours is grey and has psalms and hymns and the major creeds including the Apostle's, the Nicene, and the Athanasius creeds, the Canons of Dort, the Heidleberg, and I can't remember what else.

Jeff

That is the 1951 Psalter-Hymnal. That is common place for the URC.

It is a revision of a 1930s P-H that is the revision of the UP Psalter of 1912 that the FRC, HRC, PRC, First RP, PRTS, etc. use. It is THE Psalter choice for Grand Rapids Psalm singers. I do not know of ANY other West Michigan Psalm singing congregation that uses ANYTHING else!

Yup, that's the one. The 1951 Psalter-Hymnal. I prefer the Psalter we use at PRTS.

The TBS Psalms of David in Metre, which is the 1650 Scottish Psalter.

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Glenn Ferrell
Pastor, Sovereign Redeemer Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Boise, Idaho

http://sovereignredeemer.org

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The duty of magistrates...extends to both tables of the law, ... those laws are absurd which disregard the rights of God, and consult only for men. - Calvin, Institutes, IV:20:9

Myself I like "Bible Songs".

I was first introduced to the idea of singing the psalms when I was a student in the (late) Dr Kyrkendals' class on the Psalms.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB