A couple of nights ago I was singing Psalm 22 in private worship at home; when I sang the words of verse 2 - "Our fathers trusted in You" - a thought occured to me. It is such a blessing to be able to sing the same songs of praise to the same Lord, that my spiritual forefathers, not only in the Old Testament, but also throughout the history of the New Testament church, have also sang.

Instead of "re-inventing the wheel" and singing some "Jonny-come-lately" hymn that a fallen, fallible man has devised. I have the immense privilege of singing the same hymns that were a source of strength to David, the godly kings and prophets, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the apostles, the patristic fathers, Reformers, Puritans, Covenanters and many other Christians throughout the ages.

Perhaps the lack of psalm-singing - even if not exclusive - is a factor behind much of the "me and my biblism", and the ecclesiastical freelancer mentality, that blights much of modern evangelicalism.

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

I just received four 1650 Psalters in the mail today. My daughter and I are excited about learning these for family worship. I don't think I'll ever think the same way about this subject after reading "Songs Of Zion". A big thank you to brother Andrew for sending me this book. While reading in the 2nd volume of "the christian in complete armour" this morning Gurnall lamented the fact that even in his time the Psalms were being neglected.

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1689 Baptist Confession

Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley, Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly.
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann.
www.wildernessroadbaptist.org

Happy thought indeed!! I hadn't looked at it that way before. We are singing corporately with not only the current body of Christ but the body of Christ throughout the ages.

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Traci
Lynnwood OPC
Psalm 52:8-9
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

This is another thing that bothered me about our modern day hymnals. Accusations about Watts and Robinson denying the Trinity. Even Andrew Fuller wrote about it in his collection of works I have at home. Have any of you brethren ever heard anything about this with Watts?

Unitarianism

I just started singing the Psalms in my private worship and with my family.

Daniel, i must say that your book has nudged me over the fence and i am pretty much EP now.

My church is not EP, but i will soon be requesting that we start incorporating Psalm singing into our worship. Some adults as well as Youth Group members have said that they would love to start singing Psalms...what a blessing that would be!

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Larry Bray
Training for Elder - Reformed Presbyterian Church of Boothwyn, PCA
Boothwyn, PA - http://www.rpcb.org/

Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net

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"The best Christian is still a poor Christian" - R.B. Kuiper

Does anyone know if C&C (or someone else) is going to be reprinting Songs of Zion anytime soon? The used market is WAY too high for my budget on this book....

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Todd K. Pedlar
member, First Congregational Church, (CCCC) Cresco, IA
http://semperubi.rtrc.net

"Many men, after a long conversion, see more of the workings of sin in their hearts than ever they did before or at their first conversion. Now, such men have not an increase of sin, but an increase of illumination and light" (Christopher Love)


Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Yes, indeed.

It's in the works, but I don't know the timetable. I need to follow up with Mike directly, I think.

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Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"On land, at sea, at home, abroad, / I smoke my pipe and worship God." -- J.S. Bach

I think it may be possible to get a photocopy edition through Still Waters Revival Books, FREE and Discounted Reformation, Puritan, Reformed Baptist, Protestant, Calvinism, Presbyterian, Covenanter, Baptist Books, CDs, DVDs, MP3s, Videos, Bibles. Creation, Seminary, Home Schooling Resources, Psalters at SWRB.co It is listed on their site, in any case for roughly $20

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Rev. Adam King
Minister without a call (WPCUS)
Stated Supply: Reformed Presbyterian Church
Sterling, KS

I have. Also, Watts said he had to "teach David to talk like a Christian." Ugh!

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
Teacher Aide, Union County Public Schools, NC
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

Try the RPCI's Covenanter Bookshop to see if they have any copies left.

Larry, I am always encouraged when I hear my feeble writings have caused others to think more about what God's word teaches.

That is real communion of the saints indeed. I am reading your book too Mr. Ritchie. I don't need convincing but I alway try to keep read up on the subject as I seek to share with others.

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~Beth Ellen Nagle~
Lakeside Church -Wales, WI (PCA)
Married to John
One wonderful daughter, Chaela Joelle
Creative Outlet: www.eclecticstudiocafe.com/blog

Blueridge, you might look at some of the references that Bushell cites regarding Watts in The Songs of Zion. He has the citation where J.A. Alexander states that Watts "was believed to have died a Unitarian." His other citation is from Gilbert McMaster's book about Watts. McMaster cites one of Watts' works "A Discourse on the Glory of Christ," in which Watts indeed laments that the doctrine of the Trinity could ever be believed by large numbers of Christians.

I may start another thread on Unitarianism, as to whether one can hold such a belief and still be considered regenerate. How can one profess to be a believer, and not hold to the diety of Christ?

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Randy Harris
Heritage Church (Independent)
Oklahoma City, OK

Also try RTS Charlotte. It was over a year ago but they had a bunch of copies at their bookshop. Unfortunately, they were not hot sellers.

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Chris Mangum
Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte
student, GPTS
.357 Mangum

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Yes, the same David who was a "man after God's own heart". The Spirit of the Lord was upon David's tongue so that he would teach us to talk and think like Christians, not the other way round.

FWIW, Here is a previous thread on Isaac Watts and his Unitarianism.

Issac Watts - Possibly Unitarian?

I think this is a huge stretch of the imagination, brother.

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Casey Bessette
Westminster OPC • West Suburbs of Chicago • My Blog: Paradise Regained

"It is part of the calling of the ekklesia to learn to know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge and also to make known within the world of science 'the manifold wisdom of God' in order that the final end of theology, as of all things, may be that the name of the Lord is glorified. Theology and dogmatics, too, exist for the Lord's sake." — Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 1, p. 46

Thanks for this thread y'all. I had no idea that people sang Psalms until I moved to Pittsburgh and ran into all the RP's around here. Now they have me going to their Seminary. Who knows what else they will have me do next.

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Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church

Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
My Blog

For those who hold to the RPW, the burden of proof rests with the pro-hymnody in public worship position.

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