Split-leaf... Then you can sing different psalms to different tunes. You can sing, for example, Psalm 23 to "Crimond" or "Ballerma" whatever other tune fits with the words. (I'm referring, of course, to the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalmody, which is the only one I've used outside of our visits to churches in Grand Rapids.) Split-leaf makes it seem less as though one is singing hymns and more as though the tunes are secondary to the psalms themselves, at least IMHO. And that's good.

Makes everything a lot easier, of course, if you can read music, if you have a precentor, or if the congregation gathers at someone's home or some place for a "psalm-sing" so that we can practice the tunes. (Uh, I play the tunes on my piano at home if someone is unfamiliar with a tune. So an instrument does figure in there! )

I can't get along with psalters with just words and no music... We have some, but they're for people who grew up with the tunes and a precentor is available.

I just wish that some publisher would make available a more affordable split-leaf psalter, maybe in a good-quality, paperback edition, for start-up congregations like ours. We could then loan out psalters to people who attend regularly but are kind of uncertain about the tunes. As it is now, the psalters that we have are just too expensive to loan out...

Margaret

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Margaret
Free Church of Scotland [Continuing]
Michigan

"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30

At SRPC in Boise, we use the TBS, words only, editions of Psalms of David in Metre (1650 Scottish Psalter), specifically because they do not tie a single tune to a particular Psalm. Our congregation is not the most musically inclined and we're learning to sing Psalms. However, using the words only Psalters, with even a dozen or so familiar Common Meter tunes, and a couple Long Meter and Short Meter tunes, one can sing the entire Psalter.

It helps to print the name of the tune in the bulletin and/or announce it before singing, to aid people in learning the tunes by name. After the congregation is familiar with a dozen of so tunes, you can add new ones one at a time.

I observed use of the TBS Psalters in Free Church Continuing congregations in Scotland. Of course, folk there are so familiar with the tunes and Psalms, one can name a Psalm and tune and people can often sing without any Psalter at all.

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

I recommend The Scottish Psalmody, 1992 Staff edition. Our congregation uses it.

IMHO it is the best combination of quality tunes and 1650 Metrical Psalms. It's a bit on the pricey side. You can get these through Crown & Covenant, but last time I looked there you had to go to the "International Psalters" page.

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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

For the ARP brethren, from 1900...

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Benjamin P. Glaser
Pittsburgh, PA
Fairmount ARP Church

Student of Theology
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
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