This past Sunday we took our first step toward introducing the singing of Psalms in our church. We frequently sing the Psalm renditions in our hymnal, but haven't branched out into singing from an actual psalter, a situation with which our pastor is definitely NOT happy. Our choir director recently ordered copies of the new Psalms for Worship, which, incidentally, is in its 3rd printing since its debut in July. Instead of a regular anthem we sang Psalm 46 to the tune of "Ein' Fest Burg" and we sang it accapella (sounded pretty good, too!). I know it's a small first step, but it IS a beginning and I know the Lord will bless it.

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Sue Scott
First Evangelical Presbyterian Church - PCA
East Liverpool Ohio

Great to hear!

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Ewen
1689 LBCF
Assemblies of God Bible College
Singapore

It never ceases to amaze me how good acapella singing sounds.

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

We've started singing the first few verses of a hymn with the piano and then singing the others acapella! We don't do these for all our songs, but when we do, it sounds really good! I think people sing louder and stronger without accompaniment, imho. I'd love to hear Pastor Bob's estimation! Of course, he and his wife sit next to me, and they have to listen to my singing (I'm a bit tone deaf...) ;-)

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MarieP
Reformed Baptist Church
Louisville, KY

"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant" (Gen. 32:10)

Good job, you wont regret singing Gods words as opposed to mens! Its a great small step to a larger plan for worship-that which God ordained! :-)

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RL

Amen. May God give your church and its pastor a growing conviction of the Scriptural warrant for the singing of Psalms.

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David Broyles
Greenville Presbyterian Church
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Upstate SC

"That man hath perfect blessedness;
Who walketh not astray
In counsel of ungodly men
Nor stands in sinners' way."
Psalm 1:1,2 - The Scottish Psalmody

Are you using the Trinity Psalter?

http://www.gcp.org/_thumb.asp?dh=225&dw=225&item=040210

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

I rejoice to hear this.

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Diane
God is Good and we're not.
All Saints Episcopal
Anchorage, AK

Thanks, y'all!!

A few answers to your comments.....

About voices being necessarily stronger when not accompanied - there were only ten of us in the choir this past Sunday and we sounded pretty good. I guess there's merit in that assumption!

While our pastor wants the congregation to be singing Psalms, he is not EP and I don't really see that changing. But, being able to introduce Psalms at all is a really big thing.

Unfortunately, we don't use the Trinity hymnal, we use one entitled, The Worshipping Church. It's not bad, but it's not the Trinity. Since our current hymnals were a gift to the church to memorialize a family member, there's little prospect of replacing them until they wear out, which will probably be in the next 5 to 10 years. But, it looks as if we may be getting the new Psalms for Worship psalters to supplement the hymnal. I'm excited about that!