I had never heard about EP until I joined this board. However, I have been struck recently with the fact that my church sings uninspired "songs, hymns, and spiritual songs," but NEVER any psalms. Never.

My hubbie and I are both music lovers and I've been thinking about asking him if we could sing through some psalms at home. But I don't know which book of Psalms is best. I would love to get a book of Psalms that doesn't have convoluted grammar ("he makes me down to lie", "and me to walk doth make within the paths of righteousness", etc.), but I'm not sure of the accuracy of those psalms or the singability of the tunes.

So, which one would you recommend and why?

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Kim G
Non-denom church (holds to the WCF)
Zion Community Church, Greenville, SC

Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
Psalm 86:11

My church uses the 1912 Dutch Psalter and it is quite beautiful (and affordable). This Psalter maintains a healthy balance of accuracy and singability; plus it has the advantave of being Dutch, for if a Psalter ain't Dutch, it ain't much. ;-)

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Bryan D. Buie
First Reformed Presbyterian Church
Grand Rapids, MI

Try:

Book of Praise | Revised text of the Anglo-Genevan Psalms
Psalter.org. Psalms from The Book of Psalms for Singing. Crown & Covenant Publications.
The Scottish Metrical Psalter
The Bay Psalm Book

Amazon.com: The Psalms of David - Choir of ...

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Richard
CofE
UK

My daughter and I use The Book of Psalms for Singing and the Psalms of David in Metre (with commentary by John Brown of Haddington).

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Also the "Trinity Psalter" which is set to meter but you can change the tune to the Psalm...

My favorites are a combination of Book of Psalms for Singing, and the Trinity Psalter...

Both available at Crown & Covenant

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Michael Daniels
Reformed, RPCNA
Denton, Maryland

[i][b]As For Me And My House, We Will Serve The Lord[/i][/b]

[SIZE="1"][I][FONT="Century Gothic"]Unum Deum in Trinitate: Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus [RIGHT]Sola scriptura - Sola gratia - Sola fide - Solus Christus - Soli Deo gloria - Solum psalterium - Lex talionis[/RIGHT][/FONT][/I][/SIZE]

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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 prefer the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter (The Scottish Psalmody or the RPCI split-leaf editions, I have both staff and sol-fa, but use staff) and the 1973 RPCNA Book of Psalms for Singing. I have a collection of other psalters, including the Bay Psalm Book, the 1912 Dutch Psalter, the 1994 Trinity Psalter, 1984 Canadian Reformed Churches Anglo Genevan Psalter, 1599 Sternhold/Hopkins Psalter, Ainsworth Psalter (including select psalms sung on cassette from the Plimoth Plantation, Psalm 100 being one of my favorites), as well as various versions of the French Huguenot Psalter, and others. For everyday usage, the first two are my favorites.

Which Psalter does your congregation use?
Metrical psalter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Split-leaf psalter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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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

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

At our church, we use our federation's song book, Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter. In our home we use the Book of Praise and occasionally the Psalter Hymnal or the Book of Psalms for Singing.

I would recommend the Book of Praise on account of the direct connection with the Reformation church. Some of the rhymings/paraphrases are not that great, but if you follow the link above you'll find the improvements that we're currently testing.

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca

Has anyone looked at Canon Press' Cantus Christi? I'm definitely not a fan of Wilson (et.al.) other theology, but, I have heard that there is some good Psalmody in it. Thoughts?

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~Pastor Chris Powell~
Covenant Baptist Church, Toronto
www.covenantbaptistchurch.com

I don't have a copy, but I've heard that it includes quite a number of Psalms from the Book of Praise (plus others).

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca

The 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter is a faithful translation of the Psalms in a format that is suitable for singing. The common meter tunes are simple and easy to learn.

If you shop Crown & Covenantlook under International Psalters and find The Scottish Psalmody.

Words-only editions of the 1650 can be found at reasonable price through the Trinitarian Bible Society.

There are plenty of examples of Psalms and tunes from the 1650 on the Precentor in Charlotte blog page or you can click on the word Precentor any time my signature appears with a post.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
Currently disabled due to health issues
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

I love the 1650 Scottish Psalter. When you compare it with scripture it is really close to the text. It is singing scripture in the truest sense, the translation is so good, verse for verse, sense for sense. The language grows on you. Each one can be read like a poem. In addition to all of that there are thousands of tunes to pick from for each Psalm. I like to have a specific tune for each Psalm so that I can memorize them. That way I can sing them anywhere anytime and truly hide scripture in my heart and mind.

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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.

Being a modern sort of guy I like Free Church of Scotland | Sing Psalms & The Scottish Psalter: Words Only , this contains both modern arrangements and the Scottish Psalter.

We sang Psalm 20 last week and I was so moved I almost said Amen out loud at the end it was so good.

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Mike
London City Presbyterian Church
London
England

"Surely, we wish to be orthodox, but we must first learn what real orthodoxy is. Surely, we wish to be progressive, but we must first have a basis to progress from."

Stick with the Old Language... It is closer to the Hebrew....

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Michael Daniels
Reformed, RPCNA
Denton, Maryland

[i][b]As For Me And My House, We Will Serve The Lord[/i][/b]

[SIZE="1"][I][FONT="Century Gothic"]Unum Deum in Trinitate: Pater, Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus [RIGHT]Sola scriptura - Sola gratia - Sola fide - Solus Christus - Soli Deo gloria - Solum psalterium - Lex talionis[/RIGHT][/FONT][/I][/SIZE]

I too like Sing Psalms. Psalm 20 is particularly beautiful in this version. The recommended tune is Joanna (Immortal, Invisible God only Wise). Tried to scan the words, but for some reason it won't work. Checked the copyright and it looks good to be able to share them with you all. The underlined words are sung on one note.
Here's a couple of verses:

Ps 20
1 May the LORD answer you when you cry in distress;
May Jacob's God keep you, whose name you confess.
2 May God send assistance from his holy place,
And grant you from Zion support by his grace.

3 May God keep in mind every sacrifice made;
Accept on the altar your offerings laid.
4 And may he fulfil the desire of your heart-
Success to each one of your plans to impart

6 Now truly I know that the LORD from above
Protects his anointed in covenant love;
From heav'n in his holiness God hears his cry,
And saves by the pow'r of his right hand on high.

7 In horses or chariots some trust for defence,
But the name of the LORD is our strong confidence.
8 They're brought to their knees, while in strength we arise.
9 O LORD, save the king! Hear and answer our cries!

Sing Psalms 2003, Free Church of Scotland

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Donnie MacLeod
Crossroads Presbyterian Fellowship (PCA), Maplewood, MO
MDiv Student Covenant Theological Seminary

You filled my heart with greater joy
than others may have found
As they rejoiced at harvest time,
when grain and wine abound.Ps 4:7, Sing Psalms 2003