How to Sing the Psalms?

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clawrence9008

clawrence9008

Puritan Board Freshman
I'm interested in adding the singing of a psalm or two to my daily devotions when my winter break from school starts next week. While I am not at the moment convinced of exclusive psalmody (please forgo turning this thread into an EP discussion, as that is not what I wish to have answered here), it is clear that we are commanded to sing the Psalms (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19), and having read widely in the Psalms the past couple weeks, I have found them to be incredibly edifying, beautiful, and theologically rich. I have never sung them privately or corporately, however, and so I don't know where to start in singing the psalms (i.e. what metrical version to sing, what tune to sing it to, etc.). Can anyone give me any counsel on the basics of psalm-singing?
 
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Purchase a modern, music included Psalter or Psalter-hymnal. Or use one from hymnary.org. For years my family has used the old (out of print) 1976 CRC Psalter-hymnal (because we have multiple copies handy for our use). If you can read music, or can pick out tunes because you know them from the hymns of your current church (or youth), you just sing the Psalms to the tunes you know. Some people consider the drawback that this PH (like many others) sometimes shortchange the text-details, especially in the longer Psalms (which are already split up--true for most Psalters), but for a starter book it's not bad. It's also free on Hymnary dot org.

Almost forgot: https://psalter.org/ contains music, etc.
 
We've been using the "Trinity Psalter Hymnal" app. I believe you can find it on Google play, perhaps Apple store. We find a psalm we want to teach the kids, screenshot and print the lyrics out for each of them.

The app also has some mediocre MIDI tones to familiarize you with the tune, although we don't use it when we actually sing.
 
clawrence9008 said:
Any advice on picking a tune for a psalm? I feel like I would spend so much time trying to find a fitting tune that this would end up becoming more of a chore than a devotion.
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@clawrence9008 - find a setting of a Psalm text you'd like to sing and either post it here or PM me. It is very likely that someone here will be able to find a tune with which you are familiar that matches the metrical pattern of the text.

If you want to go further, I or any number of people on here can teach you how to do this for yourself. But for now I encourage you to start very simply and keep it basic.

This is not to counter any of the advice above. I haven't used many of the technological resources mentioned here, and it's possible that they could pretty quickly get you where you need to go. Just presenting another option for those more accustomed to "analog world" when it comes to these things.
 
That you having an interest in singing the Psalter is a vital development for any Christian and you are right in forgoing the EPs arguments; the important thing is that you want to sing God’s Psalms, which are an essential element of worship. The RPCNA and other Psalm-singing denoms recognize a faithful translated Psalter as the word of God and that is an important distinction that is usually ignored by many in the churches that produce those combination “psalter-hymnals”. Best to start with the RPCNA red Psalter with many familiar tunes and then later try the Scottish Psalter (mostly common metre) available from the Trinitarian Bible Society, and then maybe the Genevan Psalter published by the Canadian Reformed. The Genevan Psalter is published in all the European languages, so if you are multi-lingual, it is a good one to use. I would stay away from ones that pull from the old 1912 Psalter like the Trinity “Psalter-Hymnal” and CRC “Psalter-Hymnal” used by the OP and the URC. If you use a reliable Psalter that you believe to be the word of God, you and your children will memorize much of the Psalter. When you are too sick or too old to read, you will be glad that you sang God’s Word in your devotions so that you have much of it written on your heart. I’ve seen elderly people singing in church who do not even need to open their Psalter.
As you sing through the Psalter write notes in your Psalter for favorite or alternative tunes to use for next time. And if you read music, in the Scottish Psalter, just jot-down the first measure, so you can quickly recognize the tune.
 
Matching a psalm to a tune can be tricky without an understanding of metre. On the other hand, if you have some knowledge of Presbyterian hymns you might be pleasantly surprised to find more than a few psalm tunes are familiar because they originally came into worship as tunes for psalms and have become part of most solid hymnals.

In my devotions I sang through the psalms in the new Trinity Psalter Hymnal when it first came out and very much benefited from doing so. The midi files are available in an app, and while that's not the greatest musical experience, you should be able to get a good idea about how the tune is supposed to go.
 
If you are familiar with the tunes of many traditional hymns, you can sing a lot of psalms using those familiar tunes. This guide goes with the RPCNA's Book of Psalms for Worship. Pick any of those psalms from that collection and sing it to the familiar tune you already know.

Psalms1.jpg Psalms2.jpg
 
You may find the resources on this page helpful, including the text of the Scottish Psalter, Psalter midi files, an index of the Psalm tunes, as well as MP3s of congregational psalm-singing.
 
Choosing the correct tune requires answering the following questions:
1) technical - what meter is the psalm set to CM, SM, etc. etc.
2) thematic - what is the "mood" of the Psalm is it joyful? Is it repentant? is it contemplative etc.? It is no use at all to sing Psalm 130 to the psalm tune you would sing Psalm 145 or 150. The tune chosen should harmonize with the spiritual content of the psalm.

My advice is get a split leaf psalter that has reccommended tunes in the back - and then search the internet for the tune if you can't read music. But Jack's list may well get you up and going.
 
clawrence9008 said:
Any advice on picking a tune for a psalm? I feel like I would spend so much time trying to find a fitting tune that this would end up becoming more of a chore than a devotion.
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As noted, there are suggested tunes in the app. Just pick a psalm. And then when you got to pick a tune, it gives recommended tunes. You can also see the lists of the same recommended tunes at covenantofgrace.com.

For the scottish psalter that I linked you (and Josh linked you), you can pick any common meter tune to sing it: every psalm has a common meter version (with one exception, but it is close enough to common meter most don't notice). If you know Amazing Grace or O for a Thousand Tongues to sing (any common meter tune), you can sing through the whole psalter. If you can additionally learn Evan and St. Kilda, you'll be able to cover most of the moods of the psalter.

It helps to not get stuck on picking a tune: just pick something; most will be okay. The main thing that can be jarring is if you pick a happy sounding tune for a psalm with mournful words or vice-versa. Some tunes work for multiple moods though (like Evan that I suggested), and Amazing Grace actually works decently for the whole psalter.

I don't know of a standard list of tunes that tend to be used with particular psalms in the scottish psalter but could make one if I had more time (others here could too). The tunes used in the link that Josh gave you are mostly standard or common choices. I also don't have a list of common hymn tunes that are used with the Scottish psalter, but I or another could probably make one. Jack's list includes at least some of them, but not all those tunes are common meter.
 
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Not much to add to the wonderful advice that has already been given but as someone who cannot read music, the Crown and Covenant recordings from the Books of Psalms for Singing which can be readily found on Spotify or Youtube have been a boon to me. I'll listen to the recordings until I know the tune and then I'm able to sing from the Psalter. For common tunes I write hymns names at the bottom of the pages in my psalter to remind me what the tunes are.
 
Hansseco said:
Where do you find those suggestions?
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At https://alpha.psalterapp.com/, click on the scroll icon to choose the Psalm, and then you can click on a tab to choose the tune. At the top of those tunes you'll see the "recommended" section. When just beginning to sing Psalms, I do believe that being able to sing along with a recording is very helpful; so do check out the link JW provided above, or the 1650 app (which has those same recordings). That way a fitting tune is chosen for you, all you have to do is sing along. :)
 
Another option would be to learn 1 or 2 Psalm tones and chant the psalms you don't have a good tune for yet. I don't remember where I learned psalm tones (and I only know 2) but it is a good option for singing the psalms you don't have a metrical tune for and also for languages that don't have a metrical psalter
 
Here is a youtube video going through the psalm tones of plainchant. I don't think that is what I used but it is a resource. It's from an Anglican.


The "secret" is that it is monotonic most of the time. Just at the end (and sometimes begining) of the first/second half of the verse it is not monotonic.
 
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Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter also known as Day's Psalter can be found here: http://www.cgmusic.org/workshop/oldver_frame.htm​

​

A new version of the Psalms of David, fitted to the tunes used in churches by Tate and Brady can be found here:
​

​

Both of these Psalters can be sung to either Anglican chant, or to Gregorian or some other Plainsong chant.​

​

The settings for singing the Psalms in the Anglo Genevan Psalter used by the Canadian Reformed Churches is remarkably similar to the tunes used when using Anglican Chant to sing the Psalter.​

 
Many hymnal have a metrical index - pick a tune you know that matches the metrics of the psalm you are singing from the psalter.
The Trinity Psalter has suggestions.
And finally, several of them can be sung to the theme from Gilligan's Island.
 
PointyHaired Calvinist said:
The 1912 Psalter (United Presbyterian) is a great free resource for this.

archive.org

The Psalter with responsive readings : United Presbyterian Church of North America : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

1 close score (459 p.) ; 22 cm
archive.org
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The old 1912 United Presbyterian Psalter is still in use in the Netherland Reformed Congregations, The Protestant Reformed Churches and probably some other Dutch Reformed bodies. I have wondered why these Churches do not adopt a psalter that is similar to the Genevan Psalter; like the Canadian Reformed Churches have done.

The Genevan Psalter

A center for resources and information relating to the Genevan Psalter, including articles, sheet music, recordings, books, websites and metrical translations based on it.
genevanpsalter.com

reformedchristianbooks.com

Anglo-Genevan Psalter in Four Part Harmony

Compiled by Carl Oosterhoff The Book of Praise, the Anglo-Genevan psalter, specifically produced for use in the worship services of the Canadian Reformed Churches, follows the continental Reformed practice of only featuring the melodies of the 150 psalms and 85 hymns. This 2022 songbook now...
reformedchristianbooks.com reformedchristianbooks.com
 
LittleFaith said:
Sir, I'd like to know which ones, and to be provided with video evidence of this.
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Any of them arranged for Common Meter (C.M.) (8.6.8.6)

In this Psalter, apparently all of them https://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Commo...ndering of the,in their devotions and worship.

Traditional Psalters it would be fewer, but still a bunch. Just count the syllables. A common version of the 23rd Psalm is in Common Meter (The Lord is my Shepherd, I'll not want, he maketh me down to lie / In pastures green He leadeth me the quiet waters by.)

No Psalms, but here are verses from 31 well known songs sung to the Gilligan's Island tune. (Warning to board members - several Christ Mass selections).

I'll keep digging. Surely someone has recorded it.

Corrections invited from anyone that can play an instrument or carry a tune.
 
Edward said:
Any of them arranged for Common Meter (C.M.) (8.6.8.6)

In this Psalter, apparently all of them https://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Common-Meter-Scott-Foote/dp/1970063696#:~:text=The Psalms In Common Meter is a rendering of the,in their devotions and worship.

Traditional Psalters it would be fewer, but still a bunch. Just count the syllables. A common version of the 23rd Psalm is in Common Meter (The Lord is my Shepherd, I'll not want, he maketh me down to lie / In pastures green He leadeth me the quiet waters by.)

No Psalms, but here are verses from 31 well known songs sung to the Gilligan's Island tune. (Warning to board members - several Christ Mass selections).

I'll keep digging. Surely someone has recorded it.

Corrections invited from anyone that can play an instrument or carry a tune.
Click to expand...
This made my day. Thank you.
 
Edward said:
Traditional Psalters it would be fewer, but still a bunch. Just count the syllables. A common version of the 23rd Psalm is in Common Meter (The Lord is my Shepherd, I'll not want, he maketh me down to lie / In pastures green He leadeth me the quiet waters by.)

No Psalms, but here are verses from 31 well known songs sung to the Gilligan's Island tune.
Click to expand...

I don't recommend it, because I don't think the tune really goes with the Psalm. But for the sake of demonstration, see the attached audio of Ps. 23 sung to the tune of Gilligan's Island.
 

Attachments

I haven’t made it past the how to sing anything stage. Sometimes I feel like the Milli Vanilli of the congregation.
 
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