Pairing texts and tunes

[Andres]

One good resource for dealing with the syllables in the SMV is the edition of the 1650 found at the end of the Sing Psalms psalter (released by the FCOS). You can see the PDF here:
Sing-Psalms-Combined-Words-Edition-incl.-Scottish-Psalter-with-bookmarks-Tune-Reccomendations.pdf (freechurch.org)

It has markings to show when to hold a syllable and so on. Very helpful as you learn the psalm book. It is too bad that no recent printings of the 1650 have this feature (as far as I am aware) as getting a hold of a physical copy of Sing Psalms on this side of the pond is a bit difficult.

The new Foundations Psalter from SermonAudio has these markings!

 

[Northern Crofter]

The RPCNA's earliest psalter was a slight revisions of the 1650. Their preface listing their changes to the 1650 and why is pretty interesting. They note some of the same things you have.

The Psalter, or, Book of Psalms : a revision of the metrical version of the Bible Psalms, with additional versions ; Reformed Presbyterian version : Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archi

This is a revision of the Scottish metrical version of the Psalms

archive.org

That intro is a very interesting short read. I, too, have a pretty good collection of psalters, including a reprint of the Bay Psalm Book - I found it interesting that it was noted in this preface as one of the only psalters to not have inserted the Divine Name when not in the original and "[a]mong the helps found specially valuable may be mentioned the revision of the New England or Bay State Psalter." I always liked the Bay Psalm Book and found some of its translation to be among the most accurate. It is, of course, famous for being the first book printed in the North American colonies, but I've always wondered why it didn't become more popular.

 

[Logan]

The new Foundations Psalter from SermonAudio has these markings!

That's great news! When I got my copy of "Sing Psalms" back in 2013, one of my favorite features was the syllable markings for the SMV and I've been hoping someone else would do something like that. Extremely helpful.

 

[Northern Crofter]

The new Foundations Psalter from SermonAudio has these markings!

Does it have them all? The one I always check is the last verse/stanza of 145(A) in which "never" and "ever" have to be sung as one syllable - it doesn't look like they have any notation (at left) for that (as does the FCoS "Sing Psalms" at right):

 

[Jake]

Does it have them all? The one I always check is the last verse/stanza of 145(A) in which "never" and "ever" have to be sung as one syllable - it doesn't look like they have any notation (at left) for that (as does the FCoS "Sing Psalms" at right):
View attachment 10953 View attachment 10954

The hard part is that it depends on the congregation; some will say e'er and ne'er and some will quickly say nev-er and ev-er in one note.