The Psalms In Common Meter

The Psalms In Common Meter is a rendering of the entire Biblical book of Psalms into gentle and accessible verse. It is an entirely new verse-by-verse translation that follows a centuries-long tradition of metrical Psalters that God's people have used in their devotions and worship. This is not a text to be studied, but a collection of Biblical prayers that give voice to the emotions. From suffering and anger to joy and praise, the Psalms lift up our souls to God. For I am faint and feeble, Lord, my body aches and groans; O heal me from my maladies and pain within my bones. (Psalm 6:2) O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful Your name in all the earth; The splendor of the heavens shows Your glory and Your worth. (Psalm 8:1) There is a river known as joy that flows through streets of gold; It brings the city of our God delight and bliss untold. (Psalm 46:4) My soul finds rest in God alone because of grace He shows; My hope and rescue come from Him, for I'm the one He chose. (Psalm 62:1) Awake my soul and rise with me, awake O harp and strings; For I will wake the dawning day as all creation sings. (Ps 108:2)

Psalm paraphrases in verse form with suggested familiar tunes for singing in Short Meter, Common Meter and Long Meter for the appointed psalms for the Book of Common Prayer lectionary. Includes Canticles and Invitatories for the Daily Office for both Rite I and Rite II. Please note: This is the version based on the Book of Common Prayer Lectionary and originally published in 1986. A new version for the Revised Common Lectionary is now available.

Psalms in the Early Modern World is the first book to explore the use, interpretation, development, translation, and influence of the Psalms in the Atlantic world, 1400-1800. In the age of Reformation, when religious concerns drove political, social, cultural, economic, and scientific discourse, the Bible was the supreme document, and the Psalms were arguably its most important book.The Psalms played a central role in arbitrating the salient debates of the day, including but scarcely limited to the nature of power and the legitimacy of rule; the proper role and purpose of nations; the justification for holy war and the godliness of peace; and the relationship of individual and community to God. Contributors to the collection follow these debates around the Atlantic world, to pre- and post-Hispanic translators in Latin America, colonists in New England, mystics in Spain, the French court during the religious wars, and both Protestants and Catholics in England. Psalms in the Early Modern World showcases essays by scholars from literature, history, music, and religious studies, all of whom have expertise in the use and influence of Psalms in the early modern world. The collection reaches beyond national and confessional boundaries and to look at the ways in which Psalms touched nearly every person living in early modern Europe and any place in the world that Europeans took their cultural practices.

The Book of Psalms is the Lord's revelation providing His people with substance for worship, lament, reflection, introspection, confession and praise. Accordingly, the Apostle Paul entreats us to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Yet what has happened to psalm singing in the modern church? Most modern hymnals do contain a faint vestige of the Book of Psalms enduring from the Genevan Psalter. But how seriously does the modern church heed the scriptural admonition to sing psalms? And how can the modern church reclaim the rich treasure contained in the Psalter? The primary reason for resistance is the use of fatigued and dated hymn tunes most often utilized with psalter texts. The truth and authority of God's word does not change, but contemporary culture and musical style are everchanging. This tune collection, 24 New Tunes in Common Meter, is composed to this end to assist churches in the reclamation of the rich theological treasure found in the Book of Psalms and the psalter. Each new tune herein conforms to strophic common meter or common meter doubled. The style is intentionally contemporary with a variety of interesting rhythms, harmonies, color tones, chord extensions and modalities not appearing in traditional hymn tunes. Each new tune is scored for gentle vocal range and easy piano accompaniment. Chord symbols have been provided to facilitate adaptation of rhythm instruments such as guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. My prayer is that your church will find this collection of tunes useful in accessing and reclaiming the Book of Psalms in congregational worship.