Logan
Puritan Board Graduate
I've cared about psalters for quite some time and some of you may remember that I reviewed quite a few of them a number of years ago. I see strengths and weaknesses with each of the psalters available (yes, with the 1650 as well as the RPCNA psalter!) and have thought for a while on what I would think the ideal guiding principles of a new psalter would be.
I've outlined my thoughts below and would welcome critiques, things to add, or your own list.
Psalter Design Guiding Principles
I've outlined my thoughts below and would welcome critiques, things to add, or your own list.
Psalter Design Guiding Principles
- Accuracy (compared to the original Hebrew) should be of utmost importance
- Word for word equivalence is preferable to thought for thought (e.g., if “Lord” is used twice in the original sentence, use it twice in the stanza)
- The goal is to represent the Hebrew as well as possible in English meter. Rhyming should be the goal but not at the sacrifice of accuracy
- There should be no refrains or repeating of the last line to fit the meter
- There are many sources available that render an original translation from Hebrew unnecessary: translations such as the NKJV, NASB, ESV, CSB, and psalters such as the 1650, BoPW, Sing Psalms, and Psalm Singing in the 21st Century should be good resources to compare and get ideas from.
- The language should be in the proper vernacular of the day as much as possible
- Avoid archaic words
- Avoid convoluted sentence structures
- Avoid awkward or contracted words (e.g., “ne’er”)
- Each psalm should be singable in its entirety with a single tune (exception of 119 where each part should be singable with a single tune). Therefore the entire psalm should be in the same meter.
- The entire thought should be contained in the stanza. It should not be broken mid-sentence across stanzas
- Prefer to have one tune “married” to each psalm rather than a mix and match as you will
- With this in mind, a single page of music with words is preferable to a split-leaf, for ease of use and durability.
- A single meter is fine if it does not make singing through each psalm too cumbersome (e.g., C.M. makes singing through some psalms overly tedious). This is desirable to some people so that they can sing through the psalter with one tune but:
- Several meters would probably be preferable as it is doubtful all psalms fit naturally into one meter. Note however that too many meters could make it too complicated and unapproachable
- If multiple meters are available to use, analyze the psalm to see what meter it most naturally fits into (e.g., average words/syllables per natural break or verse)
- Readily approachable tunes are to be preferred, however, there are many aids to singing available so they shouldn’t be so simple as to become uninteresting.
- Tunes should fit the mood of the psalm as best as possible, whether reverent, joyful, solemn, contemplative, sorrowful.
- As much as can be done while still being faithful to the above principles, this should be a joint endeavor between multiple denominations (similar to the goals for the 1912 psalter but with a better outcome)