Most of our readers are aware that Synod’s Psalter Revision Committee has been working fast and furiously to produce a revised edition of the psalter that will make the use of the Psalms all the more meaningful in our worship. What have the reactions to this work been so far?

Certainly there has been considerable interest stimulated as committee members from across the church have taken back to their home congregation some of the vision for this new psalter. The valuable opportunity to have trial portions of the proposed new words and tunes has whet the appetite of many. A few have been highly critical over such matters as the use of modern language selections. But by and large the denomination appears to be looking with great anticipation toward having such a book of praise.

Just recently I had the privilege to attend a meeting of the Psalter Revision Committee. While there to offer technical details on printing and distribution, I naturally had time to observe the way this group works. I am prepared to say that we have every reason to hope for the best psalter yet. The musical and theological precision that have been devoted to the new metrical Book of Psalms are unmatched anywhere.

Editor’s note: Actually, the paragraphs above and below this paragraph were the comments of the Witness editor in 1973 as the Book of Psalms for Singing was about to be introduced. The similarities are many.

What I am saying is that it is high time that we as the Covenanter Church begin to be proud of what God is doing through us to advance biblical praise. None of us is going to like every feature of the new psalter. If we go at things with a critical eye we can find all kinds of minor technical ob­jections—99 percent of which are simply matters of taste. What I hope is that for once we can rally around what is really a project of great merit.

If we are desirous to see that the Psalms have a real impact on the spiritual life of Christian America, now is our chance. Every effort is being expended to make this the best-looking, most theologically accurate, and musically acceptable psalter that has yet been produced. If anyone could imagine the hours already put in, they should be able to see that every conceivable con­sideration has been weighed and acted upon accordingly.

Now it is up to us to do our part to make the Psalms more widely known to the whole Church of Christ. This is too great a treasure for us to hide away in our pews alone. Let’s be positive and realize that we have God’s Word in our praise and we need not think for one minute that if we spread it abroad that it will return void.

Thankfully, we can say that the RPCNA heeded the call to show thanksgiving for what God has entrusted to us, and has been zealous to share the blessings of psalm singing with over 100,000 people since the 1973 edition was first printed.

May the new psalter, to be released shortly, be an instrument for further blessing and godly reformation throughout the world.

—Drew Gordon