# OPC Psalter/Hymnal



## JML (May 29, 2012)

When is the release date on the new OPC Psalter/Hymnal? Can someone here tell me more about what it contains, i.e. all 150 psalms or just partial? Are the psalms newly translated or are they used from another psalter? Thanks for any information that you can give me about the project.


----------



## Contra_Mundum (May 29, 2012)

The OPC project is not complete. I understand that most of the work is done on the Psalter portion. The "Hymnal" portion may either 1) take some time to do, or 2) there may be some collaboration with another similar P/H project also in the works by another party.

SFAIK, all 150 Psalms will be included; no other option is really reasonable, with the (significant) deficiency of the T-H (in either its former or later incarnation) in this regard being perhaps the main impetus behind the new labor.

It would be irrational for the committee engaged to reinvent the wheel completely regarding the translation. I do know that in discussions on each Psalm, a thorough examination of the Hebrew text has been the preliminary starting point, and discussion of the meaning of the text. My supposition is that various historic versification of the text has thus been compared to the original, line by line--at least, that's my interpretation of the published description of the committee's work so far.

Musically, effort has been made to choose tunes that fit the content. I do not know (but doubt) that a single tune has been chosen for every Psalm. My guess is that, like the _Book of Psalms for Singing_, the longer Psalms are broken into "typical" length.

As for sources of my information, I have both read description of the committee's work in the denominational magazine, and at least two members of the committee are from my Presbytery (and there's another member of the committee with an internet persona on this board, I believe...). I have sung one or two of the earlier-chosen selections, and I really liked them.

I hope the project can soon be completed, and that it will be embraced by the church.


----------



## JML (May 29, 2012)

Thanks Bruce. So, at this point, there is not a set date or even a goal date for the release of the psalter/hymnal?


----------



## Contra_Mundum (May 29, 2012)

There can't be such a date, because the work must go on until it is complete, or suspended by the GA. Annually, there is a progress report due to the GA, so there should be another public witness to the progress in June.

Once the work is complete, and the GA (at minimum) has approved the work, the GA will likely approve publication, and that will take time and money (perhaps from new orders of the work?).

Will the OPC be the publisher (or copyright holder), and not Great Commissions Publications? I'm guessing so, but only because I think there may be a desire for this project to "belong" explicitly to the church, and not to a publisher, even one nominally under (dual) ecclesiastical control. But there could be _someone_ here who can speak with more wisdom on the topic...


----------



## ProtestantBankie (May 30, 2012)

Is there no official requirement for at least 150 psalms to feature?


----------



## PointyHaired Calvinist (May 30, 2012)

Isn't the United Reformed Church working hand-in-hand w/ the OPC on this?


----------



## Scott1 (May 30, 2012)

You are likely aware of the PCA/OPC Trinity Psalter, a wonderful resource:
CEP Bookstore - TRINITY PSALTER


----------



## Alan D. Strange (May 30, 2012)

I agree that the Trinity Psalter, published by GCP, is a great resource. 

Terry Johnson, who put that together for the PCA, is on our Psalter-Hymnal Composition Subcommittee, of which I am chairman. His input has been and is invaluable, along with a number of others (musicologists, musicians, composers, Hebraists, English poets and stylists). 

The URCNA Synod will be taking up the recommendation of its P/H Committee at its meeting (June 11-15, Nyack College): that the Synod accept the invitation of the OPC to produce a joint P/H for use in a wide range of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Our Christian Education Committee is workng through the Psalter that has been produced by the Composition Subcommittee and is making excellent progress. We have to work on the hymn side more (though we've selected a goodly number). 

The URCNA has done a good deal of work on the hymn side and has been working on the psalm side using our material and that of others and has made good progress. If the Synod approves our working together to produce a joint P/H, and that will be before the URCNA Synod for debate in two weeks, then we should be able to move with some speed. Even if approved, there are unknowns here, chiefly, the process of approval of the final product by the OPC GA and the URCNA Synod.

Hope that is helpful.

Peace,
Alan

I've just looked at the OP again: Yes, all 150 Psalms in the front in order, with music, some psalms with more than one musical setting. We've gone to the Hebrew freshly but only to make sure that what we are using is accurate. Frankly, the greatest challenge is not versifying the Hebrew but getting music with appropriate affect, singability, beauty, etc. The music is by far the hardest challenge. Many familiar tunes, some reworked ones, some new ones. But then this is without all the good work of the very able brothers and sisters in the URCNA, together with whom I hope that we can produce something of beauty and serviceability to the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we love and adore, Who first loved us and has given Himself for us.


----------



## Zach (May 31, 2012)

I am really excited to see the finished product of this effort. Thanks for all of your and your committee's work on this, Dr. Strange. Is the committee pulling Psalms from a variety of Psalters or having one as a "starting point" for the text of Psalms? Also, are most of the Psalms full Psalms or are they broken into smaller segments much like the _Book of Psalms for Worship_?


----------



## Alan D. Strange (May 31, 2012)

We have an unpublished psalter project that is a kind of starting point, though we are drawing from a wide variety of sources. The Psalms are all whole, with the exception of Psalm 119, with each section thereof treated separately. 

Peace,
Alan


----------



## ProtestantBankie (May 31, 2012)

Alan D. Strange said:


> We have an unpublished psalter project that is a kind of starting point, though we are drawing from a wide variety of sources. The Psalms are all whole, with the exception of Psalm 119, with each section thereof treated separately.
> 
> Peace,
> Alan



Fantastic.


----------



## recosby (May 31, 2012)

Contra_Mundum said:


> It would be irrational for the committee engaged to reinvent the wheel completely regarding the translation. I do know that in discussions on each Psalm, a thorough examination of the Hebrew text has been the preliminary starting point, and discussion of the meaning of the text. My supposition is that various historic versification of the text has thus been compared to the original, line by line--at least, that's my interpretation of the published description of the committee's work so far.



This is that part of the Psalter that I first heard about as my former Hebrew professor is on the translation committee for the it. My understanding from him is that they are building on the previous translation the way almost any bible translation does, but that they are primarily going to have a fresh translation.


----------



## Zach (May 31, 2012)

Alan D. Strange said:


> We have an unpublished psalter project that is a kind of starting point, though we are drawing from a wide variety of sources. The Psalms are all whole, with the exception of Psalm 119, with each section thereof treated separately.
> 
> Peace,
> Alan



Thank you, Alan. Looking forward to it.


----------



## Alan D. Strange (May 31, 2012)

recosby said:


> This is that part of the Psalter that I first heard about as my former Hebrew professor is on the translation committee for the it. My understanding from him is that they are building on the previous translation the way almost any bible translation does, but that they are primarily going to have a fresh translation.



A fresh translation for our working purposes as a committee, to evaluate and correct as needed. Remember what we are singing is a version of the Psalms set to music. We are not doing a Bible translation. There is a difference. Your professor, Bryan Estelle, served as our Hebraist and he did an excellent job.

Peace,
Alan


----------



## Kaalvenist (May 31, 2012)

Prof. Strange,

You might remember me; I was at the conference hosted by the Denver OPC when you spoke on the Federal Vision.

I realize that you've done fresh translations from the Hebrew. Have there been any comparisons with / appropriations from current Psalters --- I'm thinking especially of the Scottish Psalter (1650), any of the RPCNA Psalters (1950, 1973, 2009, etc.), Trinity Psalter, etc.?


----------



## PointyHaired Calvinist (May 31, 2012)

Any talk of any Standards being appended to the new Psalter Hymnal?


----------



## recosby (Jun 1, 2012)

Prof. Strange, Thanks for the clarification. I understand the difference between translating for the psalter being different from translating for a bible. I was just noting that with both you do not start from scratch usually but compare with previous version. But I had bee under the impression that the new translating would be going into the psalter itself, so it is good to be set straight before i mislead some others. I enjoyed one day after class Talking to Dr. Estelle at length about the project and especially his struggles in that translating into a metrical form is so difficult. I am greatly looking forward to this being done. I am planting a church at this time and am hoping it is done by the time we need to buy new hymnals.


----------



## a mere housewife (Jun 1, 2012)

Alan D. Strange said:


> I've just looked at the OP again: Yes, all 150 Psalms in the front in order, with music, some psalms with more than one musical setting. We've gone to the Hebrew freshly but only to make sure that what we are using is accurate. Frankly, the greatest challenge is not versifying the Hebrew but getting music with appropriate affect, singability, beauty, etc. The music is by far the hardest challenge. Many familiar tunes, some reworked ones, some new ones. But then this is without all the good work of the very able brothers and sisters in the URCNA, together with whom I hope that we can produce something of beauty and serviceability to the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we love and adore, Who first loved us and has given Himself for us.



I'm very excited to read this, Dr. Strange -- I've often wished some qualified group would take on that aspect specifically. As a very average half musical lay-person I have thought that one reason why it is harder for me to learn Psalms than hymns is not just because I grew up singing the one and not the other, but that generally the tunes do not match the words very well; and there are so many Psalms which are sung to the same tune that it can become confusing (and the lack of appropriate emotion then in the music for what is being sung, in what is the most emotional and experimental book of the Bible, can be even discouraging). My pastor when he visited us recently was speaking about wishing to get a complete Psalter that did a better job with this, as well. I can't imagine how much work goes into just the musical aspect of trying to produce something that better helps us to 'sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also'.


----------



## Alan D. Strange (Jun 1, 2012)

Heidi:

It is truly a daunting task, and one to which none of us are really equal. Please pray for us as we continue this important work.

And to answer the other questions: Sean, all the Psalters that you cited and more; Jonathan, yes we would append confessional standards (if we do a joint book, to one the TFU and to the other Westminster--though we have to keep them from getting too long). 

We would like to have the Larger Catechism there. Presbyterian ministers ought regularly to be instructing their congregations in the Larger Catechism, a document too often ignored, but containing a gold mine of rich Reformed theology. We neglect it to our peril. As I regularly teach the WLC, I comment that we go here and there and do this and that and here is this glorious body of divinity right under our noses, part of our heritage, that often lies unconsulted. I'm getting off topic here, but the WLC is something that makes me wax rhapsodic!

Peace,
Alan


----------



## PointyHaired Calvinist (Jun 2, 2012)

Alan D. Strange said:


> We would like to have the Larger Catechism there. Presbyterian ministers ought regularly to be instructing their congregations in the Larger Catechism, a document too often ignored, but containing a gold mine of rich Reformed theology. We neglect it to our peril. As I regularly teach the WLC, I comment that we go here and there and do this and that and here is this glorious body of divinity right under our noses, part of our heritage, that often lies unconsulted. I'm getting off topic here, but the WLC is something that makes me wax rhapsodic!



And all God's people said, "Amen!" The Larger Catechism is one of the greatest expositions of basic doctrine (especially the Ten Commandments!) every written by man. (Indeed, its commentary on the Commandments is unparalleled!)


----------



## Zach (Jun 5, 2012)

Dr. Strange, I'm not sure if you know anything about the publishing of the Psalter/Hymnal subject to approval by the OPC GA but I figure I will ask. Is there any possibility that the Psalter/Hymnal will be released in an iPad/iPhone app much like The Book of Psalms for Worship App? I use this App regularly in my private worship because it plays and teaches an unfamiliar tune with the option of playing the tune for each verse of the Psalm while I am still learning it. It would be wonderful if the OPC Psalter/Hymnal had a similar app to facilitate private worship using this resource.


----------

