Excellent website! I didn’t know if you were still accepting additions to your “Resources” page. I wrote a paper defending exclusive psalmody a few years ago. It’s on my old, mostly unused blog. If the format or comments are undesired, you have my permission to put it on your own site. Or, if you would like it in Word format, I can easily accommodate you. God bless.
Thanks for your kind words. I put a link to your fine paper on the “Articles” page. Please feel free to submit any other articles or anything of interest to you on the internet. Also, we welcome your comments and discussion on anything related to worship or Psalmody.
Please allow me to suggest that you add Worship in the Presence of God, a 400-page book which Dr. David C. Lachman and I co-edited almost twenty years ago. It was published by Greenville Seminary Press, and has more recently appeared as a paperback from Reformation Media and Press. I believe that it was the first volume in the twentieth century that dealt with worship as a whole (i.e., not just the content of worship song, and not just the regulative principle of worship) from a confessional Presbyterian perspective.
Cordially in Christ,
Frank J. Smith, Ph.D., D.D.
Pastor, Northminster Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA) http://www.northminster-church.com
770-241-3946
Thank you for the good words regarding the website. I hope it has proven to be helpful for our cause of promoting biblical worship.
I have added a link to Reformation Media and Press, it is great to hear that your fine book is still available in print. We are all grateful for your efforts in defending the singing of Psalms exclusively in worship.
Without a shadow of doubt, the Reformed theologians and confessions of the 16th century upheld the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) which states that the Church may worship God in no other way than He has commanded in His word.
As the Reformers understood it, the RPW applied not only to preaching and sacraments, they also maintained it forbid use of musical instruments in worship and that it required the use of only inspired canonical psalms. Today, many Reformed argue that the RPW applies to song in only a general way, maintaining that worship songs are a mere circumstance of worship (WCF 1:6), and are governed by common sense and basic principles of Scripture.
This message covers the history of the Church’s long-standing commitment to psalm-singing, shows the Biblical basis for the RPW, and then shows how song as an element of worship is strictly regulated by Scripture which requires the exclusive use of inspired psalms.
Finally, this message takes on 4 common arguments against the historic Reformed position on psalms in worship and then provides brief refutation of these common arguments made against exclusive psalmody.
Just thought I’d make you aware of 2 (basic) Psalter apps that have recently become available on Google Play (Android). I think it would be a good addition to this website to reference them! (I’m not profiting from this in any way).
They are:
“1650 Psalter” (Scottish Metrical)
“Psalter” (slight paraphrase as used mainly by Dutch Reformed Churches in the United States)
Thanks so much! I also know the RPCNA has a pretty handy app for the Book of Psalms for Worship. I need to put together a post detailing these new resources. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Yeah I just saw the RPCNA app. On Android it’s around $10 – which is ridiculously expensive! Anything priced over $5 is considered very expensive on Android.
And to promote psalm singing, why not make it totally free on android (where you don’t pay for printing of books), or at most charge sufficiently to cover development?
Has someone written a response or review of Benjamin Shaw’s chapter 9 (A Defense of Biblical Hymnody) in the book “The Worship of God: Reformed Concepts of Biblical Worship.”?
Exclusive Psalmody 
Mark,
Excellent website! I didn’t know if you were still accepting additions to your “Resources” page. I wrote a paper defending exclusive psalmody a few years ago. It’s on my old, mostly unused blog. If the format or comments are undesired, you have my permission to put it on your own site. Or, if you would like it in Word format, I can easily accommodate you. God bless.
http://kaalvenist.xanga.com/609916527/item/
Sean,
Thanks for your kind words. I put a link to your fine paper on the “Articles” page. Please feel free to submit any other articles or anything of interest to you on the internet. Also, we welcome your comments and discussion on anything related to worship or Psalmody.
Thanks! Happy to help and/or contribute. — And it’s “SEAN” P.M. McDonald, BTW… on the Articles page, you left off my first name. 🙂
Fixed!
Congratulations on your excellent website!
Please allow me to suggest that you add Worship in the Presence of God, a 400-page book which Dr. David C. Lachman and I co-edited almost twenty years ago. It was published by Greenville Seminary Press, and has more recently appeared as a paperback from Reformation Media and Press. I believe that it was the first volume in the twentieth century that dealt with worship as a whole (i.e., not just the content of worship song, and not just the regulative principle of worship) from a confessional Presbyterian perspective.
Cordially in Christ,
Frank J. Smith, Ph.D., D.D.
Pastor, Northminster Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA)
http://www.northminster-church.com
770-241-3946
Dr. Smith,
Thank you for the good words regarding the website. I hope it has proven to be helpful for our cause of promoting biblical worship.
I have added a link to Reformation Media and Press, it is great to hear that your fine book is still available in print. We are all grateful for your efforts in defending the singing of Psalms exclusively in worship.
Looking forward to input if you have the time!
Hello, I thought you might like to add this to your page. Greeting from All Saints Reformed Presbyterian in Brea, CA
Sing the Psalms (http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonid=1028122349598)
Without a shadow of doubt, the Reformed theologians and confessions of the 16th century upheld the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) which states that the Church may worship God in no other way than He has commanded in His word.
As the Reformers understood it, the RPW applied not only to preaching and sacraments, they also maintained it forbid use of musical instruments in worship and that it required the use of only inspired canonical psalms. Today, many Reformed argue that the RPW applies to song in only a general way, maintaining that worship songs are a mere circumstance of worship (WCF 1:6), and are governed by common sense and basic principles of Scripture.
This message covers the history of the Church’s long-standing commitment to psalm-singing, shows the Biblical basis for the RPW, and then shows how song as an element of worship is strictly regulated by Scripture which requires the exclusive use of inspired psalms.
Finally, this message takes on 4 common arguments against the historic Reformed position on psalms in worship and then provides brief refutation of these common arguments made against exclusive psalmody.
Hey,
Keep up the good work!
Just thought I’d make you aware of 2 (basic) Psalter apps that have recently become available on Google Play (Android). I think it would be a good addition to this website to reference them! (I’m not profiting from this in any way).
They are:
“1650 Psalter” (Scottish Metrical)
“Psalter” (slight paraphrase as used mainly by Dutch Reformed Churches in the United States)
Manuel,
Thanks so much! I also know the RPCNA has a pretty handy app for the Book of Psalms for Worship. I need to put together a post detailing these new resources. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Yeah I just saw the RPCNA app. On Android it’s around $10 – which is ridiculously expensive! Anything priced over $5 is considered very expensive on Android.
And to promote psalm singing, why not make it totally free on android (where you don’t pay for printing of books), or at most charge sufficiently to cover development?
Has someone written a response or review of Benjamin Shaw’s chapter 9 (A Defense of Biblical Hymnody) in the book “The Worship of God: Reformed Concepts of Biblical Worship.”?
please notify me of new posts by email. Thanks
More exclusive Psalm singing churches in the UK include:
St John’s Church of England Continuing congregation, Wimbledon, London, England http://www.wimbledonchurch.com
Strangers Rest Evangelical Church, London, England
http://www.strangersrest.org/