Reading the Psalms: An Appeal for Help and Information

October 4, 2014

Reading the Psalms: An Appeal for Help and Information

If you have read this blog regularly you will already know that I have an interest in reading the Psalms in their setting within the canon. In particular, I am interested in the impact of the discipline of reading the Psalms daily, in their canonical order.

The Church has, in various ways, treated the Psalms like this, almost since its birth. In particular, in many liturgical traditions, especially in monastic practise, the Psalms are used extensively. Some orders and individuals even sing the whole Psalter each week.

Much scholarship over the past century has examined the Psalms in ways which tend to isolate them into individual texts. At the same time many churches have moved away from giving the Psalter prominence in corporate worship. Additionally, use of the Psalms is often subject to a sort of censorship, whereby certain psalms and certain verses are omitted from the approved liturgy.

More recent scholarship has recognised that the The Psalms are in fact a book, a Psalter. Many of my earlier posts explore this. It is, however, doubtful that this change in scholarship has had any observable impact on either Church practice or personal devotions.

I am attempting to write a book about the value of reading the Psalter as a spiritual discipline. I would really like to hear from anyone who has experience of disciplined reading and/or singing of the Psalter. I am keen to hear about both positive and negative experiences. If you do use the Psalms regularly it would be great to hear why you do, what you do, and how long you’ve done it. If you belong to a monastic order, or know someone who does, I would really like to hear about the pattern of psalm use there.

Please feel free to leave a comment below, contact me at @PsalterMark or email m.j.whiting@icloud.com.

Psalm use, The Life of Faith

Psalm use, Psalter

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PsalterMark

Psalm addict, disciple, son, husband, father, academic, theologian, cacti grower, steam enthusiast and ale drinker

2 responses to “Reading the Psalms: An Appeal for Help and Information”

BrendO

November 23, 2014 at 9:36 pm

My role in leading the singing of the psalms is a great delight. I cannot claim it as a discipline, or theologically or academically significant — those I leave to your better insights. However, it is a treasured corner of our Sunday worship. My focus is on the musical presentation of these important poems, a continuation of this long tradition.
Our approach and activities are chronicled at http://www.psalmsinthesouth.net. My internal thinking and arrangements to get there each week is much less disciplined, consistent or organised than the blog might suggest. The blog is not widely read but the sung psalms, in various styles ranging from Gregorian chant and Tallis through to John (and indeed Steve) Bell and Sinéead, are a valued part of our worship.
I wish you well in your endeavours, which I find very interesting and helpful. Brendan

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1. PsalterMark
  
  November 24, 2014 at 4:36 pm
  
  Thank you for your helpful and interesting reply. It is great to hear how diverse psalm use is today. Your experience sounds musically very rich compared to mine.
  
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About Me

This blog’s central aim is to explore all aspects of how the Psalter (the biblical psalms) functions as Scripture today.

To this end it will also include book reviews on the Book of Psalms and related topics.

Some posts will reflect more broadly on biblical interpretation or hermeneutics.

If you like what you see here and want to arrange for me to give a lecture, run a teaching event or a short retreat based around The Psalms then contact me so we can discuss how this might work.

PsalterMark