Using the Psalter

I just got back from my second trip to Maine in two weeks (and a third one is scheduled for mid-August). One highlight was a visit to Mid-Coast Baptist Church in Brunswick, Maine, pastored by Bobby Mitchell. After a bit of difficulty in finding the church, we did arrive in time for the evening service. Pastor Mitchell asked to to bring a short exhortation and I was glad for the opportunity.

I noticed that Mid-Coast used a copy of the Psalter. This is something that very few Baptist Churches use. Besides our church, Mid-Coast is the only other church I have ever visited that uses it (okay, I don’t get into that many churches, but you get my point). I was glad to see another church following this Scriptural command regarding our corporate worship. But few churches practice it. Maybe we think it is too high brow. Maybe we think it is too Presbyterian. More likely, the lack of use of the psalter is caused by two things:

1. Ignorance of it. Not many people know what it is or how to since from it.
2. The decline of music in Bible-believing churches. Most people would rather since praise-and-worship ditties or Southern Gospel music.

There are several Psalters out there. I like the one by Isaac Watts. We use the one put out by the Church of Scotland. I would recommend both. Charles Spurgeon included the Psalms in his From our Own Hymnbook.

Since we are commanded to sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs”, a revival of the singing of Psalms both privately and in congregational worship is something that we have neglected for far too long and is a practice that really needs to be revived.