Sing a New Song: Recovering Psalm Singing for the Twenty-First Century

Publisher's Description

The book of Psalms occupies a unique place in Scripture, being both the Word from God and words to God from His people. Unfortunately, psalm singing no longer plays an integral part of worship in most evangelical churches. In this book, thirteen well–respected scholars urge the church to rediscover the treasure of the Psalms as they examine the history of psalm singing in the church, present biblical reasons for the liturgical practice, and articulate the practical value it provides us today.

Foreword: W. Robert Godfrey

Contributors: Joel R. Beeke, Robert Cathcart, J. V. Fesko, W. Robert Godfrey, D. G. Hart, Terry Johnson, Michael Lefebvre, David P. Murray, Hughes Oliphant Old, Athony T. Selvaggio, Derek Thomas, Rowland Ward, and Malcom Watts.

Contents:
Part I: Psalm Singing in History
Chapter 1 Hughes Oliphant Old and Robert Cathcart: “From Cassian to Cranmer: Singing the Psalms from Ancient Times until the Dawning of the Reformation”
Chapter 2 Joel R. Beeke: “Psalm Singing in Calvin and the Puritans”
Chapter 3 Terry Johnson: “The History of Psalm Singing in the Christian Church”
Chapter 4 D. G. Hart: “Psalters, Hymnals, Worship Wars, and American Presbyterian Piety”

Part II: Psalm Singing in Scripture
Chapter 5 Rowland Ward: “Psalm Singing and Scripture”
Chapter 6 Michael LeFebvre: “The Hymns of Christ: The Old Testament Formation of the New Testament Hymnal”
Chapter 7 David P. Murray: “Christian Cursing?”
Chapter 8 Malcolm Watts: “The Case for Psalmody, with Some Reference to The Psalter’s Sufficiency for Christian Worship”

Part III: Psalm Singing and the Twenty-First-Century Church
Chapter 9 Anthony T. Selvaggio: “Psalm Singing and Redemptive-Historical Hermeneutics: Geerhardus Vos’s ‘Eschatology of the Psalter’ Revisited”
Chapter 10 Derek Thomas: “Psalm Singing and Pastoral Theology”
Chapter 11 J. V. Fesko: “Psalmody and Prayer”

Joel R. Beeke (PhD Westminster Theological Seminary) is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editor of The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, and author of numerous books.

Anthony T Selvaggio is a teaching elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America and a member of the Rochester Reformed Presbyterian Church (Rochester, NY) where he contributes regularly to the preaching ministry. He previously served as the Senior Pastor of the College Hill Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA) in Beaver Falls, PA. He is also a visiting professor at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. He is an active preacher and conference speaker. He lives in Rochester, New York with his wife, Michelle, and his two children, Katherine and James.