Scottish Psalter 1650

Haveyou ever longed to sing the Psalms, to join with the Psalmist in expressing theawe, majesty, grace and forgiveness of God?

The 16th century Reformer John Calvin once wrote of the Psalms:

"… that which St. Augustine has said is true, that no one is able tosing things worthy of God except that which he has received from him.Therefore, when we have looked thoroughly, and search here and there, we shallnot find better songs nor more fitting for the purpose, than the Psalms ofDavid, which the Holy Spirit spoke and made through him. And moreover, when wesing them, we are certain that God puts in our mouths these, as if himself weresinging in us to exalt his glory."

"This book I am wont to style an anatomy of all parts of the soul; forno one will discover in himself a single feeling whereof the image is notreflected in this mirror. Nay, all griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes,cares, anxieties – in short, all those tumultuous agitations wherewith theminds of men are wont to be tossed – the Holy Ghost hath here represented tothe life."

The lyrics of this psalter was first prepared by Mr. FrancisRouse. This was presented to the Westminster Assembly and, after careful studyand amendments by the three committees over a period of two months, wasapproved by the Assembly for use in public worship on 14 November 1645 (seeMinutes, pp. 131, 163).

After this, it was subjected to six years ofscrutiny and revision by two different groups of highly learned and devoutleaders of the Scottish Presbyterian Church. Literally, every word and phrasewas carefully weighed for faithfulness to the original Hebrew texts.