June 2002
The Psalter in the 2004 Book of Common Prayer	Show Menu

Rev. Canon Ricky Rountree*, Rector, Powerscourt with Kilbride

The Liturgical Advisory Committee of the Church of Ireland has spent a great deal of time considering the appropriate Psalter provision in the new Book of Common Prayer. A change of direction has recently been proposed at General Synod where instead of including two Psalters in the Book of Common Prayer in 2004 it is now  being proposed to include just one; the Common Worship Psalter of the Church of England.

Since 1997 this issue has been an ongoing priority. At the beginning of the revision process it was decided that the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer Psalter of 1926 would be included in the BCP 2004. In addition to this, a contemporary language Psalter should be included. Coming to a decision on which Psalter this would be was not an easy one. It was firmly held that the contemporary Psalter should be a clear contrast to the traditional language of the 1926 text and should be capable of being used in a variety of ways.

The Liturgical Psalter in the APB to which Harpur-Collins holds the copyright was not an option. A Psalter, prepared by a group of Roman Catholic scholars in the United States for the International Consultation on English in Liturgy, was given careful consideration. Its freshness initially commended it, but extended trial use and real perceived difficulties with singing led the Committee to look elsewhere. The recommendation then became the translation prepared for the 1979 Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church of the United States and subsequently adopted by the Anglican Church of Canada and the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is familiar to some as the version in Celebrating Common Prayer. It is also known from the version of the Psalter included in the Mowbray Lectionary Book which adorns many lecterns in the Church of Ireland. This edition includes responses which a number of parishes use on ‘a regular basis.

This version was presented to the 2001 General Synod as a resolution and was included as a Bill in 2002. However the Synod took the opportunity offered by the Liturgical Advisory Committee to withdraw this proposal and accepted the introduction of a new Resolution to include instead the Common Worship Psalter of the Church of England as the only Psalter to be printed in the new Book of Common Prayer.

The Common Worship Psalter retains the resonance of the 1926 Psalter in contemporary language and is proving its worth in the Church of England. It will have the added advantage, of the Church being able to use a body of music resources being produced by the RSCM. The 1926 Psalter may continue to be used as it will still be authorised for liturgical use.

It is the intention of the Liturgical Advisory Committee to make the 1926 Psalter with its pointing available on the Web. The Church of Ireland Pointed Psalter Book is now out of print and is not being reprinted.

It is likely that many people are already familiar with the Common Worship Psalter from the publication of Common Worship and more recently, Common Worship Daily Prayer. This Psalter is also available on the Common Worship Web site and also, even more usefully, on the Royal School of Church. Music Web site in pointed form at www.rscm.com and follow the links for the pointed Psalter which are on pdf files.

(*) Ricky Rountree is secretary of the Liturgical Advisory Committee.

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