Sunday, January 25, 2009

Nathaniel Homes on the Beauty of Psalm-Singing

Nathaniel Homes (Holmes), English Puritan (1599-1678), wrote a 1644 treatise entitled Gospel Musick. Or, the singing of Davids psalms, &c. in the publick congregations, or private families asserted, and vindicated. This defense of psalmody, not hymnody, is, ironically, said to be the first published use of the term 'gospel music'. In it, he encourages families as well as churches to sing the Psalms of David.

Every well minded family by singing can make themselves a little church. And every church make themselves a little heaven. (p. 12)

1 comment:

  1. "Those do well that pray morning and evening in their families, those do better that pray and read the scriptures, but those do best that pray and read and sing the psalms." - Philip Henry, Matthew Henry, The Life of Philip Henry, p. 75


    http://www.lifefebc.com/resources/Midis/psalter/psalm001_arlington.mid

    Psalm 1

    1 O greatly bless-ed is the man
    Who walketh not astray
    In counsel of ungodly men,
    Nor stands in sinners' way.

    2 Nor sitteth in the scorner's chair,
    But placeth his delight
    Upon God's law, and meditates
    On His law day and night.

    3 He shall be like a tree that grows
    Set by the water side,
    Which in its season yields its fruit,
    And green its leaves abide;

    And all he does shall
    prosper well.
    4 The wicked are not so,
    But are like chaff which
    by the wind
    Is driven to and fro.

    5 In judgment therefore shall
    not stand
    Such as ungodly are,
    Nor in th'assembly of the just
    Shall wicked men appear.

    6 Because the way of godly men
    Is to Jehovah known,
    Whereas the way of wicked men
    Shall quite be overthrown.

    Tune: Arlington

    Trinity Psalter
    Publisher: Crown & Covenant Publications
    http://www.crownandcovenant.com/

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