In the singing of the psalms we are greatly privileged in being able to give vocal expression to the Word of God. Music is a wonderful gift from God and this is particularly so when it is applied to the psalms as it gives expression to the words, helping to bring out their meaning and to impress it on our hearts.

This privilege carries with it a responsibility. In 1 Cor. 14: 15, we read, ‘. . . I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also.’ Further in Col. 3:16, we find the words, ‘. . . teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’The former verse tells us that the understanding is to be in our singing as well as in our hearts.The latter presents us with one of the reasons why. Our singing of praise is not just for ourselves as individuals. It is a corporate act in which we support and strengthen each other. It should also be a witness to visitors, particularly those who may not be familiar with this form of praise. If our singing is monosyllabic, mechanical and dull, the music will not bring out the meaning of the words and may well detract from them.

The following of some basic guidelines can make a marked difference to the impact of our singing. There are three things to consider:

The tempo or speed of singing should not be ponderous and sluggish so as to cause the words to be disconnected from each other. Neither should we sing with unseemly haste, as this will give no time to either express outwardly or consider inwardly the words. It is the precentor’s job to set the tempo and this should be followed by all to maintain a unity in the singing.

Secondly, we need to consider the dynamics or loudness of the music. The practice of some always to sing as loud as possible is crude and ineffective in portraying the meaning of the words. There are certainly psalms of jubilant praise but there are others that have different moods such as prayerfulness, penitence, reflection and instruction. Clearly, these require a more subdued character to our singing.

Expression marks have been included in the margin as a guide and the following is an explanation of the terms:

pp = pianissimo, very soft
p = piano, soft
mp = mezzo piano, rather soft
m = mezzo, medium voice
mf = mezzo forte, rather loud
f = forte, loud
ff = fortissimo, very loud
c = crescendo, increasing in loudness
d = diminuendo, decreasing in loudness

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the stress given to the words. Think about the meaning and sentiment of the words and try to give them the same flow, stress and meaning as when reading.The writing of the psalms in metre has allowed the matching of the emphasis of each syllable to that of its corresponding note, using the natural structure and rhythm of the tunes.

Remember that the words are primary and that the tunes are there to support them and help us express them. As we sing in worship, let us do so to the best of our ability and to the glory of God.