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Views from the Choir Loft

Psalms, Psalmody, Psalmists, Psalm Singing

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 10, 2020

Detail from the Poissy Processional, Fitzwilliam Mus. MS McClean 63, folio 131

URLEY one of the greatest treasures that the church has been given is the “Hymnbook of the Church”; the book of Psalms. The Psalms in the bible depict every mood and emotional state, from fear, utter dejection to ecstatic praise of Yahweh. But every one of the psalms are written with I and Thou in mind. None are an empty soliloquy with no one there. No matter how dejected the mood, God is always there, and even though the psalmist may not be hearing the voice of God, through faith he believes that Yahweh is there. This is one of the messages of the psalms.

We would do well to remember that the early Christians took the synagogue service and adopted it to meet the new faith. The core of the Jewish liturgy was the cantillation of the Psalter. This is one of the greatest gifts that our Jewish Brethren have given us. Some of you may not know, but in seminaries and houses of religious, the 150 psalms are still recited or sung every month.

…And we should make another point. ALL of the psalms were created as SUNG MUSIC. The idea of a ‘recited psalm’ is an oxymoron.

If we were to think about some of the ways that during Mass we use psalmody, in particular the form in the Novus Ordo, the responsorial psalm is one we deal with at every Mass. This form of the psalm, though similar, replaces the “Gradual” in the old rite. This was called the “gradual” because the psalmist sung it while standing on the steps leading to the altar, it was sort of half way up to the altar.

Unfortunately in our day, the responsorial psalm has been subjected to some of the most “colorful” experiments. We all have witnessed the phenomenon of the “helicopter cantor” and the psalmist who takes his or her musical style from the bar down the street. (not that I have anything against bars per se…)

The GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) has this succinct bit concerning cantors/psalmists:

102. It is the psalmist’s place to sing the Psalm or other biblical canticle to be found between the readings. To carry out this function correctly, it is necessary for the psalmist to be accomplished in the art of singing Psalms and have a facility in correct pronunciation and diction.

…nuff said!

The GIRM also mentions that the ‘usual’ form of the psalm between the readings, is not the only way that the psalm may be presented: The psalm may be sung straight though, or metrical versions of the psalm may be used as well – for example, the rich tradition of Anglican Psalmody would be possible. Also, (an opinion) if the verses are normally sung by a cantor or choir, why can’t some of our fine composers compose some polyphony for the verses? there is nothing rubrically against this. The use of psalm tones are laudable, but not the only way. And, it should be said, one of the greatest losses in the reformation of the liturgy is the Gradual, and also the Gregorian Alleluia, with it’s “Jubilus” (extended melismatic Alleluias).

However, if we were to think about what might be some virtues of musically good responsorial psalmody, we might come up with the following:

1. Must be easily singable. If you are going to sing a responsorial psalm for the faithful rather than the Gregorian Gradual, surely the response should be singable by the people.

2. It is helpful that they are learnable by amateur cantors. Few of us in the church have the luxury of professional cantors/soloists. Therefore, the people we work with vary in talent and ability. A misconception must be corrected: There is nothing wrong with simple music, but there is no excuse for poor quality music.

3. They must be beautiful—they must have appeal as good MUSIC, not just “something that will work”.

4. The should be composed with good harmony.

It JUST so happens, that there is a great body of psalmody on this very site! – I recommend the Chabanel Psalms, which meet all these requirements most admirably!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: March 11, 2020

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About Dr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a composer and performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    How Well Does ICEL Know Latin?
    This year, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June 2025) falls on a Sunday. It’s not necessary to be an eminent Latin scholar to be horrified by examples like this, which have been in place since 1970. For the last 55 years, anyone who’s attempted to correct such errors has been threatened with legal action. It is simply unbelievable that the (mandatory) texts of the Holy Mass began being sold for a profit in the 1970s. How much longer will this gruesome situation last?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Is the USCCB trolling us?
    I realize I’m going to come across as a “Negative Nancy” … but I can’t help myself. This kind of stuff is beyond ridiculous. There are already way too many options in the MISSALE RECENS. Adding more will simply confuse the faithful even more. We seriously need to band together and start creating a “REFORM OF THE REFORM” Missale Romanum so it will be ready when the time comes.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Common” Responsorial Psalm?
    I try to avoid arguing about liturgical legislation (even with Catholic priests) because it seems like many folks hold certain views—and nothing will persuade them to believe differently. You can show them 100 church documents, but it matters not. They won’t budge. Sometimes I’m confronted by people who insist that “there’s no such thing” as a COMMON RESPONSORIAL PSALM. When that happens, I show them a copy of the official legislation in Latin. I have occasionally prevailed by means of this method.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962
    There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop
    —Veronica Brandt
    The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum
    Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.
    —Daniel Tucker

Random Quote

At papal Masses, the regulations against tardiness were more stringent than at Masses celebrated by cardinals or bishops. Giovanni Maria Nanino records that any singer who is not in his place—and in his vestments—by the end of the repetition of the “Introit” will be fined eight vinti. At papal Vespers, the singer who is not present at the “Gloria Patri” of the first psalm pays a fine of fifty balocchi.

— Giovanni M. Nanino (d. 1607), Papal “Maestro di Cappella”

Recent Posts

  • How Well Does ICEL Know Latin?
  • Nobody Cares About This! • 1887 Rheims-Cambrai Gradual included “Restored” Plainsong
  • Is the USCCB trolling us?
  • What No Musicologist Can Explain!
  • “Common” Responsorial Psalm?

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