OR PSALMS OF DAVID,

AND PORTIONS OF THE

BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER,

Appointed to be Sung or Chanted,

ARRANGED FOR THE PURPOSE,

SO AS TO COMBINE THEIR PROPER EMPHASIS

WITH THE

MUSICAL ACCENT.

LEEDS:

T. HARRISON, 153, BRIGGATE,

AND J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON, LONDON.

1839.

G. CRAWSHAW, PRINTER, LEEDS.

THE Chanting of the Psalms of the day seems to have fallen into disuse, as a portion of Congregational Music, and the reading of them to have been substituted, not so much from any difficulty in the Music itself, (for chants are generally much more simple than psalm or hymn tunes,) but from a distaste arising out of one or other of the following causes;—either the inability of the congregation to accompany the choir, from not knowing how the words in each verse are to be divided to the different notes of the Chant;-or the frequent destruction or confusion of the sense, by the mode of division adopted—that is, by appropriating to certain notes of the chant a specific number of syllables, without any reference to their accent or emphasis. The latter, where it exists, is undoubtedly a serious objection to chanting, considered as a portion of divine worship; and it is, unhappily, of too frequent

occurrence.

It has however been obviated in many places of worship, so far as the Te Deum, and other hymns of daily use are concerned, by a particular arrangement of the words upon the principle which in the present work has been followed throughout the Psalter.

To promote the restoration of our Church Service in this respect to what was evidently the intention of its compilers, and to facilitate the use of the Psalter, in the manner which was undoubtedly the object of its inspired writers, namely, as sacred Songs, is the design of this work ;-in which it is attempted to remove both the objections to chanting which have been noticed, by at once providing a simple manual, to enable all who desire to join in this delightful portion of the service readily to take their part in it, and at the same time adopting such an arrangement of the words, as shall as nearly as possible retain in chanting the same emphasis which would be given in reading the words.