Customer Reviews

The New Century Psalter

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In terms of features, this psalter has nearly everything I want in a psalter:
* All 150 psalms,
* All sections traditionally considered to be too violent (imprecatory psalms) are included, but such sections are marked by brackets, so that they can be skipped if desired.
* simple psalm tones (alas, in the appendix)
* antiphons for each psalm with markings to be used as a refrain
* simple pointing
* psalm lectionary in a 7-week cycle
* brief orders for prayer (morning and evening)
* chant settings for common canticles and ancient songs
* two ribbons to help keep place

The major failure of this work, is that, in its effort to have inclusive language, the authors created a very poor translation of the psalms and canticles that is almost unreadable/unrecitable. If it were not for this, I would have given 5 stars instead of 2.

I'm very much in favor of inclusive-language works, but this psalter is a poor effort that butchers the language. With no references to "king", "kingdom", "the Son", "the Lord", etc. The result is stilted reading as it repeats "God" endlessly and occasionally throws in a "Mighty One", "Sovereign" or "ruler". Examples:

Here is how the Magnificat starts:
"My soul magnifies the Sovereign, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of God's servant....for the Mighty One has done great things for me, the Mighty One whose name is holy....God has helped God's servant Israel, in rembrance of God's mercy...."

The Lord's Prayer reads, "Our Father-Mother who is in the heavens, may your name be made holy...for yours is the dominion, and the power, and the glory forever," which just doesn't flow well off the tongue.

Psalm 98 begins "O sing to God a new song, for God has done marvelous things. God's strong hand and holy arm have given God the victory. God has made known God's victory, and has revealed God's vindication in the sight of the nations."

Psalm 100 reads, "enter God's gates with thanksgiving and enter God's courts with praise. Give thanks to God and praise God's name."

The only other critique I have is that all the psalm tones are listed in a appendix in the back, requiring one to either memorize the tones, or constantly flip back and forth between the text and the tone.

I think that this is a great Psalter. It is well written and I like how the Psalms have the contemporary harmonies yet, it is structured how the people sang them back hundreds of years ago, as far as having an antiphon, cantor, etc.

My only complaint is that the inclusive language has gone too far. Some of it just sounds so awkward. However, I just replace some of the inclusive language and sing them, read them, etc.