Dear Editor,
Richard Simpkins’ regular column, ‘Music Exchange’, is always worth reading (and acting on!); I specially appreciate his advocacy of the regular use of the Psalms, said or sung in whatever form. It is a bizarre experience to meet for up to 90 minutes with believers who call themselves Anglican, Reformed or both, but who never taste the riches of this book at the heart of the Bible and the teaching of the Lord Jesus.
However, the surprise this time (June en) is Richard’s judgment that ‘very few’ of the contemporary metrical versions have been ‘really successful’. At the risk of bias to my home team, whether in Jubilate, Praise or neither, it seems to me that we are living through a golden age of Psalm versions in English!
Outstanding among today’s writers are surely Martin Leckebusch, Timothy Dudley-Smith and Emma Turl; while my late friends Michael Perry and Michael Saward have both been highly effective in expressing the spirit of a Psalm without an exact verbal correspondence. Others too (Baughen, Bewes, Deans, Foley, Harrison, Sayers, Seddon, Wigmore) have produced winners in smaller quantities and there are more gems among the latest versions from the Free Church of Scotland.
But at risk of further name-dropping, may I strongly commend the Psalm-texts from the pen of another contemporary, Dr David Preston? Like one or two others, he has applied himself to the complete Psalter; unlike many, he has spent many years working, with scholarship and prayer, in this high calling.
For a consistent blend of textual faithfulness and flowing, singable poetry, in my view he has no equal. If his versions have not (yet?) proved ‘really successful’, this has nothing whatever to do with their essential quality.
Sincerely in Christ,
