Hymnal Update: January 2012

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs is in the final stages of production. We are currently going through a final proofing. Production was delayed in 2009-10 due to personal setbacks involving all the editors, including family losses, relocations, and health issues. However, we are back on a schedule to print in the spring of 2012. 

The Table of Contents includes 850 titles (Table 1). In 2006, the editors had decided on 800+ titles rather than 1000+ titles, because the intent of this work was to provide a high quality hymnal that would be used primarily in congregational worship, not a heavy book with songs for all occasions and settings.

The content includes 550 standard hymns that were selected by a brotherhood survey conducted in 2006-07; these standard hymns were considered the most widely used and therefore represent the core repertoire of most congregations. To these 550 were added 250+ hymns and songs of all genres that are appropriate for congregational worship; these include old hymns, contemporary songs, folk and Sacred Harp songs, hymns from the New English Renaissance, and hymns written by the brethren.

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs is an original and fully edited production. Each hymn was reviewed as much as possible for both original language and improved wording. In some cases, rarely published verses were reintroduced. As with each hymn, each hymn tune was revisited. Familiar tunes were published in their most common rendition. Several tunes were discovered in archives and reworked for congregational use. On occasion, tunes that were unfamiliar, old or difficult were edited slightly to improve voice-leading; in such cases the edited version preserved the original sound of the composer. All hymns and tunes were fit to a style sheet. The hymn style sheet was based on Standard English, while the music style sheet was based on Music Engraving Today, The Art and Practice of Digital Notesetting (Powell, 2002).

Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs has unique features that can improve the worship. The most important feature is the layout scheme, called "phrased notation." In phrased notation, the tune is wrapped around the hymn, not the other way around as in conventional hymn layout. Phrased notation allows phrases to run uninterrupted across the page, no matter how long or short. This layout mimics that of poetry publications. The effect of unbroken phrasing is a presentation of intact couplets and individual thoughts that clarifies the message of a hymn and thereby enhances worship.

Another feature is the "Metrical Index of Hymns and Tunes." This index defines the meter simply as syllables per line. It then groups hymns of similar meter and couples the title with the tune name. The result is a user-friendly index that will assist worship leaders who wish to interchange hymns and tunes in preparing worship services.

We appreciate your patience and eagerly anticipate the publication of the hymnal. We believe that Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs will be a valuable resource for congregations. Above all, we hope it pleases the Lord.

- The Editors