NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 3 Singing the Psalms 5 Why Should We Sing MARCH 2014 with the Psalmist // All 150 Psalms? // by Eric B. Watkins by Peter J. Wallace The Psalms in Worship and the Psalter-Hymnal Project VOLUME 35, NUMBER 3 CONTENTS New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Editor: Danny E. Olinger Managing Editor: James W. Scott FEATURES Editorial Assistant: Patricia E. Clawson Cover Designer: Christopher Tobias 3 Singing the Psalms with the Psalmist Proofreader: Sarah J. Pederson Editorial Board: The Committee on Christian By Eric B. Watkins Education’s Subcommittee on Serial Publications 5 Why Should We Sing All 150 Psalms? © 2014 by The Committee on Christian Education of By Peter J. Wallace The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations 7 Do We Really Need a Psalter-Hymnal? are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, by Crossway Bibles, a division By Donald M. Poundstone of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Articles previously published may be slightly edited. New Horizons (ISSN: 0199-3518) is published DEPARTMENTS monthly except for a combined issue, usually August- September, by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton 10 Foreign Missions Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539; tel. 215- 830-0900; fax 215-830-0350. An Unexpected Journey Letters to the editor are welcome. They should deal 12 with an issue the magazine has recently addressed. Christian Education Their language should be temperate, and they may not charge anyone with an offense. 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Pastor Mika Edmondson asks us to join with them in seeking “wisdom, humility, love, and faithfulness as we serve the Lord’s people and the surrounding community with the gospel.” 2 / NEW HORIZONS / MARCH 2014 SINGING THE PSALMS WITH THE PSALMIST ERIC B. WATKINS // Edmund P. Clowney once observed that in Hebrews 2, Jesus is portrayed, not merely as the recipient of our worship, but also as the one who, through his resurrection, leads and even participates in our worship of his Father in heaven. This is truly a remarkable idea! Hebrews 2:11–12 says, “For he God, my God, why have you forsaken can relate it, to some extent, through a who sanctifies and those who are sanc- me?” (Ps. 22:1). The moment these recent family trial. When our son Carl tified all have one source. That is why words come from the lips of Jesus, we was four years old, he had a very seri- he is not ashamed to call them brothers, understand how utterly abandoned he ous double infection. He spent roughly saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my truly is: his Father has left him. This is a week in the ICU of a children’s hos- brothers; in the midst of the congrega- quite beyond me, and it hurts even to pital. Twice he was prepped for surgery tion I will sing your praise.’” think about it. Thus far in his life, Jesus and left waiting while doctors debated The quotation in this passage is has made it clear that his Father is al- whether or not to cut him open, as they taken from Psalm 22:22. The ascription ways with him. Jesus is the perfect Son, were not sure what they would find in- of that psalm reads: “To the choirmas- perfectly obedient, perfectly pleasing to side him. I cannot say that I had ever ter: according to The Doe of the Dawn. his Father in heaven. And his Father is before known such a feeling of helpless- A Psalm of David.” It is noteworthy that the perfect Father. He always delights ness, coupled with such a strong desire the Psalm comes unambiguously with in his Son, and is always with him. But to intervene. There was not a moment music, and that it was meant to be sung. at this moment, as the paramount ex- in that entire week that we left our son The Psalms, in so many ways, are not pression of human rebellion and cruelty alone. He knew that we would never simply the heart-cry of the individual, overtakes Jesus, his Father abandons leave nor forsake him. Through every but the heart-cry of the congregation. him. As Jesus’ soul begins to sink into procedure, we were there, and while They were meant to be sung, not simply that dark mire of death, his all-powerful they worked on one side of him, we as personal ballads, but in the setting Father refuses to intervene and come to held the other. He was never alone. of the whole church, the gathering of his rescue. If the covenant promise is “I Late one night, while holding his God’s pilgrim people in the sanctuary will be your God and you will be my little hand and helping him walk the of his presence. people,” then the covenant curse is effec- hallway, I could not help but notice the Abandoning the Son tively “I will not be your God and you children in other rooms. It was a collage will not be my people.” Jesus is left all of broken, little bodies. Babies in oxy- Perhaps one of the more perplex- alone. gen tents, little boys wrapped in casts ing features of this particular psalm is I cannot pretend to fully under- like mummies, little girls hidden be- that it begins with that most painful stand this. The ironies are too strong for hind a maze of tubes and tape. Most of expression from Jesus at the cross, “My me; the paradox is too profound. But I these kids had families like ours beside NEW HORIZONS / MARCH 2014 / 3 the Father to stand back while his en- come like an everlasting tree that bears emies tortured and crucified his beloved fruit unto God. The book of Psalms, Son? You may have your own answer, like Revelation, ends in the jubilant but I believe it would be easier for me to sanctuary of God, where the voices of give up my own life than to give up the God’s redeemed people are heard in life of my son. concert with a myriad of joyful sounds, This has caused me to step back in all forming one voice of praise that ris- amazement and to love our Father all es before God’s throne. In the middle the more! I do not pretend to under- of the Psalms is the story of redemp- stand this great mystery. I do not pre- tion, with the trials and suffering of the tend to understand the willingness of psalmist displaying for us not simply the Son to go the cross, or even more the story of David, or even typifying the the willingness of the Father to give up story of Israel, but telling ahead of time Carl Watkins, no longer ill his Son. But in the absence of under- the story of Jesus, whose lonely exile on standing, there is faith and deep grati- the cross would redeem the sin-laden them. But some were alone—all alone tude. We do not have to understand people of God. and fighting for their lives. I was over- all of God’s ways in order to love him This is why the book of Hebrews come by emotion; never in my life have and thank him dearly for his grace and beautifully leads us to the pastoral con- I been filled with such compassion for glory. clusion: “Jesus is better.” He is better other human beings. I wept over them. The Psalms and the Christian Life than Moses, Aaron, and David as he I prayed for them. I felt knit to their fulfills his office of prophet, priest, and struggle. Still, I must confess that for Is this not the nature of the Chris- king perfectly and perpetually.