PSALMS ONLY Objections Answered, issued recently in Sydney is from the pen of the Rev. M.C. Ramsay, a retired minister of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia.
In the Introduction Mr. Ramsay states that the position taken up in his book Purity of Worship issued in 1968, that the Psalms only should be the substance of our praise to God, had been attacked in three publications, written by the Rev. D.C. Shelton of Brisbane, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones of London and the Rev. R.O. Zorn of Sydney respectively.
Mr. Shelton made the serious allegation that all metrical renderings of the Psalms, which, of course, includes the Scottish version, are inaccurate and unreliable and but loose paraphrases of the original Hebrew. In refuting this allegation Mr. Ramsay states that Rous’ edition of the Psalter was thoroughly revised by the Westminster Assembly. It was then submitted to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. “The Assembly resolved to subject this Psalter to its own careful scrutiny. Thus Rous’ version had the greater part of three years to pass through the mill of revision before it received the sanction of the General Assembly. The famous Robert Baillie who was a member of that Assembly, left on record that the revision of the Psalter “cost the Assembly some considerable pains”. The Commission of Assembly, entrusted with Assembly powers, devoted four days to examining the Psalter. It was not until 1649 that the Assembly authorized its publication. . . . Thus this Psalter got its final shape from devoted godly scholars who were fine Hebraists. . . . The famous Rev. Dr. Henry Cooke, in his work entitled, The True Psalmody, stated the Scottish Psalter to be more accurate.” The Rev. Murray McCheyne who possessed liable to the charge of inaccuracy than our generally faultless English Bible. Where it differs from the prose, competent judges pronounce most frequently in its favour as really the accurate.” The Rev. Murray McCheyne, who possessed poetical gifts of a high order, declared, “It is truly an admirable translation from the Hebrew, and it is frequently more correct than the prose version.” (pp 32,22).
Dr. Lloyd-Jones in his printed sermon on Eph.5:19 stated:
“The great St. Augustine gave a definition of what a hymn should be. He put it like this. He said: ‘A hymn must be praise, it must be praise of God, and it must be sung’.” “It causes wonder” Mr. Ramsay comments, “that one who has a reputation as a fine Biblical commentator should write something so erroneous. Never at any time did Augustine give a definition of what constitutes a hymn. Why then did Dr. Lloyd-Jones declare that he did? We may charitably conclude that he came across the statement, and reproduced it. So here we have the staunch Psalm-singer who passionately loved the Psalms, wrote a commentary on all the Psalms, who every Sabbath Day expounded one or more of the Psalms, represented as giving a definition of what a hymn should be! Apparently Dr. Lloyd-Jones did not trouble to seek to verify what he wrote. Hymn singers reveal their poverty when they turn to Augustine for help.” Mr. Ramsay then goes on to give the facts concerning Augustine (p.49). Further on Mr. Ramsay states that Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ article affords clear evidence of a resolute attempt to build up a historical background favourable to a somewhat novel explanation of the New Testament references to worship. “Had the author” comments Mr. Ramsay “taken the pains to examine his so-called historical evidences, he would have declined to make any references at all to them. There is in his treatise which purports to be an exposition of Ephesians 5:19, evidence of the author’s highly imaginative powers, and his readiness to believe that which he imagines can be supported by scripture and history . . . Some of the author’s illustrations and theories are very fanciful and extravagant, so that one is tempted to think that hymn-singers lack anything substantial to support their cause.” (p.56).
In connection with the desire for hymns instead of the divinely inspired Psalms, the late Rev. Donald McFarlane, Dingwall, whom the Lord honoured in his day and generation to preserve and transmit by his historic Protest in May 1893 the doctrines and principles of the church of the Reformation in Scotland to generations yet unborn, has in his diary: “There is not a condition in which the Lord’s people are but there is something in the Book of Psalms to suit them. That book is intended for the use of the Church of God as a book of praise in both dispensations — Old and New. Those who do not find their experience in that book have reason to doubt that they are the people of God. The teaching of the Spirit in the soul must agree with His teaching in the Word. He is the author of both. But those who are not taught of the Spirit, uninspired hymns will suit them better. A counterfeit religion will take up with counterfeit praise.” (Memoir p.117).
The Psalms Only is an excellent book of 56 pages containing 25 chapters beautifully printed and deserves a world-wide circulation. Cost 59c (plus postage). Available from Mr. J. G. Harris, 5 Roper Lane, N.S.Wales, 2077, Australia.