Christ did not throw contempt on these Jewish† songs, so slighted now by men who profess to be his faithful followers, but spoke of their prophetic application to himself, his work, and the glories of his Gospel kingdom. And we have good evidence that they were sung by him and his band of followers. He did not tell his disciples that these Jewish Psalms were no longer to be used by his people. He did not tell them that they were thenceforth to celebrate the praise of God’s Anointed, of Zion’s King, and Zion’s Lord, in songs of their own composition. Neither did he give them a new book of Gospel songs, nor direct that after his ascension to his Father’s right hand, and the Holy Spirit had fallen upon them, they should indite godly songs to his name. Their duties he certainly did point out to them before taking his leave of them, and his instructions they faithfully obeyed, but in no part of their history, in none of their teachings and epistles do we read of any of them composing a new psalmody for their converts, or the church, though they were frequent and fervent in songs of praise. And let those who talk so lightly of these Jewish psalms, and their inappropriateness to be sung in Christ’s Church, read Peter’s eloquent quotation from the 16th psalm, on the day of Pentecost, after the Spirit had fallen on him and his brethren. But we might give reference to almost the extent of the whole book of Psalms to prove that they are full of the praise and glory of the Messiah and His kingdom. Now if any man think he can better express the deep secrets of the Christian faith, the devotional thoughts and aspirations of the Christian’s soul, or the trials, the afflictions, the consolations, the joys, and the varied providences of God’s church, than he finds them portrayed and presented in the Book of Psalms, let him essay the task, but let him refrain from the presumption of asking the church to elevate them above, or place them in equal honor with those inspired songs.

By Rev. Andrew Stark, L. L. D., The Psalms of David. Metrical Version of the Church of Scotland Defended. December 1847