THE GENEVAN PSALTER (1551) AND OTHER THOUGHTS

7/12/12 - What a lovely thought from my small green paperback Hymnal Words Only: Woven throughout the structure of this Hymnal, with its songs of praise and gratitude to God, is the thought contained in the “Daily Prayer” of Christian Scientists, “May Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind” (Church Manual by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 41).

8/12/12 - The Hymnal Notes for Hymn 1 are somewhat of a study in Protestantism.  I now have John Calvin sorted (a little, anyhow).  I couldn’t figure out what nationality he was with such a name.  The fact is, he was French and his name was originally Jehan Cauvin.  So those who first protested against the ways of the church were Luther (German) and Calvin (French), though Calvin spent a lot of his life in Switzerland. 

The Notes point out that hymn 10, Martin Luther’s Ein’ feste Burg (All power is given unto our Lord), was “first heard with the protest that made us Protestants... Everybody sang the inspiring music of Louis Bourgeois – in the homes, on the streets, in the very face of official edicts that tried in vain to stem the rising tide of praise to God.”  The Notes also give us a gentler view of the perceived-to-be-stern John Calvin, in that it connects him with the power of song.  In fact, it claims that the Genevan Psalter (1551) which Calvin demanded be made, “…was surely Calvin’s greatest gift to the church.” 

Hymns 62 and 63 also use the famous tune of hymn 1.  The note for hymn 63 says, “The original version of this great tune (Note 1), as written by Louis Bourgeois himself, with measures of half and of whole notes (minims and semi-breves), is a form which many musicians prefer to the modern version.”  Interestingly, the Hymnal only credits the Genevan Psalter for hymns 1, 62, and 63; Bourgeois’ name is not mentioned.

Of course, Henry VIII was instrumental in establishing Protestantism in England.  God’s ways are mysterious, they say.

Joyce Voysey