Dr Farrow introduces the work with a brief history of the use of psalms in various elements of the liturgy: Antiphons, Entrance Hymns, Prokeimena, Alleluias, and Communion hymns. After some remarks on the translation quoted throughout the work, he concludes the Introduction with guidelines for the use of festal psalm elements in the pre-festal and post-festal periods of the great feasts. This work is the first in English to list all the Psalm verses used in the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church.
The heart of the book is the detailed setting forth of the psalm verses used in the various parts of the Liturgy, feast by feast, service by service, throughout the year, including Baptism, the Wedding Service, and Funerals, as well as the Divine Liturgy. The editor provides all the liturgical psalm verses for 80 services throughout the year, with the result that one can quickly locate the verses needed for the Liturgy for almost any occasion.
At the end is a bibliography and three indexes: a general index, an index of verses by psalm number and verse, and an index of psalm phrases.
The book was an invaluable resource when it was first published in 1997, and it remains of great value to clergy, choir directors, singers, chanters, and interested faithful Orthodox.
About the Author: Dr Michael G. Farrow is a choir director, arranger, and composer who serves in the Antiochian Archdiocese.
2 Reviews
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Psalm Verses
Every Chant stand needs one!
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Psalm Verses of the Orthodox Liturgy
Few such texts available in English. Most handy when choir director asks about that elusive second verse. Of great value to chart the uses of psalmody in Liturgy. Please, keep in print.
