Sing a new Psalm

The Liturgical norms for Psalm settings changed a couple years ago when the USCCB and the Vatican required Psalms to stay more stringent to the Lectionary text and should not be paraphrased. This means there are lots of Psalm settings that are no longer considered correct to use for Mass, even those that came from Catholic publishers. In addition, the Lectionary was revised in 1998.

Therefore we've all hit it – there are now plenty of Psalms in the Lectionary that don't have an adequate* setting.

If you're adventurous, diligent and able to write music to a rigid set of guidelines: go write your own setting!

Now for the tricky part - there are rules. These have changed in recent years, but keep in mind, it's all for the glory of God, so offer up some of that creative freedom and deliver His Word.

1. All text should be taken from the Lectionary. You can find the text for a given week for Masses in the United States at http://www.usccb.org/nab.
   
2. If you absolutely must paraphrase, stay true to the true meaning of the text. You may need to cross-reference the Bible (NAB) to get the words in the proper context.
   
3. Range should be as follows with only very rare exceptions: the "A" below Middle "C" to the "D" one octave above middle "C". (See my article on the subject.)
   
4. Other than that, good songwriting principles should always be applied.  (There many, many books on this subject, and I've read a few of them.)
   
   1. Start with a good hook. It's subjective, but you want to keep the Word in the congregation's head long after Mass.
      
   2. Keep it sing-able. If you can't hum it in your head without hearing the accompaniment, it's probably not a strong enough hook.  
      
5. Be crystal clear as far as which parts the assembly should sing. 
   
6. Keep it simple.
   

When it comes to teaching your new Psalm setting, make sure it works first. Have someone else sing it back to you. A good test of a good song is one that doesn't require you to sing it.

Also, if you have the ability, you might want to make the effort to notate at least the refrain / antiphon on staff paper or using some application like Finale or Sibelius.

God bless you in your ministry.

References

• Redeptionis Sacramentum
  

* Remember, "adequate" is completely subjective; what works for one group might not work for yours. Also, don't forget to check with your local publishers.