The Catholic Christian's Guide to the Right Use of the Christian Psalmody and of the Psalter

The Catholic Christian’s Guide To The Right Use Of The Christian Psalmody And Of The Psalter by Henry Formby presents a comprehensive treatise on the sacred use of Psalmody and the Psalter in Catholic worship and personal devotion. It argues that the Psalter is a divine gift intended for both liturgical use and private prayer, and it calls for the sanctification of music in worship by adhering to Church-approved Psalmody (plain song) over harmonized forms. The work explains how to read the Psalter correctly, identifying four speakers (David, Christ, the Church, and the individual soul) and outlining the Psalter’s structure, contents, and prophetic symbolism. It defends the authority of papal and ecclesiastical guidance on sacred music, discusses the role of clergy in shaping taste, and cautions against secular influences. The book also treats the Psalter as the Song-book of the Kingdom of Christ, describes its warfare motif for the Church, and offers guidance for singers and congregants in church and private devotion.