Background
During the past several decades, an important advancement in the worship of God's people has been the recovery of singing the psalms-the hymns of ancient Israel. The psalms are a rich anthology of praise and prayer that cover every aspect of the Christian experience.
In recent worship books, the chanting of psalms has been revived through the use of simple psalm tones which provide the congregation with an uncomplicated mode of singing any psalm. In the examples that follow, I will show how a congregational antiphon or refrain can be combined with these psalm tones in order to enhance psalm singing.

An antiphon is a verse or portion of a psalm verse that highlights the theme of a psalm. Antiphons especially focus on God's salvific work. The use of an antiphon or refrain reaches back thousands of years. Some of the psalms, for example, have antiphons built into the structure of the psalm (e.g., vss. 3 & 5 of Psalm 67). Psalm 136 is probably the best example, where each of its 26 verses concludes with the antiphon "His love endures forever."

Instructions
Congregational antiphons provide opportunity for greater variety in chanting the psalms. For example, if a congregation is unaccustomed to the practice, the actual chanting of the psalm verses can be assigned to the choir or several soloists, with the congregation singing the antiphon only. The psalm can be sung antiphonally by alternating verses between men and women of the choir or between several different soloists.
While the approach described above works very satisfactorily, it is also desirable to have the congregation take part in the singing of the psalm verses. This can be done responsively between congregation and cantor/choir or antiphonally between men and women of the congregation. When sung responsively, it is advisable to have the cantor/choir sing the verse immediately following each repetition of the antiphon so that the psalm tone can be securely established before the congregation sings its verse.

While the antiphon is sung with accompaniment, the psalm verses may be sung with accompaniment or a capella. The psalm tone given below for Psalm 27 is newly composed. The accompaniment is included at the end of this article. The other psalm tones are taken from Lutheran Worship.

Permission is given to reproduce in the service folder the antiphons given below. The psalm verses may also be included in the service folder, or the congregation can be directed to the appropriate page in Lutheran Worship and given instructions explaining when the antiphon is sung.

Fourth Sunday in Lent
The appointed psalm for Lent 4, Series B, is Psalm 27. The antiphon is a portion of vs. 1a, omitting the rhetorical questions, "Whom shall I fear?" The antiphon is sung at the beginning and following the Gloria Patri, as well as after vss. 3, 6, and 10.
Example 1 (Psalm 27, ant. vs. 1a)

Second Sunday of Easter
The appointed psalm for Easter 2 is Psalm 148. The antiphon, vs. 13a, is sung at the beginning and following the Gloria Patri and after vss. 4, 6, and 12.
Example 2 (Psalm 148, ant. vs. 13a)

Sixth Sunday of Easter
The appointed psalm for Easter 6 is Psalm 98. The antiphon, vs. 3a, is sung at the beginning and following the Gloria Patri and after vss. 3 and 6.
Example 3 (Psalm 98, ant. vs. 3a)

Psalm Accompaniments
Example 4 (accompaniments for Psalms 27, 148, 98)

Handbell Accompaniments
Another procedure for bringing variety to psalm singing is the use of handbell clusters. The simplest method is to ring the first cluster of bells prior to the start of each verse and the second cluster at midpoint. A fuller description can be found in Handbells in the Liturgical Service by John Folkening (CPH 99-1254), pp. 20-25. The following are examples for the two Sundays in Easter. (To differentiate between the seasons, it is suggested that the handbells not be used for psalm singing during the season of Lent.)
Example 5 (handbells clusters)