Revd. Bligh

We have been unable to trace specific details of the services used by the first vicar, Revd. Fitz Wygram, but it is likely that his successor, Revd. Bligh, for whom there are more easily obtainable records, followed a similar pattern.

All through Revd. Bligh’s incumbency there were Sunday morning celebrations at 08.00 with, twice a month, an 11.00 celebration. Occasionally there were also Sunday baptisms or children's services with catechising at 15.30. There were at least two celebrations on Saints Days and other special days with full choral evensong and address on some, for example, Ascension Day.

The Lord Bishop paid his first episcopal visit to the parish on Friday, July 17th 1885, when one hundred and twelve were presented to him for confirmation. “Of this number sixteen males, including nine of the choir, and twenty two females, were from Hampton Hill.” Read the article Confirmation. At the Harvest Festival in 1885, a 7.00 service was added for the first time and was well attended, and from 1888 three weekday services were introduced. Read the article Harvest Festival. The numbers present at the Ascension Day services in 1887 were substantially increased from previous years with seventeen communicants at 5.00, twenty-eight at 7.00 and twenty-six at 11.00. On Easter Day, 1889 more than fifty communicants came to the 7.00 celebration and nearly eighty at the 8.00 choral celebration. A full choir attended these services and for the first time an anthem was sung at the evening service: “its careful, musical and reverent rendering gave evidence to the careful practice which had been bestowed upon it”. Read the articles Easter Services and Lent Services.

During the late 1880s Gospel Mission Services took place. These were intended for the many who seldom, if ever, entered a place of worship, and “thus keep themselves beyond the reach of the Gospel message of salvation which is continually being uttered from the throne of grace”. It had often been found that those who could not be persuaded to come to church might be encouraged to attend a less formal service. Such services were held in the mission rooms in the Eastbank Road and in the Pantile Fields and were intended to be a stepping stone to the church. These services were short with prayers, hymns, a Holy Scripture reading and an address. Sometimes some of the members of the Hampton Hill Orchestral Society added some sacred music, both vocal and instrumental. “There is indeed plenty of room for mission work in our midst, notwithstanding the efforts which are being made to bring home the Gospel to all, there are many who are practically living the life of heathens in our midst.”

Revd. Job

Revd. Job made some changes to the pattern of weekly church services. From early on in his incumbency he held Holy Communion on Sunday mornings at 07.00 and 08.00, and on special Sundays after the morning service (at 10.00 or 11.00). He introduced a weekly evening service at 19.30 or 20.00 when the choir sang and a Midnight Service to see the Old Year out and the New Year in. Later, in November 1899, he proposed a new service at 16.00 on the second Sunday in each month for men only, the first being on the subject of warfare. He was continually encouraging more people to attend more services, sometimes by changing the times of services. For example, in April 1898, the time of the Sunday morning service was changed from 10.00 to 11.00. Also, throughout the summer months in 1896, the daily services, apart from Wednesday, were held at 10.00. “I hope that his may meet the convenience of those who attend, and that the regularity of the hour may secure a larger attendance than we have at present.”

He stressed that Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide were the three great Festivals of the year and in 1895 urged people to go to one of the three celebrations of Holy Communion held on these occasions. The Maundy Thursday evening services were used as 'preparation' for the Easter Communion with the number of communicants being four hundred and sixty five at Easter 1903 rising to five hundred and seventy four in 1909. There were five separate services on Christmas Day 1910 with four hundred and fourteen communicants.

There was always an annual confirmation and in 1902, when Bishop Barry officiated, there were eighty eight candidates from this parish. There were also contingents from Hampton and Hampton Wick, with seventeen and a half being the average age. In 1909 children were encouraged to attend a new system of catechising on Sunday afternoons, which it was felt would be more interesting and instructive for them. This was intended for those who did not go to Sunday School as well as those who did. “They will be supplied with questions to learn during the week.” In 1910 he introduced a new idea for the children’s services to encourage them to take greater interest. Stamps for full attendance were given and parents were encouraged to help. Read the article Children’s Services.

By the end of Revd. Job's incumbency the church was well attended and in 1913 the churchwardens asked people who were not seat-holders to check with them or the verger before going into a seat other than a free seat. They would try to keep the seats for the seat-holders until the service started.

Revd. Coad-Pryor

Revd. Coad-Pryor made some further changes to services. In 1914 celebration of the Holy Communion on Saints' Days was changed to 08.00 instead of at 11.00. The local Battalion of the National Reserves attended the regular Men's Service in 1914 and the Good Friday Three hours Service was started in 1915. Also during 1915, 11.00 did not seem to be a convenient hour for the daily service so evensong was introduced at 17.30 daily, except on Wednesdays, with Litany on Wednesdays and Fridays at 12.00 and Holy Communion on Thursdays at that time.

It was felt that a scheme of Bible Reading was needed in the parish, in addition to the portions set by the Church to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer. So in December 1915 Revd. Coad-Pryor arranged for the supply of cards of the Communicants Bible Readers' Society. There was also a children's branch, which was adopted by the Sunday Schools.

In 1916 a children’s prayer service was held at 10.15 on Saturday mornings in the church. “Parents who can spare their children for half-an-hour are asked to allow them to attend.” Also in 1916 an ‘All day Intercession’, once a month, was adopted in the parish on behalf of the war. In 1920, the infants’ Sunday School started their own little service in the church room instead of going to the 11.00 service in the church. A daily celebration of Holy Communion at 07.30 . was initiated in July 1921. Also at that time it was hoped that every branch of church work would have its own day of intercession at which someone connected with that work would be present.

Revd. Harvey

Revd. Harvey also made many changes to the patterns of worship at St. James's. The daily celebration of the Holy Communion started up again in 1923 with the idea that each day one or two aspects of the church's work would be remembered. Ninety-five "young soldiers of Christ" were confirmed in the church in 1924. A Gift Sunday was introduced in the same year when the children could bring their discarded toys and books to the Children's Service, and offer them as presents to the boys and girls who were not so fortunate. Choral celebration of the Holy Communion was started in 1925 on the fourth Sunday in each month. It was explained that “this simply means that instead of the Choir going out after the prayer for the Church Militant, they will remain in their places and sing those parts in the rest of the service which are usually sung”.

Several young communicants asked Revd. Harvey for a celebration of the Holy Communion at seven o'clock on one Sunday in the month. So in September 1925, he decided to do this on the fourth Sunday in the month. This was Church Parade Sunday for the Girl Guides and the Church Lads' Brigade, and so with "this additional opportunity more of the members should make their Communions regularly in the future". In 1926 daily matins and evensong were revived and an evening service was started on Wednesdays at 20.00. In the October 1926 magazine Revd. Harvey said: "I feel that if more would make an effort to attend the daily Celebration of the Holy Communion and make reasonable use of these further opportunities for prayer and intercession, a much more spiritual atmosphere would be created in the parish than is at present in evidence." The Communicants' Guild was revived in the same year with the vicar saying “We hope to make this not only a medium of assistance in the preparation for our Communions, but also an opportunity of giving instruction on the Sacrament, about which there is considerable lack of knowledge with the average communicant”.

Revd. Harvey increased the opportunities for Holy Baptism from once a month to three times a month in 1928. In the same year the Litany was introduced on the second Sunday, unless the Sunday was a Saint’s Day or Festival. A monthly 'Daily Readings and Notes' in connection with the Bible Reading Fellowship was introduced in 1931. A new venture during Lent in 1932 was a course of Devotional Instructions being given in turn in the three churches in the District of Hampton. Then at the beginning of 1933 some of the weekday services were changed and others stopped altogether. In December 1933 "there were two services for thanking and praising God for His House of Prayer in our midst on the occasion of the Dedication Festival on the seventieth birthday of the church". In the magazine edition of December 1934 Revd. Harvey reported: “On and after Advent Sunday I am going to separate Matins and Sermon from the Holy Communion Service on the first and third Sundays of the month. It will mean a break in the tradition of the parish but I feel it will be for the better edification of all and especially the children.” In 1936 the Bishop of London called all church people to observe a Week of Prayer and Self-Denial. Read the article Week of Prayer and Self-Denial.

Revd. Brunt

The patterns of worship were to undergo radical changes during Revd. Brunt’s long incumbency. At the beginning the regular service pattern was as shown, but soon after becoming vicar, Revd. Brunt and the Church Council had discussions about the times of different weekday services. There were so many different opinions that he decided to experiment over a period of time. One change he made almost straight away was to introduce a Dedication Festival and to hold a Gift Day on the same day. The December 1951 magazine reported: "On Tuesday, 11th December, our church is 88 years old. On this day in 1863 it was solemnly offered to God and dedicated in His name. At our services on this day in 1951 we shall thank God for all that this church has meant to Hampton Hill in the years that are past, and for what it means to us to-day. And we shall also bring birthday presents to ensure that the work and worship centred in this building are able to continue. What more appropriate day than a birthday for gifts that express our affection and appreciation?"

1952 Sunday Services Holy Communion Parish Communion Choral Eucharist Matins and Sermon Holy Communion Children's Service Holy Baptism Evensong and sermon Every Sunday Second Sunday Fourth Sunday Every Sunday First & third Sundays Every Sunday Second and fourth Sundays Every Sunday After notice 08.00 08.45 10.00 11.00 12.15 15.00 16.00 18.30 1952 Weekday Services Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Communion Holy Days Other Services as Announced Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays Except Wednesdays 07.00 07.30 10.30 07.00

Over the course of Revd. Brunt's incumbency several Sunday services were dropped, some times of services were changed and some new services were added. Those dropped included the Children's afternoon Service, the Tuesday Holy Communion, Holy Baptism on the second Sunday in month and the Choral Eucharist on the fourth Sunday in the month. Public Baptism was introduced in September 1952 during the evening service, arousing much interest and attracting an exceptionally large congregation.

He was keen to involve members of the congregation in the Parish Communion service, for example presenting the bread and wine, and by 1965 there was a rota of people to read the lessons in church. He also wanted to include the children. As a result of the “commissions of enquiry into various aspects of parochial life” it was decided in 1954, twice a month, to have a 9 a.m. service as a Parish Communion instead of the 08.45 and the 10.00 services. New hymns, less well-known settings of the psalms and canticles and more of the music of Merbecke, a Tudor church musician, were gradually introduced after some “congregational practices”. Two years later "every fourth Sunday in the month at 11.0 a.m. we hope that all our older Sunday School children will be present at Matins, and that their parents will come with them". By then the Family and Parade Service took place on the fourth Sunday in the month. The following year the 08.40 Matins was dropped and the Family & Parade Service on the fourth Sunday moved to 09.30 as well. Children not yet confirmed were welcomed at the altar rails to receive a blessing at the service of Holy Communion at 09.45 on Christmas Day, 1961.

Revd. Brunt at work

A commission was set up by the Church Council in 1962 to consider possible alternatives and improvements of the present forms of worship. The 1963 October edition of the Spire reported: “The Parish Communion movement is one originating in the present century. Cutting across divisions in churchmanship, it is advocated by High and Low Churchmen alike, and is rapidly gaining ground. It aims at: encouraging more frequent communion by all churchmen, not only the extra pious: restoring the Communion to its rightful place of priority, rather than as an optional extra; giving all the worshippers a full sense of taking part; bringing the family to church as a unit.” The commission suggested consideration of the establishment of a Parish Communion at 9.30 a.m. or 10 a.m. as the main corporate act of Sunday worship. "In general, it is proposed that the service should be as congregational as possible, with no robed choir, but a group of adults in the body of the church to lead the singing as long as it is necessary. To begin with, parts of the service will be sung to Merbecke, as at Christmas, and the service may centre round an altar at the chancel step, much nearer the congregation than the High Altar."

After much thought, several parish meetings and visits to churches where this had already happened, the 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion Service was eventually established on all Sundays in the month in 1964. "Parish Communion at 9.30 a.m. becomes central. Matins will in future be a preparation for this, and a thanksgiving for the earlier Communion at 8.0 a.m., and be said at 8.40 a.m. Once a month, usually on the fourth Sunday, there will be the customary Family and Parade Service at 11.0 a.m., but we may adapt it in various ways to make it shorter and simpler, and not always follow the pattern of Matins as in the past. As already stated, on these days there will be no Sunday Schools, but the Parish Communion will be held as usual." A new altar table was dedicated for use at the chancel steps at the new Parish Communion with the priest facing the congregation instead of having his back to it up in the sanctuary. Read the article The Parish Communion. After the 09.30 Communion every Sunday there was a Parish Breakfast at Wayside to which everybody was invited.

The interior of the church in 1969

The Series 2 Order for Holy Communion was introduced in 1967. The Liturgical committee considered some suggestions including ways of enabling members of the congregation to take a fuller part, such as leading the intercessions. Read the article Further Ideas About Series 2. During the early part of 1973, Series 3 had been used for weekday services and in July of that year it was introduced for regular Sunday use for a while to see how people liked it. The July 1973 Spire reported: " ....... As with Series 2, there is much scope for variation in the manner of presentation, the degree of 'lay involvement', and the type and range of musical settings." The giving of the Peace was introduced on St. James's Day 1973 with the Series 3. “On the occasion of our Patronal Festival we remember how St. James gave the Peace to his penitent accuser as both were being taken to the place of execution.” There was some hostility to this but Mr. Brunt persisted and eventually it became accepted by the congregation.

The Christingle Service in 1980

A new supplement to the hymn book, ‘100 Hymns for Today’, was introduced. The Christingle service was introduced in 1971 and was deemed very successful, developing into a crib and carol service. Hampton Hill Junior School was invited to hold their carol service in the church the following year, which was, again, a great success. Members of the congregation again went round the parish carol singing for the Mayor’s Christmas fund.

Fewer people were attending the Sunday evensongs by this time, so the Liturgical Committee decided to try various new and different forms of Sunday evening worship during the latter part of 1973. Some incorporated discussions, some introduced worship in the form of dance and some were taken by the Young Peoples’ Fellowship. However, over the months it became evident that there was no simple way of up-dating or varying Evensong. The question became whether to have traditional Evensong or quite a different kind of service - a really new form of worship. Also an important feature of the original form of Evensong was the choir, so people started thinking about the choir singing at the communion service. A plea went out for a choir at the Family Service, but the organist reported that the present choir "is sadly under strength". These experiments continued into 1974 when the Second Series (revised) of Evening Prayer was also introduced for a while. During 1977 Evensong was moved to 16.30 during the winter.

1980 Sunday Services Holy Communion Holy Communion PARISH COMMUNION Parish Breakfast Infant Baptism Welcome Service Evensong Every Sunday Festivals as announced Every Sunday Most first Sundays also Family & Parade Service Every Sunday After notice once a quarter at Parish Communion or on second Sundays Every second Sunday Every Sunday except second During autumn & winter During summer time 08.00 12.10 09.30 09.30 10.45 09.30 15.30 16.30 16.30 18.30

Welcome Services started in 1975 on the second Sunday in the month at 16.30. They consisted of community hymn singing, a short reading and address, prayers, and an opportunity to meet and talk over a cup of tea afterwards. They were suitable for the whole family and also for those who were not used to the traditional liturgical forms of worship. Later that year Evensong was not held on the second Sunday. The Family and Parade Service at the fourth Sunday Parish Communion underwent some changes in 1976 in an attempt to make the service more meaningful and less tedious to the young people. Then the following year it was moved to the first Sunday in the month. In 1978 the Holy Communion on the first Sunday in the month was dropped, the Family & Parade Service on most fourth Sundays was changed to most first Sundays and the Parish Breakfast was held either in Wayside or the church. A St. James’s Hymn Book was also produced in 1977 and both the Harvest Festival Service and the Carols by Candlelight diverged from the traditional patterns. Special services were devised to celebrate St. James's Day. The Young Families' combined Baptismal Party and Pram Service in September 1977 invited members and also those who had been baptised in the church over the past year. It was followed by coffee and a chat, was well attended and was deemed very successful.

The Alternative Service Book was published in November 1980. Soon after, the Collects, Epistles, Gospels and Old Testament readings were used in the Parish Communion at St. James's, with Series 3 being kept for the actual communion and Series 2 still being used for Evensong. During January 1981 there were explanations and opportunities to ask questions about the rest of the A.S.B. and it was eventually introduced completely in October 1982, taking over from Series 3 and used for all the services.

The extra Sunday 12.10 Holy Communion for festivals "when announced" was dropped during 1982 and the Welcome Service was dropped in 1984. For some time it had been felt that the familiar Parade Service and Family Communion, which took place on the first Sunday of each month, needed to be replaced by a shorter and simpler service more suited to the younger members of the congregation. It was changed to a new style 'Informal Service' on Sunday 3rd March 1985. The choir started to help with the singing of the hymns, the readings and prayers were read by members of the cubs and scouts and the vicar called on younger members of the congregation to assist him during his talk. By letting the children take a prominent part in the proceedings like this, their attention and interest was held to the end. On the same Sunday every month Parish Communion was held in the evening, replacing Evensong. The times of these Sunday evening services were altered in 1987, starting at 16.30 in the winter and 18.30 in the summer. At this time another new service, the Prayer ‘n Praise Service, was introduced for Sunday evenings, after evensong or communion, with The Travellers’ group of musicians and singers. Over half the service was taken up by what is perhaps best described as congregational rock gospel music played on piano, guitar and percussion from the ‘Spirit of Praise’ songbooks, also used in the Informal Services. The remainder of the service included a reading, talk and prayers and was very informal with coffee and a chat with friends after the service. It was aimed particularly for the 13-30 age group but there was something for everyone.

The two weekday communion services continued, as in Revd. Brunt's incumbency. Healing Services started on every second Wednesday evening in 1986 with worship in song, using the new Spirit of Praise songbooks, meditation or prayer and an address which focussed on the healing ministry of Jesus. Two years later they were integrated into some evening Communion services.

To celebrate the Dedication Festival on 12th December 1982, there was a repeat of a play reading at Evensong about the life and work of the first vicar of St. James's, Revd. Fitzwygram.

The traditional Crib Service with the Christmas Story was held every year on Christmas Eve at 16.00. There was a new informal service called ‘Carols around the Crib’ on Christmas Day afternoon in 1981 especially for young children and their parents. An Evening Communion for Epiphany was introduced and the following Sunday saw a special Welcome Service. Christingle Services continued on the first Sunday in January, the Epiphany, a most appropriate time to celebrate the Light of the World. Then in 1985 it was very successfully held at the 09.30 Informal Service on the same Sunday. "The Christingle Service is a delightful one and very well suited to the Informal Service, since both its supported charity and its participants are children." In 1988 it was held before Christmas for the first time.

Open Day leaflet distributed to the whole parish in 1983

The P.C.C. decided to celebrate Pentecost with a special weekend celebration in 1983. All the parish was invited to an Open Day on the Saturday to see and hear about the varying roles St. James's played in the parish and beyond. The Sunday evening worship was arranged "to reflect the praise and joy traditionally associated with the outpouring of the Spirit and appealed to all ages". Also in that year the P.C.C. decided to revise the format for the celebration of Harvest Festival. Keeping the 09.30 service as usual with the offering of harvest gifts, there was also a special Harvest Service held at 16.30 where the Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and Guides participated. Again there was an opportunity during the service for presenting gifts of harvest produce. The November Spire reported; "On the altar was the harvest loaf donated by our local baker and two smaller loaves. These are traditional altar adornments in English churches at harvest time and take many hours to create. The larger loaf was 3ft 6ins in length bordered by five plaits each using 1 1/4 lbs of special dough. This design depicts the five loaves and two fishes, and plaited edging representing the basket, from which Our Lord fed the 5,000. Another design is a sheaf of corn complete with harvest mouse in one corner." Refreshments were served afterwards in church. The following Thursday the harvest supper was held in the church hall. It was decided in 1987 to be practical rather than wasteful and give money or non-perishable food at these services.

The Alternative Service Book published in November 1980

St. James's Day continued to be a very pleasant 'family' occasion when all age groups came together to celebrate our Patronal Festival. "It is always uplifting when the church is very full and the singing lusty and joyful." The normal cycle of A.S.B. Evening Prayer and sermon on Sunday evenings continued but the pattern varied. It sometimes included speakers who challenged and informed the congregation and sometimes there was a simpler style of service incorporating more modern music and liturgical dancing. These arrangements were designed to have a broad appeal to the whole congregation.

Changes to patterns of worship continued during Revd. Leathard’s incumbency. In his first Spire Leader, October 1989, he invited all to join him in saying Morning Prayer in Church, Monday to Friday at 09.15 "The bell will be tolled and prayer will be offered in Church day by day". One important change was that on the first Sunday of each month, when there was an Informal Service or Children's Eucharist in the morning, there was no longer a Parish Communion in the evening. Instead there was, at 18.30, Choral Evensong. At the same time on each third Sunday there was also Choral Evensong but that changed in 1992 to a Service of Prayer for Healing. Prayer 'n Praise with the Travellers continued at 18.30 on the second, fourth, and, if there was one, fifth Sunday, but the fourth Sunday of the month service was changed in 1992 to an Open Forum, a short act of worship. However, by November 1994 all the Sunday evening services, apart from an occasional Choral Evensong, were stopped due to falling attendance. During Lent Compline was said each Sunday at 21.00. Weekday Holy Communion services were held at 20.00 on Festival Days and continued to be held on Tuesdays at 09.30 and on Thursdays at 19.15. On the first Thursday evening in each month, Communion included the Ministry of Healing. Read the article Our Church Services.

New hymn books, Ancient and Modern Revised Standard, were introduced in 1992. In the same year, for the first time, a special service of Holy Communion was celebrated on All Souls' Day. Parishioners were later invited to write the names of people or issues for prayer in the new Intercessions Book kept on the main altar. For a short period in 1993 a creche was available for under fours during the 09.30 Sunday Parish Communion services. The first Baptismal Party, organised by the Women’s Forum, also took place in church in 1993 and continued as a popular annual event.

Some of the Choir with the organist Marcella den Boer

After much debate, the P.C.C. agreed that the choir should sing at the Parish Communion Service one Sunday a month in 1993. The Christingle Service was moved to the first Sunday in December at 09.30. In 1999 a new addition to the regular services was a celebration of communion at 14.00 on the first Thursday of each month, followed by a cup of tea. This was primarily for those who couldn't easily or conveniently come to the Sunday services while also "providing a refreshing weekday oasis for anyone who values the quiet companionship of such a short act of worship in addition to the longer Sunday parish communion". On the first Wednesday of every month a short early morning communion service at 07.00 started in 2005, designed to offer an opportunity for prayer and worship to those who commute to work during the week. By the end of his imcumbency, the weekday services had settled to a pattern of: Morning Prayer on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 09.15; Holy Communion on Tuesdays at 09.30; Holy Communion on the first Wednesday of the month at 07.00; Holy Communion on the first Thursday of the month at 14.00 followed by a cup of tea.

The Revised Common Lectionary

On Advent Sunday, 30th November, 1997, the Revised Common Lectionary was adopted at St. James’s. Read the article The New Lectionary. "The Lectionary sets out which parts of the Bible are to be read in services to give both as wide a spread of the Bible as possible and also to help steer a course through it appropriate to the keeping of the Christian Year." New service orders called Common Worship were introduced throughout the Church of England, including St. James's, during Advent 2000 with the Alternative Service Book (A.S.B.) becoming redundant on 31st December. All the communion services afterwards, except those that included a baptism, used one of three forms of Common Worship: a standard form, a form for use in Advent and Lent, and thirdly a form for all-age worship particularly designed for family groups. The December 2000 Spire reported: "We have produced an inexpensive booklet which include each of the three agreed forms. Each form is complete in itself, following sequentially page by page. They are very easy for newcomers and visitors to follow. As with every change we hope that our services become more easily accessible and more meaningful for everyone." Read the article Common Worship Communion Services.

The tradition of everyone putting a wafer in the patten was stopped at the beginning of Revd. Vannozzi's incumbency, with the servers putting an estimated number of wafers in the ciborium before the service instead. This was one of the changes that Revd. Vannozzi put in place to try to make things easier for any newcomer into church. The receptacles for the bread and wine were kept on a small table behind the altar instead of on the altar, with the altar being prepared just prior to the act of communion. The Sunday Parish and All-age Communion Services were shortened slightly by the omission of one of the hymns and by the priest and servers clearing up during the last hymn instead of before it. New service booklets were made specially for each liturgical season, with the covers in the correct colour for each season, as Revd. Vannozzi wanted to make more of the changes within the Christian Year. Illustrated service booklets were made for the All-age Communion Services with photographs and explanations of each part of the service, mainly for the youngsters, but were found to be very helpful for all ages. During his incumbency, Revd. Vannozzi provided various sermon series in the Parish Communion, each running for several weeks. For example during November 2011 the sermons took as their starting point one of the Psalms. "The Psalms are effectively the hymn book of the Old Testament expressing different emotions, attitudes, and ways of approaching God."