Scottish Psalter (1564)

It was published by the Church of Scotland under the influence of John Knox as part of the Book of Common Order which was a more general directory for public worship.

The precise details concerning the publication of the Scottish Psalter are not known as the early records of the Church of Scotland are lost.

[1] In 1556 the first Anglo-Genevan Psalter (English versifications of Calvin's Genevan Psalter) was published for the use of John Knox's congregation and contained 51 psalms, most of which originated in England from the poets Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins.

While only the melodies of the tunes were printed, part singing was certainly known, as there is a record of a four-part rendition of Psalm 124 being sung to welcome John Durie back to Edinburgh from exile in 1582.

Some editions of this Psalter printed in 1575 or later included up to 10 other pieces, but these were probably only intended for devotional purposes.