One day, long after we're dead, when the history of this period in church music is written, it will be noted that the Ostrowskis, Rices, Aristotles and Oost Zinners (as well as some others) saved the world.

Any. Actually, these are more accurate and acceptable than the paraphrased psalms also permitted in almost all Bishop's Conferences.

EAF, they could easily be used for choirs. To see examples, click on any feast from here and click on the accompaniment for the one that says "Version used in the Vatican II Hymnal."

I've heard Dr. Paul Ford, a good and holy man, say something along the lines that paraphased psalms are allowed. I've heard his reasoning for this, but do not recall the entirety of it. Perhaps he could post here some of his documentation.

That's a lot of options!

In Canada, the correponding adaptation says

Instead of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary, there may be sung either the Responsorial Gradual from the Graduale Romanum , or the Responsorial Psalm or the Alleluia Psalm from the Graduale Simplex, as described in these books.

That's it.

Liam said: "I should note for the record that Theodore Marier's Hymns, Psalms & Spiritual Canticles preceded this in doing this."

Hi, Liam! Actually, Ted "stacked" the verses, as is normally done. This is a lot faster, from the point of view of the composer and typesetter, but less musically satisfying, as each verse must be "crammed" to the same format, as opposed to looking for subtle differences (for instance extremely long verses vs. extremely short verses).

Theodore Marier's collection is very famous and admired by many people. In particular, I know several people on this forum are desperately hoping they will be reprinted, even though they use the old texts. An article in Sacred Music published soon after Ted's passing claimed that they were (in fact) being revised and would soon be republished, but I am not sure what the current status is.

In my collection, the verses are not "stacked."

My understanding of psalm texts is that the NAB (current U.S. Lectionary) and the Grail (currently used for the Liturgy of the Hours) are both
acceptable for liturgical use. That is, since the Grail is approved for the office it may also be used at Mass. Then there is the newly revised Grail psalter from Conception Abbey which is now considered the official English translation of the psalter and will presumably replace both the NAB and older Grail in any future publication of the Lectionary or Breviary. Still for the time being any of those may be used for liturgical use until further notice (the paraphrase / metrical option notwithstanding).

It seems the answer to my original question is: those in the United States of America. In the UK and places where the UK lectionary is used (Caribbean) the Grail translation is normative. And in Canada the NRSV-based psalter is normative.

There are no approved sung texts for the minor propers (introit, offertory, etc) but the responsorial psalm in the lectionary is to be used whether sung or not -- and not singing it is the last least option.

In the USA, one is limited to the Lectionary text for the psalm only if it's recited; this is not true if you sing it. All translations previously approved for liturgical use (not just use at Mass) are grandfathered (a very sensible approach designed to avoid what might be called psalter rupture). We've covered a putative list in older threads.

In the USA, one is limited to the Lectionary text for the psalm only if it's recited; this is not true if you sing it. All translations previously approved for liturgical use are grandfathered.

This is correct ... and believe it or not just one USA Bishop approving a 'renegade' text means that the entire USA can use that text, according to the USCCB Secretariat. Forever.

The normal reading of the G.I.R.M. by any Canon lawyer would be that each variant ('renegade') text would have to be approved by the local Bishop. However, the USCCB Secretariat has said over and over that only one Bishop in the USA has to approve the variant text, and that means anyone in the USA can then use it—see my documentation on this. I found this so hard to believe I pressed him several times, and the answer has not changed.

What this has created is our current situation, where more than a thousand 'renegade' texts of the psalms can licitly be used for USA Catholic Masses as long as they are sung.

'Renegade' texts (variant texts) are texts that don't match the Lectionary or the Revised Grail. They come from all kinds of different sources. Some come from different translations of the Bible (Protestant and Catholic). Others are 'homemade' translations by musical composers who lack serious training (or, in most cases, any training whatsoever) in Latin, Hebrew, or Greek — like David Haas, Marty Haugen, Laurence Rosania, Rory Cooney, Owen Alstott, Bob Hurd, Dan Schutte, Paul Inwood, Michael Joncas, Robert Duffold, Julia A. Mundell, Scott Soper, Mike Balhoff, Gary Daigle, Janie Gustafson, and a whole host of others.

Hymnals have been approved for publication by the BCDW since the last GIRM which have various translations.

This is actually incorrect. See my last post on this. The USCCB Secretariat has been clear that the BCDW has never "approved" any hymns or variant texts in any hymnals. The wording in the front only concerns the Lectionary texts and (oddly enough) the Mass Ordinaries, and nothing else. Please see my last post on this.

So, for instance, the hymns in Glory & Praise and all the other OCP books technically cannot be used at Mass (nor can the Psalms) since they lack approval by a Bishop (but their Board does have a Cardinal on it). Please c.f. my last post, which has letters from the publishers and the USCCB Secretariat.

Do not say "forever" — say "until some new version of the General Instruction some day changes the current situation."

For the record, our Collection does not use any "renegade" texts — we adhere strictly to what is found in the current Lectionary.

Incidentally, there has been much written recently about the possibility of revisions to the Lectionary, but all the best sources have said time and time again we are 10-20 years away from such a thing.

Here is one example:

http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/5849/

Other than the Parish book of Psalms?

Congratulations on publishing the Chabanel. Just in time for Christmas too. (I'm not really joking... I plan to get each of the cantors I know their own copy as a gift.)

Imprimaturs are VERY difficult to get - been waiting 6 years on one in a book that is nothing but a compilation of already-"imprimatured" music of the ages. Censor got the book and it lays there. Some Bishops do NOT want this music out there.

Aristotle Esguerra's Modal Responsorial Psalms are now out there as well.

It seems the Current Lectionary will stay with us a long time.

The words of Cardinal Donald Wuerl USCCB (Spring General Meeting, June 14, 2012) seem to agree with the USCCB Secretariat: “The process . . . is going to take a long time. That’s just the nature, and you’re going to hear in a moment why . . .” “Now, as I began, obviously this isn’t going to be done overnight. But we’re asking simply to begin this process so that we will have all of this eventually to bring back. This isn’t being said facetiously, I don’t expect that I will … be presenting this. [laughter] But it’s the time to start . . . The sooner we get started, the sooner some of you will live to see it.”

More sources are given here:
http://www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/questions/

E_A_Fulhorst, you could write Responsorial Psalms using the Knox and get it approved by your local Bishop. Then all of America could enjoy.

"Thou", singular; "You", plural.