“The book of Psalms has been described as the prayerbook of the Bible. For both the Jewish and Christian communities its texts have given voice to praise and lament, joy and sorrow, and equipped them to engage with God in all the varied circumstances of life. Sometimes encountering familiar texts in new ways enlivens such engagement fresh. It’s in that spirit that I commend this translation of the Psalms by The Reverend Dr Matthew Anstey and encourage you to share it with congregations in your Diocese for trial use.”

― The Right Rev’d Dr Mark Short, Primate, Anglican Church of Australia (2025-)

Close-up photograph of "The Psalms: First Book" and text from Psalm 1

The Anstey Psalter

The Anstey Psalter is to be a contemporary liturgical translation of the entire book of Psalms, for public worship and private devotion for Australian Anglicans, combining the latest scholarship with close attention to poetics and musicality.

The Rev’d Assoc Prof Matthew Anstey

Dr Anstey is an Anglican priest in the Diocese of Adelaide, and an internationally recognised Hebrew scholar. In 2017, he began planning to prepare a new liturgical translation of the Psalms and in 2022 the project officially commenced.

Singing the Psalms

From the outset, Matthew’s vision for a new liturgical psalter included his hope to have musical compositions prepared for choirs and congregations to sing. On the project committee, Richard Black brings particular expertise to this endeavour.