51-5. The proportion of the time of public worship given to praise is left to the judgment of the minister, and the singing of psalms and hymns by the congregation should be encouraged.

DIGEST: The current PCA text, in place since 1973, dates to the PCUS revision of 1929.

BACKGROUND AND COMPARISONS :
1. PCA 1973, Adopted text, DfW 4-5 [M1GA, Appendix, p. 156]
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text,
3. PCUS 1933, IV, § 316.
4. PCUS 1929, IV, § 316.
The proportion of the time of public worship given to praise is left to the judgment of the minister; and the singing of psalms and hymns by the congregation should be encouraged.

1. PCUS 1925, IV-3 [§ 316]
2. PCUS 1894, IV-3
The proportion of the time of public worship to be spent in singing is left to the prudence of every minister; and it is recommended that this part of divine service be conducted in such a manner as to encourage congregational singing.

COMMENTARY:
Morton H. Smith, Commentary on the Book of Church Order, 6th edition, 2007, p. 395-396.
This last paragraph repeats the thought of 50-4 about the proper proportion of the service to be used in singing the praise of God. It then encourages the singing of psalms and hymns by the congregation. It has been observed that those who are not given sufficient opportunity to sing the praise of God all too often resort to "charismatic" churches where there is greater personal participation by members of the congregation. For this reason, a healthy congregation is one that does sing to the praise of God.