PRZASNYSZ 370 PSALMS Kolomea and Czernowitz; from the point at which it leaves Austrian territory to its embouchure in the Danube at Reni, 13 miles below Galatz, it forms the boun- dary between Russian Bessarabia and Rumania. Length about 520 miles, navigable from near Jassy, 168 miles. It was the scene of many military opera- tions between the Russian and Austro- German armies in the World War (1914-1918). PRZASNYSZ, a town in Russia, 59 miles N. E. of Plock, with a population, in 1900, of 9,245, of importance only on account of the heavy fighting which took place between the Russian and Teutonic forces during 1915 and later. The town was taken by the Germans in February, 1915, retaken by the Russians a few weeks later, in March, and again cap- tured by the Germans, in July, 1915. These conflicts, constituting a series of battles of the first magnitude, have ac- cordingly taken their name from the town, and are known as the Battles of Przasnysz. PBZEMYSL, a fortified city of the former Austrian crownland of Galicia, now Poland, on the river San, 54 miles W. of Lemberg, important as a railroad center and on account of its trade in flour, naphtha, chemicals, wood, grain, leather, and linen, with a population in 1910 of 54,869. The name of the city became familiar through its prominence in the dispatches during the early period of the war on the eastern front, 1914-1916. In the fall of 1914 the Rus- sians drove the Austrians along the Ga- lician front back into the Carpathians, leaving the Austrian forces in the city besieged by the Russian forces. In Oc- tober, 1914, the Russians were obliged to retire temporarily, leaving the invest- ment broken for some three weeks, and during this period more troops, provis- ions and war materials were rushed into the garrison. With the return of the Russians the siege was continued, last- ing until March 22, 1915, when the city formally surrendered to the Russian commander, causing one of the sensa- tions of that period of the war. The prisoners taken included 9 generals, 93 superior officers, 2,500 minor commis- sioned officers, and 170,000 rank and file. The city was retaken by the Austrians in June, 1916. PSALMIST, a writer or composer of psalms; a title applied especially to the authors of the Scriptural^ psalms, and t^pecifically, v/ith the definite article pre- fixed, to David. Psalmists, in Church history, were singers in the early church whose duty it was to lead the people. The Roman Catholic Church still retains this order as the leaders of music. PSALMODY, the art and practice of singing psalms. The composition of psalm tunes and the performance of psalmody appears to have been practiced and encouraged in Germany, France, and the Low Countries before it was intro- duced into Great Britain. In France psalmody was popularized at the refor- mation by Clement Marot and Claude Goudimel, the former of whom trans- lated the Psalms of David in verse, while the latter set them to music. Psalm singing was introduced by the Reform- ers; but Calvin discouraged any but simple melody, while Luther practiced and favored part harmony, as did also John Knox in his psalter. The first English version of the Psalms of David, which appeared soon after that of the French, was made in the reign of Henry VIII., by Thomas Sternhold, groom of the robes to that monarch, and John Hopkins, a schoolmaster, assisted by William Whittyngham, an English di- vine. It was afterward superseded by the version of Nahum Tate, the poet laureate, and Dr. Nicholas Brady. The first important compilation of psalm tunes for four voices was published in 1621 by Thomas Ravenscroft, and in- cluded such well-known tunes as Bangor, St. David's Norwich, York, etc. Stern- hold and Hopkins' version of the Psalms was first used in Scotland, and was after- ward superseded by the version now in use, founded on that of Francis Rous, provost of Eton, a member of Crom- well's government. PSALMS, BOOK OF, a book of the Old Testament. It was the praise book or psalter of the Hebrew temple or syna- gogues. In the present Hebrew Bibles it is usually placed just after the Proph- ets at the head of the Hagiographa, and in Luke xxiv: 44, is generally supposed to stand for that division of the Old Testament books. The 150 psalms are arranged in Hebrew in five books, each terminating with a doxology, in some cases closing with "Amen and amen." The revised version prints them separ- ately. All but 34 psalms have titles in the Hebrew Bible; the latter were called by the rabbis orphan psalms. In the Septuagint all but two have titles. Though not as a rule accepted as part of Scripture, they are ancient, and worthy of high respect. They attribute all book 1 to David, except Ps. i., ii., x., and xxxiii. The name of the Supreme Being used in this book is chiefly Jeho- vah. Book 2 assigns Psalms to David, to Korah, to Asaph, and to Solomon, and leaves others anonymous. The
