Singing of the Psalms in Public and Private Worship

This is from the Westminster Divines Directory for the Public Worship of God published in 1644:

It is the duty of Christians to praise God publickly, by singing of psalms together in the congregation, and also privately in the family. In singing of psalms, the voice is to be tunably and gravely ordered; but the chief care must be to sing with understanding, and with grace in the heart, making melody unto the Lord. That the whole congregation may join herein, every one that can read is to have a psalm book; and all others, not disabled by age or otherwise, are to be exhorted to learn to read. But for the present, where many in the congregation cannot read, it is convenient that the minister, or some other fit person appointed by him and the other ruling officers, do read the psalm, line by line, before the singing thereof.

Richard Baxter in his "Christian Directory" says in regards to Lord's Day family worship:

After dinner call your families together, and sing a Psalm of Praise, and by examination or repetition or both, cause them to remember what was taught to them. (After the afternoon church service he gives further instruction.) When you come home, call your families together and first crave God's assistance and acceptance: and then sing a Psalm of Praise: and then repeat the sermon which you heard; or if there was none, read out some lively profitable book; and then pray and praise God: and with all the holy seriousness and joy which is suitable to the work and the day. Horton Davies, "The Worship of the English Puritans", pg. 279-280.

I think too many churches today have gotten away from this practice in favor of more contemporary hymns. But it was always the opinion of the Reformers and the Puritans that we should be singing Psalms every Lord's day in the church. I believe not doing so is practiced to the detriment of the church and is most definitely carried over into the home.

As we progress through this study and gain a deeper understanding of what the Psalms say to us; I think we will relish them all the more and, hopefully, incorporate them back into our churches and our homes.
You can see that the expectation has always been that the Psalms lead the way for the man of God as he enters into worship, whether private or public. I pray that this practice will take root yet again and the flame that is lit as a result will enliven the people of God to glorify Him all the more.