Last updated: March 24, 2025
1. Why do we require copyright permissions?
At Crown & Covenant, we wish we could allow anyone to copy and utilize the psalms. However, we, as the producer (and you, as the consumer) are subject to copyright laws, both domestic and international. So we enforce these laws to protect both parties. Thousands of hours were spent creating these devotionals, studies, recordings, and psalters, and as good stewards, we need to be diligent in safeguarding the rights of the people that labored in this good work.
In accord with copyright laws, we want to ensure that:
- Composers get paid and credited for their work. While the Word is not bound, particular translations and musical arrangements of it are the work of human beings, who should be paid for their work. Just as with most Bible translations, these works are copyrighted and quotations are limited to a certain number of verses. Licensing and the protection of intellectual property enables workers to be paid, and licensing depends on copyright protection.
- Alterations to the arrangements are prevented. Because of the painstaking work of the composers, arrangers, and committees involved with the making of our psalters, we want to protect the specific versifications, compositions, and arrangements that appear in our products.
- Licensing fees (which depend on copyright) are honored. This allows for the continued production of psalters and high-quality supporting resources.
- Both parties are protected. We are all subject to copyright laws, both domestic and international, and desire to honor these laws put in place to safeguard all involved.
- Reproductions of our works are not illegally created or distributed. The investments made in the psalters, recordings, and support materials are not without physical and financial burdens. By protecting and paying those involved, we will be able to continue offering future psalters, recordings, and support materials. Without financial resources supporting Crown & Covenant Publications, these materials would cease to be available.
Therefore, any use, reproduction, or distribution (online or otherwise) of text, graphics, images, logos, audio, video, software, and other materials (collectively, "Content") found on Psalms.org must be done following the terms of this Copyright Policy.
Please note that we don't own the rights to all Content on Psalms.org, so we can't grant permissions for these portions of Content without first contacting the original publisher. Please refer to Section 3 for a list of Content owned by third-party publishers.
Do we charge for these permissions?
For years, we have not charged for this service. However, with the explosion of digital audio, blogs, websites, etc., we are receiving more requests for permissions and various types of unique requests. These requests take time to understand, clarify, and properly (and legally) assess. As our office is small, and requests increase, we may charge a standard (nominal) fee to help account for this time, or require the requester to purchase an annual digital license.
2. Content Owned by Crown & Covenant Publications
2.1. Psalters and Psalm Arrangments
We require a permission form to be filed for each scenario listed below. You may download the permission form using the link below. Fill it out and send it to us via email or postal service (information for which is found on the form or under Section 4 of this copyright policy). Please allow 3 weeks for your request to be reviewed and returned.
Printed Copies (Photocopies, Overheads, or Video Projection)
Please note that we require the following copyright line to be added to all copies made from any of our psalters:
Taken from [Name of Psalter] © [year] Crown & Covenant Publications, 7408 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208-2531. Used by Permission.
While you may have no intention to print, sell, or use the psalm for anything other than your corporate or personal worship, the intentions of a second or third party who obtains that copy is unknown. This printed statement protects the work.
- Crown & Covenant Publications grants churches and individuals owning The Book of Psalms for Worship or The ARP Psalter photocopying rights for up to 500 copies of twelve (12) psalms for non-commercial use in public or personal worship during the year. (Please note that this does not apply to selections that say "Used by permission" in the attributions at the bottom of the page.) The respective copyright statement listed above must appear on each copy.
- Crown & Covenant Publications grants churches and individuals owning The Book of Psalms for Singing or The Trinity Psalter photocopying right for five (5) psalms for non-commercial use in public or personal worship during the year. The respective copyright statement listed above must appear on each copy.
- Congregations owning copies of The Book of Psalms for Worship, The Book of Psalms for Singing, The ARP Psalter, or The Trinity Psalter for half (or more) of the congregation may make copies of any selections free of charge as long as they are used for church-related functions. The respective copyright statement listed above must appear on each copy.
- Congregations owning copies of The Book of Psalms for Worship, The Book of Psalms for Singing, The ARP Psalter, or The Trinity Psalter for less than half of the congregation may purchase photocopying rights on an annual (licensed) basis. The cost is based on the size of the congregation. The respective copyright statement listed above must appear on each copy.
Mechanical Rights (CD or Digital Recordings, Video or Film, Broadcast)
Recording rights (i.e. producing your own recordings of our psalm arrangements) are granted on a case-by-case basis. Approved projects will incur a mechanical license fee depending on the scope of the project. The current U.S. statutory rate for a mechanical license is 9.1 cents per minute-length song per copy of each recording. This rate may vary based on the circumstances of the recording, such as purpose, media, and quality. Applications for recording permission are essential.
Film/video and broadcast usage requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Contact Crown & Covenant Publications for information.
2.2. Psalm Recordings and Albums
All unauthorized copying and/or distribution of our music audio is prohibited.
2.3 Written Material (Devotionals and Other Textual Content)
The use of Psalms.org's textual resources, including (but not limited to) devotionals from the RP Witness' Psalm of the Month series, descriptions of Psalm categories, authors, and books of the Psalter, is subject to the following conditions:
Brief excerpts and quotes (not to exceed 250 words) may be used in print or online provided that the source is cited and the content is not altered.
No written material may be re-uploaded or re-posted in full on another website without permission.
When sharing our material as stated above, please include the following citation:
© [year] Psalms.org. Used by permission of Crown & Covenant Publications. Source: [link]
3. Content Owned by Third Parties
Please note that all other Content not covered in this Copyright Policy is subject to the copyright of its respective owner(s).
3.1. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
Psalms.org contains portions of the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Users may not copy or download more than 500 verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible. For a complete guide to ESV Bible permissions, please visit Crossway.org/permissions.
English Standard Version, ESV, and the ESV logo are registered trademarks of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.
The ESV Bible and related resources are available for free access online and on mobile devices everywhere worldwide at ESV.org.
3.2. Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Psalms and Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Psalms
The devotional series Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Psalms and Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Psalms have been reprinted from Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III by Matthew Henry, and Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible, respectively. The text of these works is in the public domain in the United States, and is free to be used for for personal, educational, or non-profit purposes.
The text of these works has been republished with the permission of the Christian Classics Ethereal Library ("CCEL"). To read the whole texts, as well as hundreds of other classic Christian titles, visit CCEL.org.
Please refer to the CCEL's copyright policy for reproducing or commercially distributing their material: ccel.org/about/copyright.html.
4. Contact
If you have questions about this policy, please contact us at:
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: +1-412-241-0436
Address: Crown and Covenant Publications, 7408 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208
Thank you for honoring our copyrighted material.
