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Male Chorus
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Singing Is To Be A Rich variety of Expression
The edifying communication that comes from the fullness of the Spirit and the rich dwelling of the word of Christ in the assembly is to be done by means of “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” After looking at over thirty sources I became convinced that no one knows for sure what the distinctions are between these different forms of musical expression. Some think the author is simply “piling up synonyms” rather than referring to three different kinds of songs. These are the most common terms in the LXX for religious songs and they are used somewhat interchangeably in the titles of the psalms.
According to Trench Paul had no intention of classifying the different forms of Christian poetry,
“but neither, on the other hand, would he have used, where there is evidently no temptation to rhetorical amplification, three words, if one would have equally served his turn. It may fairly be questioned whether we can trace very accurately the lines of demarcation between the 'psalms and hymns and spiritual songs' of which the Apostle makes mention, or whether he traced these lines for himself with a perfect accuracy. Still each must have had a meaning which belonged to it more, and be a better right, than it belonged to either of the others; and this it may be possible to seize, even while it is quite impossible with perfect strictness to distribute under these three heads Christian poetry as it existed in the Apostolic age.
One thing seems clear: in the early church there was not any one particular, approved style but rather there was great diversity in the songs they sang. They sang some psalms, some hymns and some spiritual songs. Stop and think about the tremendous diversity of musical expression the churches around the world “continually offer up” as “a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).
On the day of Pentecost we have a vivid picture of the ultimate result of the work of the gospel in the world. One hundred and twenty were waiting in an upper room in Jerusalem for “what the Father had promised” ( Acts 1:4). Suddenly a noise filled the room where they were and what appeared to be tongues like fire rested on each one of them. “And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” ( Acts 24). Through the supernatural enablement of the Spirit these disciples begin to speak “the mighty deeds of God” in the languages of the nations of the world ( Acts 2:11). This was a prophetic picture of the scene we find in Revelation 5 where a hymn of praise to the Lamb of God is sung by a truly international chorus of believer-priests from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev. 5:9-10).
The true worshipping congregation of God has a variety of musical styles that blend together as a great chorus of worship to God.
Psalms refer primarily to the Old Testament psalms. These have “supplied a chief vehicle for Christian praise from primitive times.” It may also refer to regular poems modeled on the Psalms of the Old Testament (cf. the songs in the first chapter of Luke and the book of Revelation). This may be the meaning of the term in 1 Corinthians 14:16. Jesus and His disciples used the Psalms at the Feast of Tabernacles and at the Passover. Many of the greatest composers in history have taken the Psalms and set them to music and they continue to be used to the honor and glory and praise of God today.
Hymns are songs of praise addressed to God. In classical Greek a hymn was a festive lyric in praise of a god or hero. In Colossians 3:16 the singing is addressed to God the Father and in Ephesians 5:19 it is addressed to the Lord Jesus. Hymns “would more appropriately designate those hymns of praise which were composed by the Christians themselves on distinctly Christian themes, being either set forms of words or spontaneous effusions of the moment.”
For Christians in the early church these were new expressions that talked about the teachings of Christ. They taught New Testament doctrines and they were applied to the Christian life and faith. Some believe the hymn in Revelation 4:11 was a previously written Christian Hymn that John incorporated into his book. For us the most familiar hymns are those written since New Testament times.
Edward Paronet came to faith through ministry of John Wesley and grew very rapidly in his faith. He became so overwhelmed with the reality of Jesus as the King of the universe that he wrote, “All hail the power of Jesus name. Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all.”
John Newton almost lost his life in a terrible storm off the northwest coast of Ireland. In the midst of the storm he cried out to God for mercy and help. God delivered him and as he later reflected on the grace and mercy of the Lord that he wrote “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”
Spiritual Songs “denotes the natural outburst of an excited bosom…prompted by the Spirit which filled them.” An Ode is an expression of deep feelings. It is obvious from the description given in First Corinthians 14 that the early church service was very spontaneous. Although there is some overlap in the field of meaning covered by these three terms it seems clear that “spiritual songs” would correspond to much of what we would call “praise and worship music.”
In a message delivered to the Trinity School of Divinity, Dr. John Piper began his sermon with these comments:
In the last twenty years or so there has been a phenomenal explosion of worship singing that is good… Hundreds of worship songs that if I were to start singing them right now you could all finish them. Thou Art Worthy… Father I Adore You… Open Our Eyes Lord… We Worship And Adore You… Thou O Lord Art A Shield About Me… You Are Lord.
I could start twenty five songs right now and every person in this room could finish them with me. And not only here but all around the world. It is a phenomenal thing.
Some of the songs are poetically, grammatically, musically deplorable. Which we should not make too much if we grew up on “Do Lord.”
One thing is unmistakable as a trend in these songs. They are Godward… addressed directly to God. Not sung about God in His presence but to God in each other's presence. And therefore these worship songs force the issue of authentic worship. Are you right now engaging in a spiritual authentic genuine real way with the Living God. That's what those songs force as an issue on Sunday morning in a way that many of the old choruses that my parents and I sang did not force.
Added to this, the tunes that are being written today are very, very engaging tunes. They have a way of awakening the affections. They're not excessively complex by and large, or intellectual or demanding. But they catch up the emotions and the spirit in their mood. So two things are happening in the best worship songs. … The mind is being brought with God-centered lyrics in an amazing way into engagement with God and the heart stirred by these contemporary tunes is being engaged with tenderness, devotion and enjoyment. At least for millions of people this is true even if not for a lot of musical classicists. So I look at this worship awakening and what stands out above all things to me and strikes me and makes me ask questions is its God-centered lyrics… God is exalted, He's Lord, He's risen from the dead, He's majestic, He's mighty, He's Holy, He's conquered the power of death, He's a shield, He's glory, He's the Lifter of our heads, He's great, He's wonderful, He's a Rock, He's Fortress, He's Deliverer, He's the coming King, Redeemer, Name above all names, Messiah, Lamb of God, Holy One, He is God and Our God reigns… If you don't like the drums, if you don't like the guitars, if you don't like electricity, if you don't like platforms all cluttered with black microphones and boxes and everything and T-shirts. If you don't like that you still have to admit that by and large the lyrics of this phenomenon are Godward. They are almost pure Scripture again and again and again even if clumsily set to the music. And the hoped for effect is a relentless addressing of God directly for the engagement of the heart.
Although some brethren would argue that we should only sing the inspired words of Scripture in the church it seems clear from this expression (“with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”) that along with the singing of the songs of Scripture there is to be a continuing flow of new and fresh expressions of musical praise and worship that faithfully teaches and admonishes the church as we sing to our Lord and God. What is important is that God's people worship Him through a variegated expression of music in the form of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. You may prefer one more than the other but a wonderful thing happens when the people of God use all the means He has given them to minister to one another with singing as they worship Him
Author: Unknown
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