Spirit Filled Series

Hymns refers primarily to songs of praise, which in the early church were probably distinguished from the psalms, which exalted God, in that the Hymns specifically praised the Lord Jesus Christ. Many biblical scholars believe that various New Testament passages (such as Col. 1:12–16) were used as hymns in the early church.

Spiritual songs were probably songs of testimony that covered a broad category that included any music expressing spiritual truth.

In the church today we could classify renditions of Psalms 23 and 84 as psalms, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and “The Old Rugged Cross” as hymns, and “O How He Loves You and Me” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus” as spiritual songs. The intent of Paul here, however, is simply to give latitude for all kinds of musical expression to exalt the Lord. Thus, “Spiritual songs” (ôdai ptleumatikai) may be so designated either to differentiate them from secular compositions or because they represent spontaneous singing in the Spirit (Wood, A. S. (1981). Ephesians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).

These Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs come through singing. Singing is from adô, which simply means to sing with the voice. But in the New Testament it is always used in relation to praising God (see also Col. 3:16; Rev. 5:9; 14:3; 15:3). The sound God is looking for in His children is the sound made out of a Spirit–filled heart—whether the voice that makes the sound is rough and unpolished or smooth and highly trained. That is why every believer is just as capable as any other believer of singing the praises that God puts in his heart.

• Worldly professionalism has crept into the church in the false notion of having those who lead worship should be a musically professional as possible, even if they are unbelievers. Such an approach is an abomination to God

• Better to have a heart expressive believer ministering in music than a musically perfect unbeliever.

Psallo (making melody) is related to the term from which we get psalm and literally means to pluck on a stringed instrument, particularly a harp, with the fingers. The word, however, came to represent the making of any instrumental music. This affirms in the new testament, as well as explicit Old testament examples, of the legitimacy of instrumental music in corporate worship. The Spirit–filled heart should express itself in any sort of vocal or instrumental music, in both singing and making melody.

Please turn to 1 Samuel 16 (p.239)

From where do believers sing? The songs of salvation originate with your heart. If the case of heart is taken as an instrumental of cause, the idea is that our hearts cause us to sing and make melody to God. As an instrumental of means, the idea is that our hearts are the channels through which we sing praises. As a locative, the idea is that the singing is centered in our hearts.