Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs What are They?

“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:19-20

These verses are used generally to affirm the idea that musical instrumentation should not be associated with Christian singing because musical instrumentation is not mentioned in the text and would be a human addition to our singing. Kind of like adding Peas and Carrots to the Lord’s Supper. That obviously is not the primary intent of these verses. However if this text could be used to prove that instruments of music are forbidden by the scriptures then I have a few questions.

- is this verse talking about singing in the assembly or singing by individuals outside of the assembly? Or both?

- what exactly is a “Psalm, Hymn or Spiritual song?”

Let me suggest that functionally the way we define “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” are those songs that are contained in our song books.

Of course that begs the question… what were “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” before there were song books?

There are plenty of songs in our culture that contain segments of scripture, spiritual themes and that mention God that are not in our song books.

Consider the song “Turn!Turn!” by Pete Seeger which quotes directly from Ecclesiastes. It’s not in our song book and yet most Christians who hear it on the radio would enjoy listening to it and even feel comfortable singing along with it.

Consider also the song “God’s Will” by Martina McBride which I recommend and is on my play list. Every time I hear that song I cry. It tell’s the story of a handicapped boy named Will. His mother calls him God’s Will. A neighbor meets Will and the lyrics go like this…

I've been searchin', wonderin', thinkin' Lost and lookin' all my life I've been wounded, jaded, loved, and hated I've wrestled wrong and right He was a boy without a father And his mother's miracle I've been readin', writin', prayin', fightin' I guess I would be still Yeah, that was until I knew God's will

You see she learns God’s will by meeting God’s Will.

If that’s not a spiritual song then I don’t know what is and the fact that it is accompanied by instrumental music doesn’t diminish the message and the impact (on me) that the song has.

So if we take the position that Ephesians 5:19-20 regulates both the singing of individuals and congregations in terms of being accompanied by musical instruments and yet we feel comfortable even listening (and singing) to spiritual songs on the radio then we have a problem with our hermeneutic (method of interpretation).

Now don’t get the idea that I am campaigning for the use to instrumental music in our worship services because I am not. There are other reasons not to use musical instruments in our assembly.

One test of a hermeneutic is it’s application. Like when a Pharisee forbade healing on the Sabbath but would be okay with pulling an ox out of a ditch on the Sabbath.

We must be careful that our hermeneutic doesn’t make us hypocrites. Like forbidding instrumental music accompanying “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” and yet singing to them on the radio.