“MUSIC THAT MAKES SENSE”

Hugo McCord

An article has been mailed to me entitled, “Music that Makes Sense.” The author says that “many church-goers find ‘church music’ boring and unrelated to life.” He also should say that “many church-goers find ‘church music’ thrilling and related to life.” Why the difference?

Those who find “church music” thrilling and life-related always pray before they leave home, or, on their way to the worship services. The never failing result for those church goers is that in every song, new or old, penned by talented, dedicated poets, they meditate again on the cross of Christ, and they hear exhortations to keep on keeping on living for Jesus.

The mental and spiritual attitude of people determines how “church music” affects them. If they “focus their attention on spiritual things,” then “church music” becomes to them “life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). Sadly, the “many church-goers who find ‘church music’ boring and unrelated to life” are critics who cannot be worshiping “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

The author says that without

variety, music which was once living worship falls into “meaningless repetitions.” With over-familiarity, songs come in our ears and out our mouths without ever touching our hearts.

However, meaningful repetitions God expects in the worship, not only in (1) time-tested or contemporary songs, but also in (2) prayer, and in (3) Scripture readings, and in (4) the Lord’s Supper, and in (5) contributing to the Lord’s work.

If “many church goers” find any of these beautiful God-ordained repetitions “meaningless,” the fault is theirs. On the other hand, the reason that “many church goers find” these repetitions meaningful is because they participate “heartily” (cf. Colossians 3:23, en haploteti kardias). Jesus used the ugly word “Hypocrites” to describe those who have “songs come in” their “ears and out” their “mouths without ever touching” their “hearts” (Matthew 15:7).

The author writes that in “Scripture congregational singing is augmented with presentations by solos and singing groups,” citing Ephesians 5:19-20; Colossians 3:16; and 1 Corinthians 14:26.

Of Ephesians 5:19-20,

Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

the author says,

Ephesians 5 actually says that (at least some of the time) one group of people sings while another group listens. That can happen in several different formats: solos, trios, antiphonal singing, quartets, in addition to “everybody singing at once.”

On the contrary, what “Ephesians actually says” is that “the saints in Ephesus” (1:1) were to

Speak to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

Of Colossians 3:16,

Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God,

the author says,

rather than forbidding singing groups in worship, Scripture actually enjoins them.

On the contrary, what the “Scripture actually” enjoins on “the saints and faithful brothers in Christ in Colosse” is to

Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Of 1 Corinthians 14:26,

When you come together, each one has a psalm (psalmos), a teaching, a revelation, a language, an interpretation,

the author says,

I found ... solos. “When you come together, one of you has a hymn” (RSV). ... “Speak one at a time” (v. 27).

Whereas singing is specified in Ephesians 5:19-20 and in Colossians 3:16, no singing is specified in 1 Corinthians 14:26. The word “hymn” (RSV, NIV, and in my mistaken translation) has caused some to think that 1 Corinthians 14:26 commands singing. A recheck shows me that the word “psalm” (psalmos) is in that verse, not the word “hymn” (humnos).

The word “hymn” only relates to singing, but the word “psalm” has a double meaning, depending on the context: (1) a psalm (psalmos) can refer to singing (“as you sing psalms,” Colossians 3:16), and (2) the word can refer to a piece of writing, as “one of the songs of the book of the Old Testament which is entitled psalmoi, Acts 13:33” (Thayer, 675). In the Old Testament book of Psalms the words “a psalm by David” (Psalmos to Dauid), occurs 73 times beginning at Psalm 3.

In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul used the word “psalm” in context with “a teaching, a revelation, a language, an interpretation,” all of which were to be read, recited, not sung. Accordingly, the KJV, the NKJV, the ASV, and the NASV correctly have the word “psalm” in 1 Cornthians 14:26, not the word “hymn,” and “psalm” will appear in the next edition of my translation.

Thayer says that the phrase exein psalmon (1 Corinthians 14:26) “is used of one who has it in his heart to sing or recite a song.” However, 1 Corinthians 14:26 has no word for “sing,” and the contextual words with “psalm” (“a teaching, a revelation, a language, an interpretation”) all point to Thayer’s word “recite,” not “sing.” Consequently, the author is mistaken in saying that in 1 Corinthians 14:26 he finds “solos.” No word for “sing” is in 1 Corinthians 14:26. And the singing that is commanded in Ephesians 5:19-20 and in Colossians 3:16 is addressed to all of “the saints” in Ephesus and in Colosse. Solo or group singing is therefore an addition to God’s word.

Not only is solo or group singing an unscriptural addition, but such singing introduces a very real danger. In a small Pennsylvania town hand-bills were distributed inviting people to a protracted gospel meeting at the Church of Christ. A lady telephoned the local preacher, saying she was a soloist at the Lutheran Church, and that she would be glad to sing for the “revival” at the Church of Christ. The preacher told her that only congregational singing was practiced, but that she would be welcome to be part of the audience. She never attended. Did she want to worship or to show off her beautiful voice?

“Music that makes sense” scripturally is not “solos, trios, antiphonal singing, quartets,” but singing by the whole congregation.