6/27/19 

For a very long time I have not believed the Scriptures teach or require the Psalms to be the only hymns sung in worship.  I have taken this position for a number of reasons.  Let me give you a few of them.

1.       The people of God have always sung.  I say this without any attempt to prove it.  Go to the early chapters of Genesis and you will see the examples of songs there.  This being true there was singing before there was Psalms.

2.      We find different songs in Scripture which were given to be taught to the church such as the songs of Moses.  I do not find where the church is told to stop singing these songs when the Psalms were gathered.

3.      The Psalms did not come in a package of 150 but were written occasionally.  Israel was singing before, while, and after they were written.

4.      Habakkuk has a hymn that is noted as such and the instructions are that it is to be given to the choirmaster.

5.      Finally we have examples of what is sung in heaven and it is not Psalms.  We have a perfect worship hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy.  It is not inspired, but its theology is perfect.

In a Reformed worship service you can both pray and preach extemporaneous.  You can read from both orthodox and heretical authors.  You can read poems and hymns, the same hymns that are in the hymnals but you cannot sing those hymns.  Now I want you to explain to me how it is fine to read these hymns but it is not fine to sing them.  Tell me, or show me in the Scripture, the prescription for this.

Singing is an expression of beauty or joy in praising God.  Nothing more, nothing less is done in singing good hymns.  To think and to prohibit this is without valid reason and denies the church both joy and the beauty of art in worship.

Holy, Holy, Holy

1 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee
perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Be aware there are no Psalms of Trinitarian worship, of the Resurrection, of the Holy Spirit, of Baptism, of Holy Communion, or of our Heavenly Hope.