Over the past week or so, we’ve looked at the notion of “exclusive psalmody” and how it relates to the more familiar view of “inclusive hymnody.” Don’t worry if you missed the first and second installments in this series; they’re easily accessible at any time in the blog archives. My purpose today is to offer a personal response to the exclusive-inclusive debate.
First, let me say that I am not a proponent of exclusive psalmody. At least, not yet. Since I’m still researching and learning, it is entirely possible that I’ll eventually become convinced of the necessity of singing only the psalms. Until then, however, I’m going to share these thoughts from the perspective of an inclusive-hymnist URCNA member.
How can exclusive psalmody be advantageous to a congregation? Two main reasons come to mind.
- As so many theologians have noted, the psalms are unquestionably the best songbook the Christian could ever have at his disposal. Singing the psalms is a great privilege and a definite requirement for worship.
- Amidst a Christian culture so illiterate with the singing of God’s Word, it is hard to overdo the psalms. For that reason, exclusive-psalmody churches are radically and refreshingly different from the seeker-sensitive Christian worship atmosphere so prevalent today.
Yet the doctrine of exclusive psalmody also has its pitfalls and drawbacks, including the following:
- Are we to believe that Paul was simply being redundant (or triply emphatic) in his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians when he speaks of singing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”—that is, “psalms, psalms, and psalms”? Although non-inspired songs were probably just as common then as they are now, Paul makes no special effort to distinguish the psalms from any other Christian songs. If he had exclusive psalmody in mind, I find it surprising that he would use these three distinct terms.
- This position presents some inconsistencies when applied to other elements of Christian worship, such as preaching. If the regulative principle of worship were applied to a sermon in the same way as the exclusive psalmists apply it to singing, I have to conclude that anything beyond the unembellished reading of God’s Word would be forbidden.
- Often, exclusive psalmody denominations insist upon using one particular Psalter and reject all others. As one example, the Presbyterian Reformed Church sings only from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of the 1600’s. Some other denominations hold exclusively to the 1912 United Presbyterian Psalter. As reassuring as it may be to sing from a centuries-old songbook, the advocates of exclusive psalmody must acknowledge the uncomfortable fact that these songs are not divinely inspired either. Yes, they are originally based on God’s Word, but in order for us to sing them, they have been translated into English by uninspired men, and have additionally been rendered into poetic verse. It’s also evident that the meaning of many of these psalm settings has been modified. A study of some of the selections in the 1912 Psalter, for instance, reveals that a large number of songs have been interpreted to include themes from the New Testament—exactly the fault propounded against the use of hymns. Thus, while the exclusive psalmists insist upon singing only the inspired Word of God, the very psalm settings in use often contradict this stipulation.
Which view is more Biblically accurate? At this point, I can’t really say. Dozens, probably even hundreds, of essays have been written on both sides of the debate (and many are available online if you’d like to do some extra reading). Both sides can find Scriptures to support their claims. But regardless of your view on exclusive psalmody, there are a few important points that we would all do well to keep in mind.
- If your church is confidently and consistently singing the Psalms in worship, whether or not hymns are also in use, the best course of action is probably to leave the matter alone. If it’s obvious that the worship of the congregation is sincere and God-glorifying, promoting change may do more harm than good.
- If the leadership of your church strongly feels that a move should be made in either direction (towards exclusive psalmody or inclusive hymnody), consider making the change gradually. Putting an announcement in the bulletin one Sunday morning that reads “The elders have determined that from now on we will sing only the psalms in worship” will certainly create more strife than a slow, well-planned transition.
- In general, it’s safe to say that we can always sing more of the psalms. Whatever your denomination’s views on psalmody may be, never forsake the psalms. If necessary, introduce more recent arrangements or get a new songbook. But remember that singing the psalms is not an optional activity for God’s people. It is a command.
Joel Pearce, a musician and member of the URC Psalter Hymnal Committee, shared his reaction to exclusive psalmody on his own blog a few years ago:
I continue to wonder why the Psalms are not used more often in corporate worship. They cover the entire spectrum of human emotion in worship; they rehearse Christ’s saving work, death, resurrection, and glorification; they contain themes of repentance, forgiveness, joy, praise, and awe; and they are songs which are inspired by God written for our use! Why wouldn’t we want to sing them more often?…
I’m not an exclusive psalmist (yet?), but when we have 150 Holy Spirit-inspired texts to use in worship, why wouldn’t the church at least sing mostly Psalms? Instead of singing man-written hymns and songs with an occasional Psalm thrown in, I think a more biblical ratio should be mostly Psalms with an occasional man-written hymn or song thrown in. When I hear/sing many of the “positive, encouraging” contemporary praise choruses or even some of the overly-individual/emotional/experiential revival hymns of the 1800s, they just seem so radically inferior to the Psalms. This isn’t snobbery, because shouldn’t the inspired Scripture trump man-written texts? When we’ve been given a rich hymnbook in the book of Psalms and are commanded to sing them, why settle for less?
–from Token Lines
Mr. Pearce’s view is extremely similar to mine. Even if we cannot concur on the virtue of uninspired hymns, certainly all Reformed Christians should be able to agree that the psalms must play a significant role in our worship.
To the exclusive psalmody churches, I pose this question: Do you hold to your tradition of singing only the psalms merely for the sake of tradition, or do you hold to it with firm belief that it is in accordance with God’s Word? As is the case in many human settings, “accepted practice” can slyly sneak into a place of authority even higher than God’s Word. No, this is not a condemnation of exclusive psalmists; rather, it is a call for them to re-examine their hearts and motives.
In conclusion, I can see truth and wisdom on both sides of the debate. But here is my challenge to all: Whichever criterion for worship we choose—exclusive psalmody or inclusive hymnody—let us hold to it not just because we want to follow our forefathers, but because we desire to worship our God faithfully.
–MRK
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