Exclusive psalmody

[Iosias]

Are you an exclusive psalmist?

[JM]

Nope.

[Iosias]

Would you care to explain? :)

[JM]

http://www.reformed.com/pub/psalms.htm

[Iosias]

I am confused! He states "The purpose of this study is to show from Scripture that Reformed worship, or exclusive Psalmody, is not just a bizarre tradition inherited from Calvin or Knox, but is the teaching of God’s holy word."

[JM]

You can’t prove a negative from a positive. Singing psalms is right, just, etc., but you can’t say, “singing psalms is good therefore, singing other spiritual songs is not good.” Where does the Bible tell us NOT to sing other songs?

Dr. Bob Morey wrote against exclusive psalmody.

[heymikey80]

No.

http://www.reformed.org/misc/frame_regulative_principle.html

Combined with the commands that exist in the Psalms to sing new songs, play all sorts of instruments, etc., I'm not sure how you could get by singing a Psalm that commands such things explicitly, without actually heeding those commands.

I know Calvin thought that these things were for Israel in her infancy. However, I've never seen a good explanation of where that view's explicitly en-scripturated about worship, either. So it really shouldn't dictate simplicity.

Calvin was responding to an error at the time, too, one that specified the need for ritual worship using instruments and songs after the pattern of the Temple ceremonies. He was right in reacting against this view of ritual singing. I just think he went a little too far requiring complete simplicity as regulative.

[Iosias]

You can’t prove a negative from a positive. Singing psalms is right, just, etc., but you can’t say, “singing psalms is good therefore, singing other spiritual songs is not good.” Where does the Bible tell us NOT to sing other songs?

Dr. Bob Morey wrote against exclusive psalmody.

Well if you don't hold to the regulative principle then I can see why you are not an exclusive psalmist. :)

[pjw]

my church [Presbyterian] holds to exclusive psalmody (that is, only singing the psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit recorded in the Book of Psalms).
imho, this is going a little too far, we should stick to psalms, hymns, and songs inspired by the Spirit, but these are found throughout Scripture, and not just in the Psalms (there are many in the NT).
although, it could be argued from the two most cited passages that they support the writing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs...
why would St. Paul tell the recipients of his letter that the word of Christ was to dwell in them richly "in all wisdom" teaching and admonishing one another, &c., singing with grace in your hearts, &c., if he did not intend for them to write for themselves psalms, hymns and spiritual songs based on Scripture?
just being devil's advocate for a moment. :)
the prayer-book [anglican] position appears to be the most balanced. it includes regular singing of the Psalms, as well as the other hymns and canticles contained in Scripture, and a few very ancient non-inspired hymns (which needn't necessarily be sung, but can be read or chanted instead)

[Iosias]

my church [Presbyterian] holds to exclusive psalmody (that is, only singing the psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit recorded in the Book of Psalms).
imho, this is going a little too far, we should stick to psalms, hymns, and songs inspired by the Spirit, but these are found throughout Scripture, and not just in the Psalms (there are many in the NT).
although, it could be argued from the two most cited passages that they support the writing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs...
why would St. Paul tell the recipients of his letter that the word of Christ was to dwell in them richly "in all wisdom" teaching and admonishing one another, &c., singing with grace in your hearts, &c., if he did not intend for them to write for themselves psalms, hymns and spiritual songs based on Scripture?
just being devil's advocate for a moment. :)
the prayer-book [anglican] position appears to be the most balanced. it includes regular singing of the Psalms, as well as the other hymns and canticles contained in Scripture, and a few very ancient non-inspired hymns (which needn't necessarily be sung, but can be read or chanted instead)

(a) The position of exclusive psalmody which I hold (even though I am Anglican) is simply that we are commanded to sing not repeat other inspired songs of the OT and NT which the Holy Ghost did not include in the Psalter - the only hymbook! Hence:

"2. Another objection to the exclusive Psalm singing position is based on a misunderstanding of how exclusive Psalm singers apply the regulative principle. A pamphlet by an Orthodox Presbyterian pastor sets forth the idea that the exclusive Psalm singing position depends upon proving that only the Psalms are commanded to be used in worship in the Bible. Psalm singers have always acknowledged that other divinely inspired songs besides the Psalms were used for worship before the close of the canon. However, Psalm singers do not sing the inscripturated inspired songs found outside the Psalter because they believe that only the Psalms were intended by God for perpetual use in the church. The Holy Spirit is the one who organized the book of Psalms. He did not include every inspired song in the Bible within the Psalter. The fact that God did not place every inspired song within God’s hymnbook probably indicates that some inspired songs were only used on a specific occasion or for a limited period of time. Keddie writes: “It is contended that other inspired utterances such as the songs of Moses (Ex. 15:1-19; Dt. 32:1-43) and Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1-10) in the Old Testament, and of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) and Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) in the New Testament, were exceptional effusions of praise, of an inspired nature, in connection with particular (and even absolutely unique, as with the Magnificat) ‘acts of God’ and not necessarily for perpetual use in the Church’s song…the whole book of Psalms…is to be considered as the final[ised] hymnbook of the Church. It satisfies the demands of divine provision, and is the only collection of songs of praise as such which can lay claim to primary and verbal inspiration.”71 (http://www.reformed.com/pub/psalms.htm#f71) One may disagree with this argument. One may consider it a weak deduction. But, since there is not a shred of biblical evidence that uninspired songs were ever used for the praise of Jehovah, if there is going to be a debate among Reformed believers it ought to be between exclusive Psalm singers and those Christians who want to include the handful of other inspired worship songs which are found outside of the Psalter." http://www.reformed.com/pub/psalms.htm

(b) The BCP is ripe for exclusive psalmists :)

[heymikey80]

Many exclusive psalmodists in my country are also antiphonal psalmodists, excluding instruments from worship as well.

The citation I've heard most often about this is: "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24

It's interesting to me, because for this verse Quakers are probably the most radically consistent -- omitting virtually every form of worship except the spiritual.

Also, according to one historian checking into some of Calvin's liturgies, he included a few well-known hymns of Scripture set to music. So Calvin didn't find Scripture sung to melody to be offensive to the RPW.

[JM]

Well if you don't hold to the regulative principle then I can see why you are not an exclusive psalmist. :)


Comm'on AV, that wasn't kind, I hold the the regluative principle which is: true worship is commanded by God...which is why we sing NEW SONGS.

:clap:

LBCF XXII:I
The light of nature shews that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.

[Cajun Huguenot]

Are you an exclusive psalmist?

Nope.

Kenith

[Rhetor]

Yes. I hold to exclusive Psalmody.