MY DEAR—,
It has been repeatedly pressed that the Christian is bound to sing “to the Lord,” and that according to the plainest teaching of scripture not only one but every psalm, hymn, or song should be consciously sung as before God. It is at the same time equally true, on the same authority, that sacred song has a reflex action upon the singer. Just as, when our requests are made known to God, the result is, whether we get what we ask for or not, that the incomprehensible peace of God keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6, 76Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6‑7)). The very attitude of prayer produces a state of calm restfulness in the soul even though the direct answer be withheld. In like manner singing, while it is primarily addressed to God, has secondarily a beneficial effect upon the believer. The very verse that enjoins the Ephesian saints to make melody in the heart to the Lord, says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms, &c.” And to those in Colossae the apostle writes, “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, &c.” (Eph. 5:1919Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19); Col. 3:1616Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)).
The action of singing enlarges the heart and the mind, and leads to a more practical acquaintance with truth. Just as man's mental and physical powers are developed and strengthened by exercise, so it is with the faculties and emotions of the believer's spiritual nature. The hymn affords a suitable channel for the outflow of the affections and aspirations of the soul, which react in blessing and profit to the singer. So that, if in the words of the Psalmist, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High” (Psa. 92:11<<A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.>> It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: (Psalm 92:1)), it is not less so to sing praise unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, it is a notable fact that singing is a means of deeply embedding truth (or, alas! that it should be so, error) in a person's heart. There is an extravagant paradox that is often quoted, to the effect that if a man had the making of a nation's ballads, he need not care who had the making of its laws. Whatever the degree of truth this may contain, it is certain that sacred hymnology has an incalculable effect upon Christian thought and belief. Scriptural hymns exercise a sanctifying and instructive influence whenever sung; while on the contrary an unsound hymn, whatever its “beauty” as a composition, injures and does not help. How many hearts have thrilled with fervent adoration as they have joined in Watts' “When I survey the wondrous cross,” &c., or in Hart's “How good is the God we adore,” &c. And on the other hand how many hearts have been blinded as to the fact of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit by the many hymns, which pray for His present coming or His outpouring, such as, “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, Vouchsafe within our souls to rest, &c.” Such sentiments entirely overlook the Lord's promise that the Comforter should come to abide forever (John 14:1616And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (John 14:16)), and expressly deny that Acts 2 was the fulfillment of that promise; and the mass, who are alas! not accustomed to “prove all things,” through singing such hymns receive this false and mischievous unbelief to the damage of their own souls.
It behooves us therefore to take heed what we sing. And the only infallible test of a hymn must be the word of truth. Of what use, for we are now taking that side of the question—of what possible use can an unscriptural hymn be to me or any one else? It certainly cannot contribute to spiritual advancement but rather to the propagation of its own erroneous notions.
Under this head of spiritual helpfulness comes the majority of that class of hymns known as gospel hymns. They consist of hymns sung by saints in presence of sinners in accompaniment of evangelistic ministry. They afford expression for the delight of God's children in the simple and elementary truths of the gospel. It is sad degeneracy however, when gospel services are made the occasions for the display of so-called musical talent, and sickly sentimentalism wedded to jigging tunes and jingling refrains, to suit the popular taste, is exchanged for the sober and solemn truths of the grace of God. This does not honor God nor help either saint or sinner.
Turning again to the subject of singing in the assembly, a scripture in 1 Cor. 14 gives guidance on a very practical point. At Corinth there was a great deal of unseemly haste and confusion when gathered together. Each of the brethren appears to have come up prepared with his contribution of gift for the assembly. The apostle says, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Cor. 14:2626How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (1 Corinthians 14:26)). It is clear there was a keen competition, if not rivalry, among them for the display of their gifts. The result of this was that the meeting became disorderly and the saints were not edified. The counsel of Paul under these circumstances was “Let all things be done unto edifying.” He did not say, establish a president, or make one man responsible for the order of your meeting, and then it will be manifest who is to blame. Nay, this would be utterly to, deny the sovereignty of the Spirit of God in their midst, “dividing to every man severally as He will” (1 Cor. 12:1111But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:11)). Let them be governed by Him, and the edification of the saints must be the sure result.'
Now singing is especially mentioned in this verse. If every one had a psalm, there would be an end to all fellowship at once. It is entirely a false principle for a brother to suppose that, because he has found great joy in a certain hymn, he must forthwith take it to the assembly and ask the whole of his brethren to sing it with him. It is no doubt very natural to assume that, what I find to be good, I should ask others to share. But it contravenes the truth of 1 Cor. 14. That chapter shows (as has already been stated) that what is, not what may be, suited for all, is the rule for guidance. In other words, the hymn should be the expression of the minds and hearts of the saints at that particular time, and this shuts us up to the Spirit of God. We are absolutely and continuously dependent on the Holy Ghost for direction as to what is to be presented as worship at any given time.
Nevertheless it ought to be remembered that the Spirit of God does not miraculously bring to any person's memory a hymn never seen or sung before. The more familiar saints are with the hymn-book through constant usage at home, the greater will be the variety of hymns sung in the assembly. For the Spirit selects from what we know. Hence the importance of becoming acquainted with hymns in private devotion, so that proper and suitable praise as opposed to anything formal or habitual may be rendered in the assembly.
On the other hand, license with the hymn-book is to be deplored. The constant habit of announcing hymns is self-delusive. It should never be forgotten that the Lord Himself is the Leader of our praises, as He said, “In the midst of the assembly, will I sing praise unto thee” (Heb. 2:1212Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Hebrews 2:12)). It is therefore a solemn matter to give out a certain hymn which is to embody the praises of the saints at that moment, since the Lord Himself is the great Precentor. Indeed, none but the Spirit of God can rightfully guide in accordance with the mind of the Lord. It is however at the same time our own responsibility to place ourselves in alignment with His action, so that all things may be both of and to the Lord.
Careful consideration of what is being uttered in song will involuntarily lead to the choice of a suitable mode of expression. It ought not to be necessary, after all that has been written, to refer to this subject; but a few plain words may perhaps divest the guilty of their last excuse. Efforts after effect in singing cannot be too much deplored; on the other haul it would almost seem that saints, probably from lack of thought rather than lack of principle, are sometimes utterly oblivious of the meaning of the words they sing. Where can the believer's thoughts be who shouts out the following solemn words at the top of his voice and at the top of his speed?— “When we see Thee in the garden, In Thine agony of blood...When we see Thee as the victim, Nailed to the accursed tree, For our guilt and folly stricken, All our judgment borne by Thee.” On the other hand, who has not heard “What cheering words are these, &c.” delivered in a dirge-like wail, pathetic in the extreme; or that enlivening strain, “We joy in our God, and we sing of that love, &c.,” drawled through in funereal time, with most mouths half-closed? This arises from want of heart, from a lapse into a dull slothful formality, which is a discredit to the saint and a dishonor to the Lord, but which may be avoided by a little thought over the real import of the words of the hymn.
A difficulty arises in some minds as to how one is to decide when to refrain from singing a hymn proposed to be sung. It is certain that this is an exceptional case and calls for the exercise of much wisdom. But two principles founded on what has been brought forward in previous letters may be found helpful—
1.-Because I sing to the Lord, I must not sing what I know to be contrary to scripture;
2.-Because I sing in communion with the saints, I have no ground for refusal, unless I am asked to sing what is manifestly contrary to scripture and the mind of the Spirit.
I say, “manifestly,” because in dubious instances modesty and humility would join with prudence in abstaining from a too positive expression of opinion. We ought not to be surprised if others do not fall in very readily with our own little fads. And when we ourselves do not see very clearly points which others lay down with emphasis, it is possibly caused by our own defective vision. In short, we ought to be very slow to judge where we have not the full light of scripture; but where there is no room for doubt, the claims of the Lord and His word bind us to firmness and faithfulness.
Let me add as a final remark that in singing as in other matters there is no such thing as “rule of thumb” for the Christian. Not the bit nor the bridle, but the eye of the Lord must be the guide. The best rules will lead astray if they supplant Christ. The simplest and feeblest believer sings well who has the Lord before him; but the praises of the most intelligent and the most accomplished singer are altogether vanity, if the Lord is forgotten as being both the object and subject of those praises.
Yours faithfully in our Lord,
YOD.
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