A SHORT ESSAY TOWARD THE IMPROVEMENT OF PSALMODY: OR, An Enquiry how the Psalms of David ought to be Translated into Christian Songs, and how lawful and necessary it is to compose other Hymns according to the clearer Revelations of the Gospel, for the Use of the Christian Church. To speak the glories of God in a religious song, or to breathe out the joys of our own spirits to God with the melody of our voice, is an exalted part of divine worship. But so many are the imperfections in the practice of this duty, that the greatest part of christians find but little edification or comfort in it. There are some churches that utterly disallow singing; and I am persuaded that the poor performance of it in the best societies, with the mistaken rules to which it is confined, is one great reason of their entire neglect; for we are left at a loss, say they, what is the matter and manner of this duty; and therefore they utterly refuse: Whereas if this glorious piece of worship were but seen in its original beauty, and one that believes not this ordinance, or is unlearned in this part of christianity should come into such an assembly, "He would be convinced of all, he would be judged of all, he would fall down on his face, and report that God was in the midst of it of a truth;" 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. In order to trace out the matter or subject of religious singing, let us collect into one view the chief texts of the New Testament where this worship is mentioned, and afterwards see what arguments may be deduced from thence, to prove, that it is proper to use spiritual songs of human composure, as well as the psalms of David, or the words of other songs recorded in scripture. The most considerable texts are these; Matt. xxvi. 30. and Mark xiv. 26. relate, That our blessed Lord and his disciples sung an hymn. Acts xvi. 25. “Paul and Silas prayed and sung praises unto God." 1 Cor. xiv. 15. "I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." Ver. 26. "Every one of you hath a psalm." Eph. v. 19, 20. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spi ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF PSALMODY. ritual songs; singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Col. iii. 16, 17. "Let 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: And whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. James v. 13. "Is any among you afflicted, let him pray: Is any merry, let him sing psalms." Rev. v. 9. " And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. xiv. 3. " And they sung as it were a new song before the throne." Rev. xv. 3. "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvellous are thy works, &c." To all these I might add Acts iv. 24. &c. where it is supposed the disciples met together and sung; for they lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "Lord! thou art our God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done, &c." If we turn over the New Testament, and search all the songs that are there written, we shall find the inatter or subject of them as various as the occasions upon which they were sung or spoken: Such are the song of the Virgin Mary; Luke i. 46, &c. The song of Zecharias; ver. 67. The song of the angels; Luke ii. 13. And of Simeon, ver. 29. Besides many others in the book of Revelation. The three chief words used to express the matter of singing, are aμor, vμrol, xai Ndar: Psalms, hymns, and songs, as the three verbs from which these are derived are generally used to express the act of singing, Taraw, vμvew, nas adw. Now if it were lawful after so many learned contentions about these words, I would give my sense of them thus: 1. I think no man hath better explained the original meaning of these words than Zanchy. A psalm, Tapos, is such a song as usually is sung with other instruments besides the tongue. Hymns, vol, such as are made only to express the praises, and set out the excellencies of God. Songs, nd, such as contain not only praises, but exhortations, prophecies, thanksgivings; and these only sung with the voice. 2. The scripture doth not always confine itself to the original meaning of all these words; for aus, a psalm, and the word aw, are used; 1 Cor. xiv. and in other places of the New Testament, where we can never suppose the primitive church in those days had instruments of music. And the word wan, a song, is used several times in the book of Revelation, where harps are joined with voices in the emblematical prophecy. 3. The sense therefore of these words in the New Testament seems to be thus distinguished. A psalm is a general name for any thing that is sung in divine worship, whatsoever be the particular theme or matter; and the verb aaw is designed to express the melody itself rather than to distinguish the matter of the song, or manner whereby the melody or music is performed; and therefore in Eph. v. 19. our translators have well rendered άδοντες και ψάλλοντες, σε singing and making melody; and it should be thus rendered; James v. 13. "Is any merry, let him make melody." I confess in the New Testament the noun aos refers generally to the book of psalms, and without doubt there are many of the psalms of David and Asaph, and other songs among the books of the Old Testament which may be prudently chosen and sung by christians, and may be well accommodated to the lips and hearts of the church under the gospel. Yet this word is once used in another sense, as I shall show afterwards. An hymn, whether implied in the verb uuvew, or expressed in the noun vu, doth always retain its original signification, and intend a song whose matter or design is praise: Nor is there any thing in the nature or use of the word either in scripture or other authors, that determines it to signify an immediate inspiration, or human composure. A song, 'non, denotes any theme or subject composed into a form fit for singing, and seems to intend somewhat suited to the gospel-state, rather than any Jewish psalms or songs in all the five verses in the New Testament where it is used. Eph. v. 19. and Col. iii. 16. It is joined with the word spiritual: and that seems to be used by the apostle in all his epistles, as a very distinguishing word between the law and the gospel, the Jewish and the christian worship. The Jews had carnal ordinances, and carnal commandments, and their state and dispensation is often called flesh, but the church under the gospel is, "a spiritual house, blessed with spiritual blessings, endowed with spiritual gifts, to worship God in spirit and in truth, to offer spiritual sacrifices, and to sing spiritual songs. Col. iii. 16. confirms this sense "for the word of Christ must dwell richly in us in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs." Now though the books of the Old Testament may in some sense be called the word of Christ," because the same Spirit which was afterwards given to Christ the Mediator did inspire them; yet this seems to have a peculiar reference to the doctrine and discoveries of Christ under the gospel, which might be composed into spiritual songs for the greater ease of memory in learning, teaching and admonishing one another. Rev. v. 9. and xiv. 3. There is mention of a new song, and that is pure evangelical language, suited to the New Testament, the new covenant, the new and living way of access to God, and to the new commandment of him who sits upon the throne," and behold, he makes all things new." The words of this song are," Worthy is the Lamb, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, &c. and none could learn it but those who follow the Lamb, who were redeemed from among men, &c." And it must be noted here, that this book of the Revelation describes the worship of the gospel-church on earth, as is agreed by all interpreters, though it borrows some of its emblems from the things of heaven, and some from the Jewish state. I might here remark also, that when a new song is mentioned in the Old Testament, it refers to the times of the Messiah, and is prophetical of the kingdom of Christ, or at least it is a song indited upon a new occasion, public or personal, and the words of it are accommodated to some new tokens of divine mercy. Rev. xv. 3. "They sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" that is, a song for temporal and for spiritual deliverances; or, a song for all ancient or all later salvations of the church. As Moses was a redeemer from the house of bondage, and a teacher of divine worship_with harps and ceremonies; so the Lamb is a Redeemer from Babylon and spiritual slavery, and he is the great Prophet to teach his church the spiritual worship of the gospel. The church now under the salvations and instructions of the Lamb, sings with the voice to the glory of the vengeance and the grace of God, as Israel under the conduct of Moses sung with harps; for we must observe, that these visions of the apostle Jolin, often represent divine things in a gospel-ehurch, in imitation of the ranks and orders of the Jewish camp and tribes, and by the rites and figures used in the time of Moses; and it would be as unreasonable to prove from this text, that we must sing the very words of the xvth of Exodus in a christian church, as to prove from this book of the Revelation that we must use harps and altars, censers, fire and incense. But it is plain that the xvth of Exodus cannot be here intended, because the words of the song are mentioned just after, namely, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Yet after all, if it could be proved, that the very song which Moses sung is here designed, still it must be |