Before I begin answering my previous question, I want to say happy birthday to Bruce Springsteen and the late, great Ray Charles. Thanks for the great music!!
Now, on with the festivities.
The question: "What is the difference between psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs?
As a follow-up question, why does Paul make the distinction in both of these verses?"
In order to give my answer, I needed to find the origins of the words. This is what I came up with.
Word Origin & History
psalm
O.E. salm, from L. psalmus, from Gk. psalmos "song sung to a harp," originally "performance on stringed instrument," from psallein "play on a stringed instrument, pull, twitch." Used in Septuagint for Heb. mizmor "song," especially the sort sung by David to the harp.
hymn
c.1000, from O.Fr. ymne and O.E. ymen, both from L. hymnus "song of praise," from Gk. hymnos "song or ode in praise of gods or heroes," used in Septuagint for various Heb. words meaning "song praising God." Possibly a var. of hymenaios "wedding song," from Hymen, Gk. god of marriage (see hymen). Evidence for the silent -n- dates from at least 1530.
spiritual (adj.)
"of or concerning the spirit" (especially in religious aspects), 1303, from O.Fr. spirituel (12c.), from L. spiritualis, from spiritus "of breathing, of the spirit" (see spirit). Meaning "of or concerning the church" is attested from 1338. The noun sense of "African-American religious song" first recorded 1866. Spirituality (1417) is from M.Fr. spiritualite, from L.L. spiritualitatem (nom. spiritualitas), from L. spiritualis). An earlier form was spiritualty (1377).
song
O.E. sang "art of singing, a metrical composition adapted for singing," from P.Gmc. *sangwaz (cf. O.N. söngr, Norw. song, Swed. sång, O.S., Dan., O.Fris., O.H.G., Ger. sang, M.Du. sanc, Du. zang, Goth. saggws), related to sing (q.v.). Songbook is O.E. sangboc; song-bird is from 1774; songster is O.E. sangystre. Phrase for a song is from "All's Well" III.ii.9. With a song in (one's) heart "feeling of joy" is first attested 1930 in Lorenz Hart's lyric. Song and dance as a form of vaudeville act is attested from 1872; fig. sense of "rigmarole" is from 1895.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
What I'm noticing here is that there are distinct differences between our three terms. In the original Greek, psalmos is used in reference to a song with harp accompaniment. The Greek word hymnos refers to a song used to praise God. Spiritual song was a little more complicated since it's two separate words. As I understand it, the word spiritual is used with the intention of something originating in the spirit (or given by the Holy Spirit to the human spirit). And, of course, a song in this case means music produced by the voice.
Interesting? I think so.
When Paul was writing his letters, there was no "New Testament" as we know it. The Bible Paul read was what we know as the "Old Testament" and he says twice that we should sing psalms (songs sung to a harp), hymns (songs of praise to God), and spiritual songs (songs produced from the depths of our spirits given by the Holy Spirit).
In the comments on my last post (and thanks a ton for commenting!), Shane wrote: "Here's my first lean: I see Paul encouraging and appreciating some diversity in our singing by choosing those words."
And Brenda wrote: "I believe a psalm to be a song. (instrumental or not) There are also hymns in the book of Psalms. But, in my opinion, the Psalms read more like a personal account or testimony of some sorts as to where the hymns seem to be songs written about the history of things. I think that spiritual songs are ones that are given to us by the spirit that are put on our hearts and tongues."
I think both of them are on to something here. It certainly seems that Paul is not only encouraging diversity in worshipping God, but possibly commanding it. If Gabby were to draw Steph and me a picture, we would love it. If she were to draw the exact same picture for us over and over and over again, after a while we would encourage her to draw something else for us. Something fresh. She would probably have no problem thinking of something else to draw, especially if we gave her ideas. That's the same thought process in this matter. When we worship God, I'm sure he loves us pouring our hearts out to him, but he gave us so much more creativity so that we could think "outside the box" and find new ways to worship him. That's why Psalm 40 says that God "put a new song in my mouth." He created us to be creative worshippers.
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. Three separate-but-equal ways to worship God. So, could that be considered as a "commandment" to worship with instruments?
Your thoughts?
Peace, Love, and Chocolate
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4 comments:
ψάλλω fut. ψαλῶ (Aeschyl.+; inscr., LXX; Jos., Ant. 11, 67; 12, 349) in our lit., in accordance w. OT usage, sing, sing praise w. dat. of the one for whom the praise is intended τῷ ὀνόματί σου ψαλῶ Ro 15:9 (Ps 17:50). τῷ κυρίῳ Eph 5:19; in this pass. a second dat. is added τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν in or with your hearts); here it is found with ᾄδω (as Ps 26:6; 32:3; 56:8), and the question arises whether a contrast betw. the two words is intended. The original mng. of ψ. was ‘pluck’, ‘play’ (a stringed instrument); this persisted at least to the time of Lucian (cf. Parasite 17). In the LXX ψ. freq. means ‘sing’, whether to the accompaniment of a harp or (as usually) not (Ps 7:18; 9:12; 107:4 al.). This process continued until ψ. in Mod. Gk. means ‘sing’ exclusively; cf. ψάλτης=singer, chanter, w. no ref. to instrumental accompaniment. Although the NT does not voice opposition to instrumental music, in view of Christian resistance to mystery cults, as well as Pharisaic aversion to musical instruments in worship (s. EWerner, art. ‘Music’, IDB 3, 466-9), it is likely that some such sense as make melody is best here. Those who favor ‘play’ (e.g. L-S-J; ASouter, Pocket Lexicon, ’20; JMoffatt, transl. ’13) may be relying too much on the earliest mng. of ψάλλω, B 6:16 (cf. Ps 107:4). ψ. τῷ πνεύματι and in contrast to that ψ. τῷ νοΐ sing praise in spiritual ecstasy and in full possession of one’s mental faculties 1 Cor 14:15. Abs. sing praise Js 5:13. WSSmith, Musical Aspects of the NT, ’62. M-M.*
Arndt, William ; Gingrich, F. Wilbur ; Danker, Frederick W. ; Bauer, Walter: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature : A Translation and Adaption of the Fourth Revised and Augmented Edition of Walter Bauer's Griechisch-Deutsches Worterbuch Zu Den Schrift En Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Ubrigen Urchristlichen Literatur. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1996, c1979, S. 891
I'm not sure I could call that a commandment but more of a suggestion of when you worship, do so in these one of these three ways. I view commandments as "laws". I don't see him saying it in that way. But who knows.
I think the distinction of the three gives up the option to praise God in how we choose. I don't see where it commands us anywhere or even suggest that we use instruments. The fact that psalm goes with harp would hardly even be a suggestion in my eyes.
When I think of worship....I don't always thing of music. I can worship God in many different forms of expressions. Worship is merely words and the music....being vocally or instrumentally assist those words. We can worip in faith and in love just as well and never be able to sing a note.
Two wonderful comments here! I am by no means a theologian or Greek scholar. I'm still seeking the truth as much as anyone else.
My personal understanding up to this point is that instrumental or a capella music in worship is acceptable in God's eyes if the worshipper's heart is in full submission to the will and Spirit of God. Surely, this sounds like a copout response, but that's how I really feel. I don't necessarily see using only psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as our forms of musical worship a command. On the same hand, I do see singing as part of our worship a command. I am certainly edified by instrumental and non-instrumental worship music alike. That's part of what corporate worship is about -- edifying the church, right?
Very interesting. I have always wondered why three things were mentioned that seemed (in our language) to say the same thing.I will have to give this more study.
Janet
Church of Christ Secretary in OK
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