Monday, September 21, 2009

What's The Difference?

A good friend of mine posted a great blog the other day about how we, as Christians, tend to misuse Scripture. He was raked over the coals by a fellow Christian for his thoughts and reasonings. I don't know about anyone else who read the post, but I was convicted. It brought up a question that has been in my mind for years. I have my own answers to the question, but I want to see what other people think. The question comes from a couple of verses that tend to be misunderstood and, therefore, misused.

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord..."
- Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)


"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
- Colossians 3:16 (NIV)


My question is this: 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?

I will give my answers soon. I would like to see what other people think.

Discuss.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

2 comments:

Shane Coffman said...

Great question, Robin. I am certainly looking forward to your thoughts.

Here's my first lean: I see Paul encouraging and appreciating some diversity in our singing by choosing those words.

Brenda said...

Okay...I'm not great at this, but I will give it a shot. Not sure if there is an actual right or wrong answer but this is how I always understoond....or "interperted" it.

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 spirital songs are ones that are given to us by the spirit that are put on our hearts and tongues.

In Ephesians 5 I think the 3 distinctions are made because they are ALL forms of speaking.
The first sentence will come about because of the second sentence. If you are singing and making music in your heart to the Lord, you would be able to speak to one another in all three ways as well.
If we don't have God in our hearts, how can we do any of them?

I'm not sure I know exactly WHY the three names were given in the first place. Why didn't they just call everything a "song"?

But the fact that there are 3 different types here...it creates a sense of unity among us all. It calls us to be flexible and appreicate the differences between the different styles. What may speak to one, may not speak to me and vice versa.
I think Paul might be making a point here that there is more than one way to communicate the word of the Lord and do so as it is in you.

For me, it's interesting to read this. I had a very surreal moment last week when many hymns were sang at my own church and I didn't know them. They were beautiful but I didn't know a word of them. I stood quietly and just listened to the words. I felt like a stranger in my own church family and it made me uncomfortable, and appreciative all at the same time.
Hymns are becoming such a learning tool for me and I appreciate the depth and knowledge that has been put into those songs that give me one more avenue in my heart to communicate the word of the Lord.

Again, not sure if it's the right answer.....but it's an answer. :o)