Singing the Psalms the Duty of Christians, Sermons · Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Ephes. 5. 19.
Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, Singing, &c.
IN these words there are two main things considerable, (viz.) the lawfulness and the usefulness of singing Psalmes. We have done with the former, and now come to the later (viz.) the usefulness of singing. This I call the directive part, or Directory, and in it we shall inquire into these two particulars, (viz.) how we must sing, and why we must sing; the Apostle shews both: We must sing with the heart, or with grace in the heart; and we must sing to the Lord. Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; that is (say some) to the Lord Jesus Christ, or to the Lord Jehovah, i. e. to his praise and glory; as it is said of the Israelites, Psalm 106. 12. They sang his praises. Now this the A postle calls for here, if we would sing a Psalm as we ought, to the praise of the Lord, to the glory of his great Name, we must do it, in or with the heart. God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit, John 4. 24. He calls for the heart, My son, give me thy heart. So Chrysostome upon this Text, Attending with understanding. The meaning of the Apostle is clear, and unquestionable, That our singing of Psalmes must not be a lip-labour, an outward bodily exercise; it must not be the pleasing our selves or others with the tune of a Psalm: that is not it which God looks for at our hands, but we must sing as Mary did, Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnifie the Lord, my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. And as David in the 103 Psalm, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. This is that which the Apostle here calls for; and it implies these two particulars.
1. A sense and understanding of that which is sung, I will sing with understanding, saith the Apostle; 1 Cor. 14, 15. that is, so as I would be understood by others, therefore by himself much more, Sing ye praises with understanding, Psal. 47. 7. a blinde Sacrifice was an abomination to the Lord.
2. It must be an inward feeling, and affection of the heart and spirit. So David in Psalm 57. 7. My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed: or, my heart is prepared? or, my heart is disposed. When a man's heart is filled with the Spirit, as the Apostle speaks, when a mans heart is full of holy and heavenly thoughts, affections, and meditations, and so out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; when the frame of a man's heart is suteable to the holy and spirituall matter that is sung, this is singing in the heart, or with grace in the heart, to the Lord, who looks at the heart, and how a man is affected within. Certainly (as one sayes) grace in the heart is the best tune to any Psalm; and without this, the sweetest best tun'd voice is but howling and bawling in the ears of the Almighty. Yet do we not exclude the voice in singing; David used it, I will sing, and give praise even with my glory; awake psaltery and harp, I my self will awake early, Psal. 57. 8. and 108. 2. Awake up my glory, sayes David; that was his tongue, called his glory, because his tongue in singing was an excellent instrument of glorifying God. Nor do we exclude all modulation or tuning of the voice according to the lawes of Musick, provided there be no affectation of it, so as our hearts be wholly taken up with it. Provided also, there be no empty tautologies or chanting over and over the same things, tossing of the Word of God like a tennis-ball from one to the other, like that Cathedrall musick intended onelyonly to please the care, and no way ordered to the use of edifying in grace and knowledg. But for the voyce in singing we plead, and also for singing with tunes. All the Psalmes were penned in Hebrew meeter, with the exactest Art that might be. They were penned (saith one) with exactness and variety of Meeter. 1. In such verses as are sutable to the Poetry of the Hebrew Language, and not in the stile of such other books of the Old Testament as are not poeticall.
2. Many verses together in severall of the Psalmes do also run in rimes, as those know, that understand the Hebrew; and as Buxtorph shews, The sau. p. 629. But though we plead for singing with the voice, yet our chiefest respect in that singing must be unto the heart and spirit, to the understanding, and to the Affection, and inward feeling of what is sung, for this is to sing with grace in the heart.
Hence it follows, that none can sing a Psalm as he ought, but he that hath grace in his heart, and is renewed in the spirit of his minde. None could learn that Song, Rev. 14. 3. but the hundred fourty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth; which was onelyonly the people of God who stood in opposition to Antichrist; and by their singing there, is meant all spirituall Worship performed by Gods people to him. It is said there, No man could learn that Song, but those that were redeemed from the earth; the Antichristian earthly generation had no skill on the spirituall Worship and Service offered to God in the true Christian Church. Therefore the Psalmist saith, Psal. 33. 1. (speaking of this duty) Rejoyce in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright; it is impossible for others to rejoyce in the Lord. OnelyOnly Gods own people have an inward experimentall knowledg of the glorious Excellencies and Attributes of God (viz.) his Power, Wisdome, goodness, &c. they onelyonly have tasted how sweet the Lord is in his promises, and Providences: They know, and none but they, what the Offices of Christ are, in the power, fruit, and benefit of them. They know, what it is to be redeemed from the earth, and from death, and from the nethermost hell. They onelyonly have experience of the mercy and loving kindeness of the Lord, supporting, supplying them, and ordering all for good to them. And they alone have a lively feeling of their infirmities, figh and groan under the burden of their corruptions; are troubled for the indisposition and …towardness of their hearts. These and such as these, who are so inspired and affected, can sing David's Psalmes with David's spirit. Others may sing more pleasingly to the ear, but these alone make melody in the eares of the Lord, who looks at the heart.
Q. That's it we desire to be satisfied in, How we may sing Davids Psalmes with Davids spirit.
A. It is commonly, truly, and piously said, We must sing Davids Psalmes with Davids spirit, though there is no Text in the Bible, to my remembrance, that hath those very words; but some speak somewhat to this effect, as Col. 3. 16. we must sing with grace in our hearts, that is as much as if he should have said, Sing Davids Psalmes with Davids spirit.
2. We grant, it is impossible for any to sing Psalmes so, but one that is a new creature, renewed in the spirit of his minde, as David was.
3. We say in the general, to sing Davids Psalmes with Davids spirit, or to sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord, there must be not onelyonly an habituall, but an actuall disposedness: as when a man sets upon any duty, he must stir up the grace that is in him; so it is not enough in singing Psalmes, to have an habit of grace, but we must stir up, and act the gifts and graces of God within us. Here then this shall be the great question, How our spirits ought to be disposed when we are to sing, that we may so do it, as to give God the glory, and gain benefit to our own soules? Or, (which is all own) how we may sing David's Psalmes with David's spirit? Or, how we may sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord? which is the Doctrine in the Text.
Now here I meet with that which is a very great scruple, and I beleeve hath taken and kept off many from singing of Psalmes. They know not how to accommodate passages in them; either those passages are no way sutable to their conditions; or, their affections many times are not sutable to those passages: and hence they conclude, they cannot sing them so as to praise or please God in them, and therefore resolve not to sing at all.
Further, when they say, we must sing David's Psalmes with David's spirit (if I mistake not) their meaning is, we must be in every respect, like David, and in the very same case that he was when he sung these Psalmes to the Lord. As for instance, the sixth Psalme was penned by David, when he was, or had been sick, therefore we cannot sing this Psalme when we are well, and in good health. So we cannot sing the fifty one psalme, because (as we hope) many of us have not committed such soul sinnes as David had, viz. Adultery, and murder. So many of us have not had occasion to fly out of our Country as David had, upon which occasion he penned some of his psalmes, as Psal. 52. 54. 55. 56. 57. 120. &c. So many of us have not a house to dedicate or purifie, as David had, when he penned the thirtieth Psalme, and therefore we may not sing that Psalm. To conclude, we must be in the same condition in every respect, as David was, when he penned those Psalmes, or else, it is impossible to sing them as David did; that is, to sing Davids Psalmes with Davids spirit.
This is that which many object, and scruple much at it; and yet it is nothing but a gross mistake of the Nature, Use, and End of th…s Duty of singing Psalmes; therefore to rectifie it. I shall not onelyonly shew you, What … Nature, End, and Use of singing Psalmes, but I shall give you some directions whereby you may see, how all and every of those Psalmes, and the severall passages in them may be applied to us for our use; and how we may sing them so, as to glorifie God, and to edifie our own soules; alwayes provided, that we have grace in our hearts, and that we stir up the grace of God that is in us.
The Psalmes of David, Asaph, &c. were written, as far as I understand, for a threefold end or use, viz.
1. For Instruction.
2. For Admonition.
3. For Praise and Thanksgiving.
Which you may, if you please, reduce to these two, viz. Glorifying God, Edifying our selves.
First, Instruction or Teaching.
Secondly, Admonition or Reproof.
Thirdly, Thanksgiving, and praising the Lord.
Look into Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing your selves in Psalmes, &c. there you have the ends of singing of Psalmes, and speaking to your selves in Psalmes, &c. as the words are in the Text. And though these three ends be distinct, yet I would not have you understand me so, as if they were alwayes divided: For even those Psalmes that are for Instruction, and Admonition, are also for Praise and Thanksgiving. Praising God, or giving thanks unto the Lord, and the glorifying of Gods great Name, is the end of all singing, as it is the end of all Duties. And though we distinguish praising of God from petitioning, yet I hope you think, that even our petitioning and begging of God those things we need, is a glorifying God, and a praising his Name; because therein we acknowledge God is the God of all our mercies and comforts, with whom is the well of life, and from whom is all our expectation. So when we pray to God, we do praise him; so when we hear the Word, we do praise and glorifie God because therein we acknowledge God onelyonly to be our King, our Judge, and Law-giver, profess our selves his servants, and whatsoever he commands us we will do: and thus in all duties we praise and glorifie God. For all the duties we do, are paying of our Homage, or acknowledging of our Fealty to God. And those that know not this, know not what they do when they go about any Duty. Therefore I say, if a Psalm be for Instruction or Admonition, yet notwithstanding it is to praise the Lord with. So we suppose there be some Psalmes that are Psalmes meerly for Instruction, Doctrinall Psalmes, yet we may sing them and others, not onelyonly for our Admonition and Instruction, but to praise the Lord; as in Psal. 106. 12. Israel (it is said) sang his praise. These things premised, we shall now resolve the Case in hand.
1. First, then I say, one main End of singing Psalmes The first End or Use of singingis our Instruction and Admonition, when we in singing have sweet meditations upon that heavenly matter that is sung. That is (I say again) one main end of singing Psalmes, viz. Teaching and admonishing our selves in Psalmes, Col. 3. 16. For when we are singing a Psalm of Instruction, we are thereby admonished of our evills, and also taught, what is our duty. Besides which place, I urge the Title of some of David's Psalmes, Maschil of David, Psal. 142, 60. 32, 42, 45, 53, 55, 56, 74. &c. That is, A Psalm of David to give Instruction. So Junius and Tremellius do alwayes (if I do not wrong them) render it, A song to teach. They are Psalmes especially to teach, and to give Instruction. But further, if there were nothing else, yet this also were an argument sufficient to shew that teaching and admonishing is one end of our singing Psalmes; namely, that some Psalmes are meerly Doctrinall, and you have not any formal expression of prayer or praise in them; in many of the Psalmes indeed there be most heavenly patheticall formes of praise and prayer: but some Psalmes are meerly Doctrinall, as the first Psalm; there is no one form of prayer, or of praise in it; but the whole Psalm, if you mark it, is nothing else but a doctrinall description of the different and contrary estate of the godly and wicked in this life, and in the life to come; as ver. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornefull; but his delight is in the …aw of the Lord, &c. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, his leaf shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper. But the ungodly are not so, but are like chaff, &c. the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, and the way of the ungodly shall perish, &c. Here is no formall expression of praise or prayer, though the Prophet penned and sung it to the praise of God. So the second Psalm is a Psalm of Instruction and Admonition, but there are no formes of prayer or praise, unless you reckon that for one, viz. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Now the doctrine of that Psalm is briefly this, The peremptory decree and purpose of God to set up the Kingdome of Christ in spite of the world, the vanity of all mens devices in opposition to it, the miserable confusion of all Christs enemies and opposers, and the blessed condition of such as submit themselves to him. Now these Psalmes being merely doctrinall, and having nothing but Instruction and Admonition in them, and being sung as well as others to the ptaise of God; hence (I say) one end of our singing them, is to learn the Doctrine of them, that it may be imprinted upon our spirits, or a sweet meditation in our hearts upon that heavenly doctrine contained in those Psalmes, to imprint it upon our mindes and memories, that we may be the more affected with it. Some Psalmes are mixed, and but in part doctrinall, as Psal. 33. and 34. The Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. The Lions shall lack and suffer hunger, but those that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing, &c. These are doctrines of Gods providence …d care over his people; and one main work of our hearts and spirits, in singing these and such like passages, is to meditate upon those Doctrines; and in so doing, we give glory to God, teaching and admonishing our selves in a Psalm, Col. 3. 16.
Object. But we may as well read them, and so meditate on them for our Instruction, Therefore there is no necessity that we should sing Psalmes for that reason.
Sol. I deny not, but we ought to read the Psalmes as any other Scriptures, and in and after our reading, to meditate upon them. In commending of singing, I do not cry down reading: one good duty should not shut out another. So because we read the Psalmes, and meditate on them, it doth not follow, that therefore we should not sing the Psalmes and meditate on them.
2. In singing there is a more distinct, settled, and fixed meditation of the heart, than there can be in reading; therefore David in the 104 Psalme, insisting upon the power and Providences of God in making and governing the world, he draws to a close of it in the 34 Verse, professing his joy in the Lord, from the consideration of Gods power and providence, I will sing unto praise to my God, while I have my being: the Lord as long as I live, I will sing Why? Unto God that made me, that made all the world, that maintains my soul in life. And then he adds, My meditation of him shall be sweet, and I will be glad in the Lord. David would not onelyonly speak of the works of Gods power, and Providence, but he would sing of them, that his meditations might be sweet: Therefore, though we read the Psalmes, yet we ought also to sing them sometimes, because there is more sweetness of meditation in singing, than in reading or the bare reciting of them. In singing there is a dilating of the sound, and a drawing out of the voice which gives us more time for the fixing of our hearts upon that which is sung, in a more sweet meditation of the goodness or power of God, or whatsoever the matter be.
Therefore the Mercies of the Lord, and the great things that God hath done in the world, have been commemorated with singing. The people of God did not think it enough to say what God had done for them, but they did sing it, that they might meditate the more upon the goodness of God, and be the more affected with it.
3. It is not enough for us to meditate, as David intimates in that place, but we must have sweet meditations of him, that we may be glad in the Lord, I will be glad in the Lord. When we sing, there is a more than ordinary raising or lifting up of our soules, and so farre more sweetness in meditation on what is sung, than what is barely said. The soule (I say) in singing is as it were, elevated and raised, and so comes to be more ravisht with admiration of what God hath done.
Let them who have had experience of communion with God in this duty speak, whether they have not found a great raising of their hearts in it? whether they have not been rapt and ravished, as it were, with the consideration of Gods goodness in his Promises, and the works of his spirituall and gracious Providences. I say not, that meditation is all the end of singing Psalmes, but this is one chief end.
Obj. Therefore if you say, why may we not read and meditate without more ado?
Ans. I answer, we may, and must read; But why not the other also? since it is more usefull, and helps to more sweetness in meditation. A man may pray in his heart without moving his lips, as Hanna did: but thou shalt finde it a quickening in prayer, if thou use thy tongue also; the voice is a great matter to quicken us in prayer, and to keep our hearts in order. Therefore, as I would have men pray in secret, so (were I to advise them) I would have them use their voice too; provided alwayes, it be not to be heard of men onelyonly. So here also whereas men say, we may read a Psalme, as well as sing it. I answer, Singing will affect us more than reading, as praying with the voice doth affect us more than when we pray, and do not use our tongues; you shall finde, your hearts will be more apt to wander, if you do not use your voice, than they will be if you do.
Therefore as we should use our voice to help us in prayer, so why should we not lift up the voyce in singing, that we may be helped also in our meditation, even with enlargement, and ravishment of spirit. Questionless the lifting up of the voyce is a great help to inlarge the heart when it is well affected.
Now when people complain, and say, their hearts are not suteable to such and such passages in the Psalmes, nor those passages to their hearts:
I say, That there is no passage in all David's Psalmes, but thou mayest accommodate it, if no otherwise, yet in this way, viz. by a sweet meditation upon it. And I would fain know where that passage is, that a gracious spirit may not have sweet meditation upon it; surely thou hast a very ungracious heart, if thou canst not do this. If there be such a Psalm, or such passage of a Psalm, as thou thinkest thou canst no way bring it to thy condition, yet (I say) thou maiest bring thy heart to that Psalm, or to that passage, by a sweet meditation upon it. And I would fain know where that good Christian is, that will deny it to be his duty to have sweet meditations upon David's Psalmes, or any passage in them. Is there, (think you) any passage in David's Psalmes, that a Christian may not meditate upon, and so take comfort in God, and his word?
And so you may be satisfied about the Historical Psalmes, and those passages in them that have respect to other men, and other times.
As near as I can, I shall instance in some of all kindes; some Psalmes are onelyonly Doctrinall, some are onelyonly Historicall, as the 78 Psalm, the 105 and 106 Psalm, &c. For the 105 and 106 Psalmes, there are these passages in them, How God fed his people with Manna or bread from heaven, how he divided the Sea, how he drowned Pharaoh and his host; also a relation of the severall plagues which God sont upon Egypt, and the like, which I need not repeat. Beloved, is not this matter of meditation to us Christians? If thou hast a gracious frame of Spirit, suppose this is the Psalm that is to be sung, Psal. 105. or 106.
First thou maist apply this to thy case thus, to have sweet meditations on the matter of Fact, the great things that God did for the preservation of his people by the destruction of his enemies; and if thou canst sweetly meditate upon that, thou hast a word of Instruction, a word of consolation, and a word of Admonition.
1. A word of Instruction, to teach thee the care that God hath had of his people in all Ages.
2. A word of consolation to shew how God will deliver his people, and provide for them in their greatest… extremities.
3. A word of admonition, to take heed how thou vex and persecute the people of God, as Pharaoh did, lest God bring destruction upon thee, as he did upon him.
Now is this nothing to thee? you read these Psalmes, and you think you read them with profit, and why may you not sing them with profit, by a sweet meditation upon the matter, for your Admonition, consolation, Instruction, according as the matter is? We read the History of the Bible for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope, not thinking, that what is related concerning them onelyonly who lived in those times, But what God did then, he doth now, the people of God are as they were then, have the same afflictions, and temptations, are in the same conditions, hated and persecuted in the world, and have the same experience of Gods Goodness. Therefore it is a wicked ignorance to say, that many passages in the Psalmes do not concern us; All things that were written, were written for our learning, that we might have comfort and hope. God said to Joshua, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. And the Apostle applies it, Hebr. 13. 5. to every Christian. When God speaks to Joshua, I will never leave thee, God speaks it to thee, and me, and every Christian in the world. and when God destroyed Pharaoh, it assures the people of God, that God will destroy all the Pharaohs in the world as well as he did him. There is nothing therefore in Scripture but doth concern thee and me as much as it concerned the people of God in those times; and every Christian that hath wit and grace may accommodate them for the edification of his own soul. If God provided for them, and fed them with bread from heaven, God will provide also for thee, and feed thee with bread from heaven, if there be cause. So in Davids time it was said, The Lions shall lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. And doth not this concern us as much as David, and others of the people of God then? It was so them, and it shall be so now; The Lions shall lack and suffer hunger, But those that fear the Lord shall lack no good thing. These things therefore were all recorded for our Learning.
Suppose again you sing that 105 Psalm, all along there is work for thy faith; if thou have faith in thy heart (I say) there is matter for thy faith to work upon: all the providences of God there, are as so many props to keep thy heart in assurance that God will protect and defend thee, and provide for thee, as ever he did for his people in those times. What is that Scripture therefore, that doth not concern any childe of God? So in the 105 Psalm Joseph was put in the stocks, and the iron entred into his soul, till the time that his word came, the word of the Lord tried him: Doth this concern Joseph alone? certainly it concerns us as much as Joseph. It was penned many years after Joseph was dead and gone, and it concerns us still to think and meditate of the wonderfull providences of God, how his children are brought down, as Joseph was, even into the prison, and into the stocks; and how by abasing them, God makes way to honour and advance them; and how, by unlikely means he brings about great things; are not these things worth meditation? how God doth try and exercise his people with heavy afflictions, and yet when he hath laid them low, he raises them up again, as he did Joseph?
You have the Israelites murmuring and repining against the Lord; and what doth this concern us, will you say? I say, very much, because we have the same spirit lusting to evil as they had, the same spirit of pride, and hypocrisie, and infidelity, in us as was in them. Now then we may meditate upon these passages, and reflect upon our own hypocrisie and infidelity, and dist…ust of Gods providence; and withall, take notice how the infidelity of men doth not, cannot make void the faithfulnesse of God, but he is gracious to his people for his promise sake, notwithstanding their dayly infirmities.
For the 137 Psalm, By the waters of Babylon we sate down, &c. It yields matter of sweet meditation to this purpose, how God many times exposes his people to be persecuted, afflicted, and then also to be mocked and flouted too. It is an Admonition to us, that we are no more affected with the calamities and sufferings of the Church of God, and that we must not rejoyce and make merry at such times as the people of God are afflicted. It instructs us also, that the peace and prosperity of the Church of God is to be preferred above all worldly comforts whatsoever. And now I would know what Psalm, or passage in any Psalm doth not minister matter of sweet meditation for our admonition, instruction, or consolation. Therefore when some cry out, What is this or that to them? it doth not concern them, nor can they accommodate or apply it to themselves; I ask what's the matter they cannot? or where lies the fault? Is it not in the deadness and barrenness of their own hearts, who can let pass such precious matter, without due meditation on it?
Obj. That meditation you speak of may be as well in reading as in singing the Psalmes.
Sol. I denied that before, and say again, That their is a great advantage to meditation in singing of a Psalm, more then their is in the reading it, both to affect the heart, and raise it up, and also to make an impression of what is sung upon our soules. All Scripture is equall as to the Authority, and to the matter too, if it be absolutely considered, yet in respect to our consolation or direction, some parts of it may be preferred before others: So the book of Psalmes is a little Bible, or (if I may so call it) the Bible of the Bible; as one star differeth from another in glory, so may we say of the Scriptures, some parts of it are more excellent, in respect of our necessities, than others, and yet all are excellent, and usefull, and of divine Authority: so I may say of singing and reading the Psalmes, both are usefull; yet it will not follow, but singing at some times may be more usefull for some purposes. As for instance; it is more usefull (as I have shew'd) for sweet rejoicing in God & his word with gladness of heart.
By this time (somewhat I hope) hath been said towards the satisfying of those that pretend they know not how to apply many passages in David's Psalmes. I say again, if there were no other way of applying them, they may do it this way, viz. by a sweet meditation on them, or by exercising their hearts with holy delight and rejoycing in meditating on Gods word. I say not, this is the onelyonly way of accommodating them, but this is one, and I think, a good one too; there being no passage in any Psalme, but may be applied and made use of this way. I cannot but remember you what a reverend man now alive, saith in this case:
Tis ignorance of a man's self, and the wayes of God to think any Psalm is unsuteable to any mans condition, if he be a good Christian especially. Some Psalmes set forth the Attributes, Excellencies and Works of God and his Christ. These minister occasion of reverence, blessing, praising, admiring, and adoring God. Some set forth the the Estate and wayes of the Church and people of God; some their miseries, calamities, sorrows, and sufferings; these offer to us matter of compassion, instruction, imitation: some set forth the estate and wayes of wicked men; and in these we have a word of admonition, some are excellent to express our own affections, afflictions, sufferings, comforts, and then a man is furnisht with matter and words to present his own condition before the Lord.
It is a great mistake to think, I may not sing a Psalm, because it expresseth not my condition or affection: say, it doth not, as for instance, Thou are not sick, or sensible of Gods wrath, as David was, when he penned the sixth Psalm; or thou hast not committed adultery and murther, as David had done when he penned the one and fiftieth Psalm; or thou hast not a house to dedicate, as he had, when he penned the thirtieth Psalm; or thou art not put to it as he was when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, and then afterwards penned the thirty fourth Psalm: what then; Wilt thou not therefore sing these Psalmes, or dost thou think, they do not concern thee; Thou mayst as well forbear to read them upon the same grounds; yea, thou mayest as well forbear to read some parts of Paul's Epistles, because thou never travelledst in Asia, or hadst to do with Alexander the Coppersmith, or foughtst with beasts at Ephesus, or leftest a cloak at Troas, as Paul did. There's no necessity, when we read those Scriptures, that we should be in every respect as Paul was that penned them; we read them to learn out of them what the holy Ghost hath recorded for our learning; and so we sing the Psalmes, that do not set forth our conditions in particular for our instruction, admonition, consolation, there being no Psalm, or part of a Psalm, that hath not somewhat for our learning.
This may serve to satisfie them who are afraid they lie in singing those passages of the Psalmes, which do not express their condition in particular.
It is no lie in a godly mans mouth to sing this passage in the sixth Psalm, I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim, &c. If it be a lie to sing, it is as much a lie to say it, and then we must not read that Psalm for fear of lying. But we sing it, as we read it, for the good doctrine that may be learnt from it, viz. That when God rebukes and chastens in displeasure, no poor soul is able to abide it; That the sence of Gods wrath is more grievous to be born than any other burden whatsoever; That in our repentance and turning to God, there ought to be very great sorrow, arising from the sence of Gods wrath due to sin, and that our sorrow for sin ought to be the greatest of all other, &c. As for that place, Psal. 6. 6. the expression is (as I take it) hyperbolicall, and intended to express what heat there is in the fire of Gods wrath, such and so great, as it even melted David into tears: He was exceedingly grieved, and wept abundantly, and so do many of Gods servants many times, and therefore may say, as David did, We make our beds to swim, &c. Or, say it was the greatness of his bodily afffliction that made him to weep so abundantly and excessively, yet we may learn something from it, as I shewed even now: sure all Scripture is written (as the Apostle saith, Rom. 15. 4.) for our learning. Thou canst not in every respect say as Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 8. I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand &c. And yet thou thinkest it not a lie in thy mouth to recite those words when thou readest that Chapter. Few Christians (I (fear) are come so far as to say with the Apostle, Phil. 1. 23. I am willing to depart. and to be with Christ, &c. yet any Chr…stian may read that passage without danger of lying (as I suppose:) Sure I am, there's matter of consolation and instruction in it to every Christian. Say thy heart falls short of that ardent love to God and his law which David expresseth, Psal. 119. yet it is no more lie to sing than to read that Psalme, specially if thou have a gracious heart, although thou hast not attained that measure and degree of love to Gods Law as David had. Nay, suppose thou hast no love to Gods Law at all, yet thou hast there a word of admonition and Instruction, teaching thee what thou shouldst do; and thou mayest take occasion to lament and bewail the untowardliness of thine own heart, that when David loved Gods Law so exceedingly, Thou had no love or liking to it.
I confess we must be in some respects as David was when he penned those Psalmes; that is, in the state of grace If we will sing them right and as we ought. But it is no lie to sing them however; for if it be, then it is a lie to say, and a lie to read them; and so you must not read the sixth Psalm, if you do not water your couch with your tears, as David did.
Now I say, for a conclusion, Suppose there be some passages we cannot make our own by using them for our selves, and in our own names, as David did, yet we may make them our own by a sweet meditation on them for our benefit and edification, and by using them also (as one saith well) for, and in the behalf of others that are of the same mysticall body with our selves, that so we may rejoyce with them that rejoyce, and weep with those that weep, as (saith he) there is scarce any passage of the Psalmes, but it either concerns our selves, or some other of the Church of God, who at this day are, or may be in the same, or in the like case, and condition as David or the Church of God, was then; whom we are to remember as if we were in bonds with them, or to bless God for, as if we were in like prosperity with them.
He that reads the Scriptures, or sings a Psalm, or doth any duty without reverence, attention, good affection, and some good use made of the same, he takes Gods Name in vain.
This is granted. But to say, as some do, that others ly in singing such Psalms, as do not express their own conditions in every particular, is (as far as I understand) a belying or slandering them; and, I wish they may well consider it, for (as I have said) a wicked man lies as much in reading as in singing of a Psalm, though indeed it be not lying, but reporting or reciting what God hath revealed in his word for Admonition and Instruction to all men. You have now seen one end and use of singing Psalmes; and if there were no more, I conceive, it is well worth the while.