Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 5 · Verse and explication 19
Vers. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalms, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
THis last precept is illustrated, and the duty enjoyned thereby recommended from two things, wherein this fill of the spirit, and of spirituall joy flowing from it, should and will vent it self, which he proponeth also in way of precept. His scope wherein mainly, is, to teach them, and us in them, how we ought to carry our selves in our times of mirth and gladnesse. The first of those two things is in this verse, to wit, melodious and artificiall singing of praises unto God: where he expresseth, first, the act of singing in three words, speaking, singing, and making melody. By all which is meaned an intelligible, artificiall, and melodious tuning of the voice, together with an answerable orderly motion of the understanding and affections within, going along with the matter which is sung. Secondly, An inferiour, and subordinate end to be aimed at in singing, even our mutuall edification, while he saith, Speaking to your selves, or, one to another: for, it is the same word, which is chap. 4. 32. and Col. 3. 16. Thirdly, He expresseth the matter to be sung, in three words, the very titles which are given to David's Psalms, and other scriptural Songs: and though there be some difference among Interpreters about the kind of Songs, which are expressed by every one of those in particular; yet the most received and probable opinion is, that by Psalms are meaned all holy Songs in generall of whatsoever argument, whether they contain prayers, praises, complaints, deprecations, prophesie, history, or a purpose mixt of all those; and by Hymnes are meaned speciall songs of praise to God; and by songs, a certain kind of Hymnes, expressing the praises of God for some of His noble acts, great and wonderfull beyond others. And those Songs he calleth spirituall (which epithet is to be extended to the Psalms and Hymnes also) as being framed by the Spirit of God, containing spirituall and heavenly purpose, and requiring the assistance of God's Spirit and a spiritual frame of heart for singing them aright; and this in opposition to the obscene, filthy, and fleshly songs of carnall men and drunkards. And fourthly, he sheweth the chief thing to be made use of, and employed as an instrument in singing, to wit, not so much the lips, tongue, and outward voice, (though those be also necessary in singing, Act. 16. 25.) as the heart, which then is made use of in singing, when our heart goeth along with the voice, so, as we understand (1 Cor. 14. 15.) and be intent upon the purpose, (Psal. 57. 7.) and our affections be stirred and suitably affected with it, Psal. 98. 4. And lastly, he sheweth the great end, to which all our songs ought to be directed, even to the Lord; the glorifying, and praising of Him, being not only the remote scope of singing, as it is of all other ordinances, and ought to be of all our actions, 1 Cor. 10. 31. but its proper and immediate scope; so that the heart in singing ought to be actually taken up with the thoughts of praise of God, arising from the consideration of the purpose which we sing. Besides what I have already observed upon a parallel place, Col. 3. -16. Learn hence, 1. The duty of singing Psalms and spirituall Songs, is not astricted and limited to only one in the Congregation, or to some certain orders of men, the rest being silent, but is enjoyned to all the Lords people, even all the members of the Church: for, Paul maketh the command to sing, of equal extent with that other of being filled with the spirit, ver. 18. Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymnes, &c. saith he. 2. That we may go about this worship of singing praises to God acceptably, it is necessary that we be filled with the Spirit and have a rich and copious measure of His presence and assistance, though not to compose new songs: for, he pointeth at scripturall Songs, as the most fitting purpose to be sung, under the titles of Psalms, Hymnes, and spirituall songs; yet that we may be enabled to choose the fittest songs for the present occasion, and sing them with such a spirituall, elevated frame of heart, as such a divine and heavenly piece of worship requireth; for he saith, be filled with the spirit, speaking to your selves in Psalms, and Hymnes, and spiritual songs. 3. As even the children of God, when they have gotten a full draught of joy, peace, and other sweet fruits of the Spirit of God, are not above the hazard of venting their joy, by falling out in fits of carnall lightnesse; So there is nothing, which the childe of God ought more to advert unto, than how to carry aright when his cup is full according to his hearts wish: and in order hereto, would expresse his joy in the praises of God; lest by doing otherwise, and giving way to lightnesse of carriage or expressions, in that case he provoke the Spirit of God to withdraw from him, Eph. 4. 30. for, therefore doth he command them being filled with the Spirit to vent their joy, by speaking to one another in Psalms, and Hymnes, and spiritual songs. 4. As the Lord hath provided Songs and Psalms to be sung by us of diverse arguments, containing purpose suitable for every condition we can readily fall under; So we ought to make such use of that variety, as to make choice of those Psalms for our present singing, which are most fit for the present occasion: for, as is said, the titles here given, do relate to the severall purposes, which are set forth in spiritual songs; all of which are to be sung, as God by His present dealing with His Church, or our selves shall require; Speaking in Psalms, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs. 5. In singing of Psalms to God, there must be an inward harmony, and musicall melody in the soul and heart, as well as in the tongue: yea, the chief melody which soundeth most sweetly unto God, is that of the soul and heart; and therefore the outward delighting of the ears is to be taken no further notice of, than it serveth to make the purpose we sing, work the more effectually upon the heart: for, he saith, singing and making melody in the heart: what this melody of the heart is, was shown in the exposition.