I have a great love and appreciation for psalm-singing and advocate for inclusive and preeminent psalm-singing in Christian worship, both public and private. But my great fondness and preference for singing the Psalms of David may prompt some to wonder why I am not a proponent of exclusive psalmody. On several occasions I have tried to convince myself to embrace the view. It frees the church from foolish and often divisive conversations about which specific songs, styles, and methods of music will be used in worship. But despite reading and listening to many arguments for exclusive psalmody over the years, I remain unconvinced of the biblical merits of the position; in fact, Scripture convinces me otherwise. I believe the Bible grants positive authority for the use of uninspired songs and Scriptural hymns outside of those found in the Psalter. While more complete defenses are readily available, here I wish to briefly summarize my own reasons for remaining an inclusive psalmodist.
I am not a proponent of exclusive psalmody because the OT saints (Ex. 15; Deut. 32; Jdg. 5; 1Sam. 2; Hab. 3), the NT saints (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1Tim. 3:16), the glorified saints (Rev. 4:8, 11; 5:9-10; 11:16-18; 14:3; 15:3-4; 19:1-5), and the vast majority of Christians throughout Church history were not nor is there any command or clear indication that Christians in the present age ought to be. The Scriptures approve the saints singing songs of worship, including psalms, that are not included in the Book of Psalms. The NT commands the singing of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). This certainly includes the 150 psalms in the Psalter, but there is not a sufficient reason to believe it is limited only to these. There is no command which requires the Church only to sing the OT Psalms or even to restrict itself to inspired words of praise. We might believe it is wise to do so. Choosing to do so might prevent the introduction of carnal modes of worship or unbiblical ideas communicated through song. But wisdom and practical advantage do not make exclusive psalmody or the singing of only inspired words a law of God. Just as we pray without required forms of inspired prayer, so too there is positive authority for the Church to sing new songs in praising the Lamb of God just as we will do in heaven.
The Psalms themselves teach us to sing of God’s mighty deeds, but since the psalms were originally written, the Only Begotten Son of God became Incarnate, fulfilled the Law, suffered, died, was buried, arose, and ascended to the Father’s right hand. All of these events are anticipated and preemptively celebrated in the Psalter, but the fullest and most explicit expression of the Church’s praise of these acts is not found in the OT but in the Book of Revelation. The suggestion that inspired songs outside of the Psalter were only for temporary use is belied by the presence of so many songs in Revelation which the Church sings in eternity! This is not an argument that the Psalter is inadequate for the worship of God. It is simply an observation that the rule of exclusive psalmody is unbiblical. The Bible does not require worship to be so circumscribed; therefore, neither should we.
Exclusive psalmody is a beautiful, practical, and powerful tradition. It is also too late to be apostolic and has been the conviction of only an extreme minority of Christians in Church history. History is not determinative for faith and practice, but if we believe in the catholicity of the Church, not only globally but historically, then the witness of history carries weight in our consideration of tradition. The early, medieval, and Reformation era churches sang mostly psalms, but not only psalms. Later second generation Reformers introduced exclusive psalmody in a sincere attempt to follow the Regulative Principle of Worship. But exclusive psalmody was not a recovery of worship in the NT and early Church. It was the creation of a tradition that went significantly beyond the regulations of the NT.
It is not wise, biblical, or appropriate to make laws where God has not. If exclusive psalmody is a matter of personal conscience or preference, then it is unobjectionable. Personally, I prefer singing the psalms to any uninspired hymns and would gladly participate without objection and would not make any effort to change a congregation with that tradition. But I cannot state such a position as my own conviction or affirm that it is required by Scripture. To do so is to go beyond Scripture. The Pharisees’ tradition of handwashing was perfectly acceptable as a matter of private practice and beautifully portrayed the need for cleanliness in receiving God’s good gifts. But it was unacceptable when made a requirement of faith and a test for judging others. So too should it be with exclusive psalmody.
--Joel M. Ellis, Jr. (June 2019)
