How to Sing

Socially, and with united voices. So Moses and the children of Israel sang at the Red Sea; so Christ and His disciples sang after the Lord’s Supper; so the watchmen will sing in the latter day, even with their voice together; so did Paul and Silas in prison; and thus the churches are directed. The gathered assembly lifting one voice to God is the apostolic and scriptural pattern for corporate praise.

With the heart along with the mouth — as heartily as well as vocally, which is making melody in the heart (Eph. 5:19), performing the duty in sincerity and truth. Not as the Israelites, who flattered God with their lips, sang the praises of God, but soon forgot His works. Vocal praise without an engaged heart is nothing but flattery dressed in the robes of worship.

With grace in the heart (Col. 3:16) — with several graces; for not one note, but a mixture of notes makes melody; many voices, yet one sound makes a chorus. So singing must be with various graces: with faith in God, without which it is impossible to please Him; with strong love and affection for Him; and also with reverence and godly fear. For God is fearful in praises (Exod. 15:11) — reverend and holy, to be praised with great fear and awe of His majesty.

With the Spirit, as the Apostle Paul determined to do (1 Cor. 14:15) — with the Spirit of God, whose assistance is as necessary in singing as in prayer; and with our spirits, sincerely, fervently, and affectionately, and in a spiritual manner suitable to the nature of God, who is a Spirit. No mere performance of a religious exercise suffices; the Spirit of God must be the breath behind the praise.

With the understanding also — with the understanding of what is sung; and in such a manner, and in such language, as may be understood by others. For one end of the duty is not only to speak to ourselves but to teach and admonish others. And the apostle may also have regard to one of the titles of David’s psalms — Maschil — which signifies a psalm giving instruction, or causing to understand. Singing that cannot be followed by the congregation fails this apostolic standard.

Above all, to the glory of God. We should sing unto the Lord — not to ourselves, merely to raise our natural affections; not to gain the applause of others by the fineness of our voice or by exact conformity to the tune; but to the glory of Father, Son and Spirit, the one God, who condescends to inhabit the praises of Israel.