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Psalms Alone - Sola Psalmis
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Sola Psalmis means...
Psalms Alone. When Sola Scriptura (scripture alone) is applied to worship, Sola Psalmis or (Psalms alone) is the result.
Read MoreWhy do we sing in church?
The only reason we sing is because God commanded it.
Where do we find this in the New Testament?
"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16).
Where do we find this in the New Testament?
"...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16).
Psalms, Hymns and spiritual Songs are only correctly identified by the Bible itself.
Jesus and the apostles used the Septuagint (the Greek Translation of the Hebrew) as the bible of their day. The Septuagint reads:
Psalm 4 - For the End, a Song of David among the Psalms.
Psalm 5 - For the End, a Psalm of David...
Psalm 6 - For the End, a Psalm of David among the Hymns...
The Hymns and spiritual (or inspired) Songs are simply subcategories of the Psalms.
Psalm 4 - For the End, a Song of David among the Psalms.
Psalm 5 - For the End, a Psalm of David...
Psalm 6 - For the End, a Psalm of David among the Hymns...
The Hymns and spiritual (or inspired) Songs are simply subcategories of the Psalms.
Council of Laodicea (AD 364) Canon 59
"No psalms composed by private individuals nor any uncanonical books may be read in the church, but only the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments."That means it is as wrong to preach on the Apocrypha as it is to sing anything but the inspired Psalms of God.
The great Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (AD 451)
...affirmed the Canons of the Council of Laodicea for the entire Church, the Bride of Christ.
Consequently, Canon 59 of Laodicea prohibiting all but the inspired Psalms of God to be sung in worship, is the rule of all Christendom.
Consequently, Canon 59 of Laodicea prohibiting all but the inspired Psalms of God to be sung in worship, is the rule of all Christendom.
Council of Braga (AD 563)
“No poetic composition be sung in the Church except the Psalms of the sacred canon.”
Sola Psalmis is not exclusive Psalmody - Part 1
Sola Psalmis is the Biblical Conciliar position of the church over the past 2000 years. Unlike many "exclusive psalmody" proponents, who forbid singing Psalms with instruments, Sola Psalmis follows the Biblical Conciliar decrees.
The ecumencial council of the Synod of Dordt (1618) commissioned and adopted a new Bible and Commentary in Dutch. Soon after this, the Westminster Assembly commissioned the English translation of this commentary in 1645. This is the only Bible Commentary approved by two major church councils, defining fundamental doctrines and practices for the Christian church.
The ecumencial council of the Synod of Dordt (1618) commissioned and adopted a new Bible and Commentary in Dutch. Soon after this, the Westminster Assembly commissioned the English translation of this commentary in 1645. This is the only Bible Commentary approved by two major church councils, defining fundamental doctrines and practices for the Christian church.
Sola Psalmis is not exclusive Psalmody - Part 2
This Dordt-Westminster commentary affirms the decrees of Sola Psalmis. It's commentary on Ephesians 5:19 instructs:
“These three sorts of spiritual singing serve one end: namely to recreate the spirit and are in this way distinguished: Psalms are all kinds of spiritual songs which are exercised not only with the voice, but also with the stringed instruments, of music. Hymns: thanksgiving to God and metrical celebration of God’s grace towards us. Spiritual songs: such as contain all manner of spiritual doctrines — see Colossians 3:16). And these several names seem to be taken from the several inscriptions of the Psalms of David. [They are to be sung] not only with the tongue or instruments but also with the heart”
Link to Commentary“These three sorts of spiritual singing serve one end: namely to recreate the spirit and are in this way distinguished: Psalms are all kinds of spiritual songs which are exercised not only with the voice, but also with the stringed instruments, of music. Hymns: thanksgiving to God and metrical celebration of God’s grace towards us. Spiritual songs: such as contain all manner of spiritual doctrines — see Colossians 3:16). And these several names seem to be taken from the several inscriptions of the Psalms of David. [They are to be sung] not only with the tongue or instruments but also with the heart”
Sola Psalmis is not exclusive Psalmody - Part 3
We again find the clear teaching that Paul's reference to singing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs in Ephesians and Colossians, is, in fact, to the 150 Psalms of the Bible.
They are to be sung with with thanksgiving in the heart AND with instruments. This is the Biblical Confessional position of Sola Psalmis.
They are to be sung with with thanksgiving in the heart AND with instruments. This is the Biblical Confessional position of Sola Psalmis.
Sola Psalmis is not exclusive Psalmody - Part 4
Read the Dordt-Westminster commentary on Psalm 150:
“An exhortation to praise the holiness, power and kindness of God, with all manner of musical instruments, and with the voice also”
Again we see the obvious instruction of Psalm 150 that the Psalms alone are to be sung with all manner of musical instruments. Oh, and with the voice also.
This simply follows the pattern of Psalm 150 which first emphasizes the praising of God with instruments and ends with the exhortation "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord" This is the Biblical Confessional position of Sola Psalmis.
Link to Commentary“An exhortation to praise the holiness, power and kindness of God, with all manner of musical instruments, and with the voice also”
Again we see the obvious instruction of Psalm 150 that the Psalms alone are to be sung with all manner of musical instruments. Oh, and with the voice also.
This simply follows the pattern of Psalm 150 which first emphasizes the praising of God with instruments and ends with the exhortation "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord" This is the Biblical Confessional position of Sola Psalmis.
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