Why Should We Sing Psalms?

Why Should We Sing Psalms? 

       Without doubt the most important reason that we should sing Psalms is that the Bible very clearly instructs us to sing Psalms.  It is amazing to me that many Christian musicians completely disregard this Bible command.  The Bible does not leave Psalm singing completely up to those who feel like it, but rather it commands us to sing Psalms unto God.  1 Chronicles 16:9 states, “Sing unto him, sing psalms (zamar 2167) unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”  Psalm 105:2 repeats the command, Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”

        James 5:13 also teaches very clearly, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.  Is any merry?  Let him sing psalms (psallo 5567).”  I suppose those who completely ignore psalm singing may only legitimately do so if they are afflicted and are not happy in the Lord.  So, the Old and New Testaments both mandate very clearly that we are to sing the Psalms unto God.

       Ephesians 5:19 continues the mandate to sing the Psalms as well as other genres, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16 continues this teaching, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

       Another reason that we are instructed in Scripture to sing the Psalms is that they give Christian musicians the wonderful opportunity to teach (didasko 1321) and to admonish (noutheteo 3560).  The Bible puts a premium on sacred musicing being a vehicle for teaching and learning by gentle admonition and warning.  I am not implicating that psalm singing is the only type of musicing that gives the aforementioned opportunities, but it is definitely one of the ways of teaching the doctrines taught in the Bible.