Why the Psalms?

According to Church history, Christians have always sung psalms. There are many who argue that the Church of Christ must sing the psalms exclusive to the singing of uninspired hymns. My intention in these blogs is not to argue for exclusive psalmody, though I believe the argument for exclusive psalmody is convincing. My intention is simply to posit a humble argument that the Church must sing the psalms in the worship of God.

Why the psalms? First, it is commanded. I've already given scriptural support for this. Second, the Holy Spirit has given the Church 150 psalms to sing. Third, the psalms are the Word of God that speak vividly about the Lord Jesus Christ (see Luke 24:44). Fourth, it is clear that NT churches sang the psalms (see 1 Cor 14:15, 26). Fifth, the Holy Catholic Church sang the psalms throughout its history as attested to by Church Fathers like Chrysostom and Augustine. Fifth, the 16th century Reformers restored both congregational singing and psalm-singing to their rightful place; and John Calvin is most responsible for this by helping to produce the Genevan Psalter. Psalm-sing became synonymous with Protestantism.

Protestants have forsaken a noble and spiritual heritage by neglecting the psalms. Since National Baptists hold to a confession of faith that upholds the inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy of the Scriptures, to sing uninspired hymns and other songs in place of the psalms is grave problem. Because our worship must be Word-based, I argue that psalm-singing must dominate the element of praise in Christian worship.

African American Baptists must never allow tradition to cloud our thinking regarding reforming our praise. More than Negro spirituals, Thomas Dorsey's gospel blues, and the songs of contemporary artists are the biblical psalms. How can we sing the words of man more than the words of God?

How to reform this element of worship? In the next blog, I'll offer some suggestions.