Making Melody in Your Hearts

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-20

What a marvelous thing! The Holy Spirit gives us instruction on how to speak to each other. We are told to communicate with each other (I don't believe this is a restrictive command...it's not Sunday School Musical!) Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. It seemed such a big topic, not too long ago, what sort of music a church played. As a musician, I don't find the idiom to be particularly important. But this verse always draws to mind all of our nice, organized worship services we do. It is not a bad application of the principles taught here. Of course there is a good corporate application, but it also seems more individual and unorganized than that. When was the last time you sang a song for someone? When we think of the big service we are always all singing together, this says speak to one another this way. It may seem whimsical to sing a song for someone who is feeling blue, or to sing a song that communicates some truth, but why not? Other cultures sing freely with and for their friends. It's not a talent show, nor is it American Idol (blech!). God gave most everyone a voice (if not, I don't think that people using sign language are excluded from this important passage), most everyone has some kind of ear for music (itunes is making too much money to deny it!). Chances are someone could be blessed by a song sung especially for them that meets their need at the moment.

Looking back to the verse we have three different types of music represented here:

Psalms - In reference to the book of Psalms we find that the Psalms are mostly filled with verses in prayer TO God. These are the specific songs that we direct at our personal, loving Father-God.

Hymns - The sense here is mostly songs ABOUT God. Telling us about His character, His love, His actions, or His desires. Songs about the great and wonderful Savior Jesus would fit here. Songs about the wonderful indwelling Comforter and Helper the Holy Spirit are also of this type.

Spiritual Songs - These are songs of a spiritual nature. They may be mixes, they may be about other wonderful and encouraging things that the Lord is doing in our lives, doing through us, doing around us. Songs about our relationship to the body of Christ, and a thousand other topics.

Notice - ALL THREE are talked about here. Not just one, not just my favourite of the three, but all three have a place in our day to day lives as believers.

Where is this singing and melody to come from? From our hearts. If we have even the vaguest understanding of all that our Lord has done for us. If we have understood even a shadow, or a whisper of His great love for us, then we have a song to sing! As long as we are resting in Him the songs will rise up within us. It is natural for humans to sing when they are really joyful, really filled, really whole. It is just something that we were made to do, and God has give us the capacity to do it, the reason to do it and more than ample motivation to do it. All surrounded in thanksgiving and a grateful heart, because He has done so much for us. Let's sing our songs!