Chapter 3: The Third Proof for Singing Psalms with a Living Voice

A third proof of this truth, is taken from the prophecies of the old Testament, foretelling and persuading such a duty in the New (Isaiah 52:8): "with the voice together shall they sing." And that is foretold of the times, when the feet of the messengers of glad tidings shall be beautiful, who shall say to Zion, Your God reigns. Which Paul explains of the times of the Gospel (Romans 10:14). Psalm 100:1: Make a joyful noise to the Lord all you lands; and verse 2: Come before his presence with singing. All you lands, implies the nations of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews; which pertains to the times of the New Testament; so that now all are exhorted to sing before the presence of God, with a loud noise or voice.

So Psalm 95:1: O come, let us sing to the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. And verse 2: Let us make a joyful noise to him with Psalms. Which Psalm the Apostle himself interprets to be meant of the times of the Gospel. Which is the more to be observed, because the Psalmist, exhorting to the holy and reverent performance of the ordinary duties of the Sabbath, he mentions first thanksgiving in singing of Psalms with a loud voice, and the reasons thereof, verses 1 to 5. And then solemn prayer with the reasons thereof, verses 6, 7. And then faithful attention to the preaching of the Word on that day, not hardening their hearts against it, through unbelief, in the end of verse 7, and verses 8 to 11: To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts. And this day, the Apostle interprets to be meant not of the 7th day of rest from the Creation; nor of the day of rest, wherein Joshua gave the people inheritance and rest in Canaan; but of the day of rest in the New Testament (Hebrews 4:3 to 9). From where the Apostle infers, that there is remaining to us another Sabbatism, or day of rest, now in the days of the Gospel, different from the seventh day of rest, kept in regard of God's rest from the Creation, and different from the day of rest in Joshua's time: but the day of rest remaining to us, he declares to be that day wherein the Lord Jesus entered into his rest. And that was our Lord's day, which David (so long before) foretold should be celebrated with solemn prayer, preaching and hearing the Word, and singing of Psalms, and that with a joyful noise.

Object. 1. Though David exhorts all lands to sing to the Lord with a loud noise, it does not appear we should make such a manner of loud noise, as our form of singing is, no more than such a loud noise, as was made in David's days, with ten stringed instruments; for so the Lord was to be praised. I do acknowledge from these texts, that it is the duty of all those who are called to the knowledge of the truth, when they do come before the Lord, not to come before him with sorrow and sadness, and with a dejected spirit, but with a singing; or else, they dishonor the Lord Jesus, the spiritual chief singer, author of their new song. But although this prophecy does foretell of the joyful approaching of the spiritual worshippers before the Lord; yet it binds them no more to make such a noise, as the singing book teaches, than the trees are to clap their hands, as Isaiah prophesies; or as the new converts are bound to come with external singing, when they come to join themselves with the Church (Isaiah 51:11). And as for such a manner of noise, as is made in our mixed assemblies, the Psalm speaks nothing to it.

Answ. The manner of noise which is made by singing in our assemblies, it pertains not to the present question in hand: and therefore we refer it to the sequel. The question now is, whether in the days of the New Testament, we are to sing the praises of God, with a loud voice, or noise. And for this we allege, beside the text in Isaiah, the prophecies of David, who foretells, and exhorts all lands (at least the churches and people of God in all lands) to make a joyful noise to the Lord, to make a joyful noise to him with Psalms, to come before his presence with singing — Psalm 100:1, 2 and Psalm 95:1, 2.

Yes, but this binds us no more to make such a manner of loud noise, as our form of singing is, than to make such a loud noise, as was made in David's days, with ten stringed instruments; for so the Lord was to be praised.

Answ. So the Lord was to be praised? Praised with ten stringed instruments: when was he so to be praised? In David's days? True: and therefore it was the duty of all the people in any land, that became proselytes to the Church of Israel in the days of David, and during all the time of the temple worship, to come before the Lord, not only with the loud noise of singing Psalms, but of playing with instruments. But after the days, not only of David, but of the temple, and that worship be past, in the day when our Jehovah (the Lord Jesus) has entered into his rest, in the day of our Lord, when he commands us not to harden our hearts, but to hear his voice, to fall down and worship before him in prayer, (both which are to be performed every Lord's day) he then commands us to come and sing to the Lord, to make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation, and to make a joyful noise to him with Psalms (Psalm 95:1, 2). Here is now no mention of making a joyful noise with instruments, but with Psalms. And therefore the making a joyful noise with Psalms does still continue, even on our Lord's days: when making a joyful noise with instruments continues not, but is laid down in silence: save only so far as it is kept alive in the antitype, the affections of our hearts (our Praecordia) making melody with the songs and professions of our lips, and with the gracious and peaceable conversation of our lives.

When you acknowledge it to be the duty of such as are called to the knowledge of the truth, to come before the Lord, not with sorrow and sadness, and with a dejected spirit, but with singing.

What singing do you mean? If you mean only the gracious rejoicing of the heart, that indeed, though it be requisite to avoid hypocrisy, yet it is not complete to reach the full extent of the duty, the duty of making a joyful noise with Psalms. Our chief Singer (of whom you speak,) when he set the Lord, and his own death and resurrection before his face, (which he was to undergo for our sakes) he was not only glad in his heart, but his glory also (that is, his tongue) rejoiced in singing a Psalm at his last Supper (Psalm 16:8, 9) with (Matthew 26:30). And therefore it will be a discord from the practice of our chief Singer, and so a dishonor to him, if our hearts sing with joy, but our glory (to wit, our tongues) be mute with silence. Say not then, as you do;

We are no more bound to make a loud noise with our voices, than the trees are to clap their hands, (as Isaiah prophesies) or than the new converts were to come with external singing of Psalms (Isaiah 51:11).

For in so saying, you will not avoid the authority of the commandment, nor the necessity of that duty of singing. For when God redeemed his people out of the captivity of Babel, not only their hearts (the hearts of them who were returning to Zion) were filled with rejoicing, but even their tongues also with singing (Psalm 126:1, 2). And though the trees cannot be said in proper speech to clap their hands, (for they have no hands to clap) yet common sense will easily tell you, that there is a metaphor either in clapping of hands, or in the trees. If trees be taken properly, then clapping of hands is put (by a metaphor) for the flourishing fruitfulness of the trees of the field, which (by the blessing of God) is wont to follow the prosperity of the Church, in such abundance, that their boughs and branches shall clap and dash themselves and their fruit one upon another, whereby (as by hands) they reach forth refreshing and food to the children of the Church. But if trees be put by a metaphor for trees of righteousness, (as the saints are so called, Isaiah 61:3) then they shall clap their hands, and shout for joy, and sing aloud, (expressing external signs of comfort) to behold and consider the wonderful goodness of the Lord, to themselves and their brethren. And so in the same verse (Isaiah 55:12) when the mountains and hills are said to break forth before the saints into singing, if there be not a metaphor in singing then mountains and hills are put (by a metaphor) for princes and men of high degree, (as Psalm 72:3) which shall give example to others in holy rejoicing, and particularly in singing praises to the Lord. So that these texts in Isaiah, which you thought might excuse you from singing with the voice, (which David exhorted to be done with a loud voice) they will not exempt you at all from this duty, but rather bind you the stronger to it. And therefore look as when David says: I cried to the Lord with my voice (Psalm 3:4 and 77:1) a man shall detract from his meaning, that shall say, he cried only to God with his heart: so when David exhorts the Gentile churches to make a joyful noise to God with Psalms; you do detract in like sort from his meaning, when you make his meaning to be, not that we should sing to God with our voices, but that we should only make melody to him, with grace in our hearts. Such detracting from the Word is alike disallowed, and accursed of God, as is adding to the Word.

Object. 2. Singing of Psalms with the voice, is but a type of singing Psalms with grace in the heart.

Answ. 1. No Scripture speaks of it as a type: nor does any evidence of reason so declare it.

2. You might as well say, that praying with the voice was a type of praying with the heart, and so is now abolished.

3. If singing of Psalms with a loud noise, had been a typical worship, David would not have exhorted us to the practice of it on the Lord's day of the New Testament (Psalm 95:1, 2, 7).

4. Christ and his Apostles would not have used it in the Lord's Supper, which is a feast of the New Testament (Matthew 26:30) nor would Paul and Silas have used it in prison among the Gentiles (Acts 16:25).

5. The light of nature, which is never wont to teach us types and shadows, does as well teach us to praise God in singing with our tongues, in times of our rejoicing, as to cry to God with our voices in times of our distresses.