We begin on a journey today, a journey which four or five years ago I would not have wanted to embark upon. A journey which, understandably, few today desire to travel. A journey which may call forth from some words of insult like legalists, narrow-minded, puritanical, pharisaical, nitpickers who strain out a gnad and swallow a camel. I understand this is not a popular journey to take. It's not a journey that has reservations booked up six months in advance. However, it's a journey I believe God calls His church to take if she would be faithful to the Lord of glory who died for her. It's the journey of visiting each of the ordinary parts and circumstances of divine worship, looking at them square in the face, and then looking for divine authorization from the scripture in order to use them in the worship of our God, who is infinitely holy and glorious. In other words, As in past weeks we have gleaned from the second commandment what is known as the regulative principle of worship. That principle which states that all religious acts, gestures, symbols, clothing, ceremonies, architecture, not positively authorized by scripture, either by means of express command, authorized example, or good and necessary inference, are forbidden in the worship of God. And now we seek to apply that principle on our journey, we seek to apply that principle to all the aspects of worship. The first step on this journey, the first place that we will stop then is to view the issue of song in the worship of God. What words does God require his people to sing in the praise of his glorious name? If we are, dear ones, to bring an acceptable offering, an acceptable sacrifice of praise to God, a sacrifice of which the Lord himself will approve, a sacrifice for which he himself will have regard, like the sacrifice of Abel in Genesis chapter 4. Then, like Abel, your sacrifice must be based upon the knowledge of God's will in that matter, not based upon your mere sincerity. It must always be, dear ones, what God requires, not what God allows, what God requires. I recently heard a minister make the following statement. He said, we need to know that God has allowed us that's the key word, allowed us to sing hymns written by men that are not inspired. Dear ones, God does not simply allow us or permit us to introduce any religious act, gesture, or ceremony into worship. The regulative principle of worship requires us to find positive biblical warrant for all religious acts that we bring into the worship of God. And if there is biblical warrant for singing uninspired hymns, then it is not allowed, it is required. There is no simply permitting or allowing of us to sing uninspired hymns. The issue is, does God require it? Well, the same is true of singing exclusively psalms. It's not something that God allows. If that is what the Word of God teaches, then God requires it. Along the same lines, George Gillespie, the youngest commissioner, one of the most gifted of the Scottish commissioners to the Westminster Assembly, stated in his English-Polkish Ceremonies the following. He asked three questions. The first question he asked was, How absurd a tenant is this, which holds that there is some particular worship of God allowed and not commanded? That is, not required. First question. Second question, yes. What new light is this which makes all our divines to have been in the mist, that is, in the fog, who have acknowledged no worship of God but that which God has commanded? Not what God has allowed, but that which God has commanded or required. And the third question. Whoever heard of commanded, that is required, and allowed worship. Whoever heard of commanded and allowed worship. The two do not go together. If it's commanded, if there is divine warrant, then it's required and not allowed or permitted. Well, let us be clear, dear ones, about the subject that's before us. Since only what God requires is acceptable, worship, whatever we do in the worship of God that is not required by God, it does violate the second commandment. Whether it's the singing of only psalms, or whether it's the singing of uninspired hymns, if it is not required, then it is a violation of the second commandment. That is, that it is a form of idolatry. Because the second commandment teaches that what is forbidden is all bringing of man's invention into worship. And I would go even further to say that to impose upon the congregation an act of worship which God has not required, whether again it's singing exclusively psalms or whether it's singing uninspired hymns, to impose that upon the congregation without divine warrant is lording it over the conscience and binding the conscience of God's people over whose conscience is God alone is to be Lord." Well, that's pretty heavy. With such serious matters at stake, It behooves us, dear ones, to carefully consider and even reconsider again and again this matter of song in worship. What does God require? And though many of you, this certainly will not be your first time through it, most of you, that would be true of. Nevertheless, it's always helpful to revisit various issues that pertain to worship, for our own encouragement as well as being able to instruct others. In the remaining time that I have today, I want to lay a foundation upon which to build future sermons on the subject. And so let me simply give to you two points to I outline today two points that I want to emphasize, elucidate, and apply. First of all, I want to establish that song in the worship of God is a required element, an ordinary part of the worship of God, and not simply an optional means of praise. or instruction, that song is required in the worship of God. And the second point is that I hope to establish by God's grace the nature, not the content, we'll look at the content of the songs that we are to sing beginning next Lord's Day, but today I would hope to establish the nature of the songs that are to be used in the corporate worship of God's people, the quality of the songs. Should they be inspired songs or uninspired songs? Well, let's consider first of all then that first point his song required in the worship of God. Dear ones, when we come together to worship God, let me ask the question, do we have the option to eliminate singing altogether in lieu of other methods of praising God and instructing others? is singing simply one means or one method amongst many that we are permitted to use in worship, so that we can eliminate singing if we chose to do so. Well, this is absolutely foundational that we understand the answer to this question. For you see, if the act of singing itself is not a required and ordinary part of worship, then how can we say that the words that are used in the singing have any kind of warrant from scripture? If the act itself is not even specifically warranted by scripture, how can we say that the words, the content of the songs, must have divine warrant? Well, there have been different Reformed scholars who have said, for example, that with regard to the act of singing, that the act of singing is just one of the many legitimate means of pursuing, quote, prayer, praise, exhortation and teaching. Just one of many legitimate means to pray, praise, exhort and teach in the worship service. Or someone else has said that the act of singing is just an optional circumstance of worship But it's not an essential element of worship. Or a third perspective is that which says that the act of singing is just a cultural means, a cultural means of, quote, prophecy, preaching or teaching, praise and prayer. If we're in an entirely different culture, maybe singing wouldn't be required of us. But in our culture, or in the culture which the people of God were living, it was appropriate in that culture. So is it a cultural situation? I'd have you consider with me Dear ones, that those who hold such views of seeing in the worship of God may not personally like what I'm about to say, but I don't think they can in principle disagree with some of the following means that some churches have used to praise God and teach their congregations. If singing is simply a means to the end of praising God and teaching others, and that it's not required, it's simply an optional circumstance, then the question becomes, can we not then use other circumstances, like singing, to accomplish the same ends and goals of praising God and teaching others. Things that are not specifically forbidden in the worship of God. For example, dramatic presentations, skits and plays. Those who use them say that they're praising and instructing others. Or dancing in the worship service as a means of praising God. or even instructing others, or a band or orchestra in the worship service in order to praise God, or images and statues in the worship service, so long as you don't bow down to them, but just having them in the worship service to look at, to view, so as to instruct the illiterate, the small children in the congregation about certain events in the Bible or about God Himself as a means of instruction. Or incense and candles, so as to instruct people. Various kinds of symbols, so as to instruct people. Ornate robes for the clergymen, miters upon their heads and a golden staff in their hands, so as to instruct people. Because they're not specifically forbidden and they can become means of praising God and instructing others. All of these could be done, I think, quite legitimately in the name of praising God and instructing others. Well, as I mentioned in a previous sermon on the regulative principle, neither the Word of God nor our Reformed forefathers considered only the elements of worship, that is, the various parts of a worship service such as prayer, preaching, etc., as necessarily requiring divine warrant. They did not consider that only the elements of worship required divine warrant. But the word of God in our Reformed forefathers view all religious circumstances. That is, just to again review, refresh your memory as to what a circumstance is as opposed to an element of worship. An element of worship is one of those particular acts of worship that is specifically commanded by God. The ordinary parts of worship such as prayer, preaching, the sacraments, those are elements of worship. Those people, most Reformed people would agree, must have divine warrant. But where we run into problems, as I've said, is that many Reformed people do not believe that circumstances require divine warrant. What I'm saying is that the Word of God and our Reformed fathers did not teach that. They taught that circumstances, that is, those religious actions, gestures, ceremonies, clothing, symbols, or architecture that are used to perform the elements of worship, must as necessarily have divine warrant as the ordinary parts of worship must have divine warrant. Note with me then the following circumstances in scripture that were commanded. These are not specifically elements of worship, but note the circumstances of worship religious circumstances that are commanded and therefore are required and not optional. Not optional at all. And I won't have you look up all of these references, but let me simply summarize a few of them. All of the tabernacle and all of its furniture we might call circumstances of worship, which were acts or which were symbols in aiding and pointing to The praise of God are in the instruction of God's people. However, all of them, according to Exodus 25, verses 8 through 9, were commanded by God. Nothing was left to the imagination of man with regard to those areas. Again, the very garments of the priests and what the priests wore, the miter, the robes, the ephod, the breastplate, the urim and thummim, the various parts of their vestments, were all divinely commanded by God. They were not left to man's innovation. That's in Exodus 28, verse 43. All of the sacrifices that were brought to God, all of the offerings in Leviticus 1-7 specifically enumerated and stated as to how they are to be offered, the precise proportion that is to be used for the drink offerings, down to minute details. As we read through that, we say to ourselves, why, Lord, have you been so specific? God is pointing out to us that there is no detail when it pertains to religious worship that is left to our imagination. Even the fire that was to be used in the incense offerings must come from a certain source. And if it didn't come from that source, it was strange or profane fire, as Nadab and Abihu found out. The feast days in Leviticus 23 were specifically laid out, enumerated by God. The instruments that are used in the praise of God. Certainly, I don't know of anyone who would call the use of instruments an element of worship. And yet the instruments, specifically the kinds of instruments, are enumerated very specifically according to God's command and how they're to be used in the worship of God in 2 Chronicles 29, verses 25 through 27. And so, my point simply is this. No circumstances, that is, no religious circumstances are optional in the worship of God. All religious circumstances are mandated, required, and commanded to be obeyed. Thus, even if song in worship were viewed as a circumstance of worship rather than an element of worship, it does not switch to such a degree that there's no requirement, that there's no authorization needed. For even if it is a circumstance of worship, which I don't believe it is, but even if it were a circumstance of worship, it would still be what God requires, and it would not be optional. Listen to what the Westminster Confession of Faith states concerning circumstances of worship very quickly. Chapter 1, paragraph 6. It says, There are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed. It's quite a mouthful. Let me just very quickly break that down for you. There are some circumstances. The word some. Some circumstances, this has to do with here, not all circumstances. Some circumstances. We've said that all religious circumstances are required to have divine authorization. But these particular circumstances that we're looking at here, do not require specific divine authorization. We're going to see why. But it's not all. It's some. Some circumstances, the next key word to underline, is concerning. Concerning the worship of God. Now, the writers of our confession were very careful with that word concerning. There was a distinction that they were making Between concerning the worship of God and in the worship of God they defined it this way using Latin terms circa sacra concerning the worship versus in sacris in the worship all Circumstances that are in the worship of God the divine said are required to have divine authorization and Some circumstances concerning the worship of God may be ordered according to the light of nature and Christian prudence. The third part to that little quote is this. It says, there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church Common. That word common. Common to human actions and societies. What are the circumstances they're referring to? They're referring to circumstances concerning worship that are held in common with all human organizations that would meet together. Those are the circumstances that the church has the discretionary power to order and set forth only those circumstances which are common to all human actions and organizations that would meet. For example, a political convention meets. There are going to be certain circumstances that are required for a political convention to be held. Or if you're talking about the Rotary Club, or Toastmasters, or a Woman's Sewing Club. Still, in every organization there are certain circumstances that are going to need to be fulfilled through the discretion of those who are over it in order for the meeting to occur. Where are you going to meet? What time are you going to meet? How long is your meeting going to be? Who's going to be speaking? There are certain of those particular kinds of circumstances that each of these secular organizations will exercise discretionary power over. And we say likewise with regard to the church, the location of the building, is a discretionary circumstance left to the authority of the power of the church to determine. The times of meeting on the Lord's Day. It's not specifically stated in the scripture. We don't look for a divine warrant for the time of our meeting on the Lord's Day. How long the service should be. Or how many songs should we sing. or the specific sequence or order of our worship. Whether we sit or stand when we sing, those we don't have divine warrants specifically for. Therefore, they're not religious circumstances. They're not circumstances that pertain to in-worship, but those are circumstances that pertain to according to. or concerning the worship of God, rather. Concerning the worship of God. Although I believe that our confession of faith is correct in enumerating, quote, the saying of Psalms with grace in the heart as a part or element of the ordinary worship of God, I would say that even if you viewed song in worship as a circumstance of worship, God's Word declares it to be a required, commanded circumstance and not an optional circumstance. I want to just take a moment now to look up some passages, and so I'm going to ask you to fly through these with me very quickly. As to the place of song in the scriptures, is the whole issue of song, is song specifically commanded in scripture? Whether it's a circumstance or whether it's an element, is it commanded? If it's commanded, then it is required, it's not optional, to be performed in our worship of God. 1 Chronicles 25 verses 1 through 7. Moreover, David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the workmen, according to their service, was, of the sons of Asaph, The sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. Of Jethethon, the sons of Jethethon, Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshiah, Shemai, Hashabiah and Mathathiah, six under the direction of their father Jethethon, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord. of Heman, the sons of Heman, Vakaya, Matanaya, Uziel, Shevuel, Jaramoth, Hanania, Hanani, Eliatha, Gidalti, Romanti-Ezer, Joshbek-Asha, Malathi, Hothir, And Mahazioth, all these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt his horn. 6. All these were under the direction of their father, for the music in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jedathan, and Heman were under the authority of the king. So the number of them with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful was 288." Here we find David having established specific singers who prophesied in the name of the Lord and wrote inspired songs for God's people and were commanded to use them in the worship of God. certainly does not appear to be a mere optional circumstance from what we find in that passage. 2 Chronicles 23.18 2 Chronicles 23.18 says, speaking of the reforms that were brought about through Jehoiada, Also, Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the Lord to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the Lord to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing as it was established by David. Singing, again, established mandated by David." Moreover, King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. They were commanded. It was not optional. They were commanded to sing praises in the worship of God. 2 Chronicles 35, 15. And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places according to the command of David. Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's seers. Also the gatekeepers were at each gate. They did not have to leave their position because the brethren of the Levites prepared portions for them." This is under the reforms of Josiah. And there again we note, "...according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's seers." Ezra 3.10. under Ezra and his restoration of worship as the foundation of the temple is laid. We read in verse 10, When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel. And they sang responsibly, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. And I would just say one last reference in the Old Testament as to the requirement to sing songs in the worship of God. It's the presence of the Psalter. The presence of the book of Psalms, 150 of them, is certainly, it seems to me, a good and necessary inference to draw from that that God requires as you read through all of the titles to the Psalms. What they were to be used for to the musician. And it speaks of who wrote them. These men who had prophetic abilities and gifts wrote them. This was not left up to simply some option of a man, whether they could sing or whether they could not sing in the worship of God. Into the New Testament very quickly, Matthew chapter 26, our Lord, the night at which he was betrayed, along with the institution of the Lord's Supper, and as was the habit of those who, in the Old Testament, celebrated the Passover, now we see the passing into the New Covenant, and the last thing that we see happening After the Lord's Supper is instituted, it is in verse 30, and when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Our Lord Himself, through His example, gives divine warrant to the singing of songs in worship to God. Last New Testament reference, 1 Corinthians 14, 26. 1 Corinthians 14, 26. The Apostle Paul, speaking to a church that was very much confused about what should happen in a worship service, gives instruction. He says in verse 26, How is it then, brethren, whenever you come together, whenever you come together, each of you has a song. Each of you has a psalm. Thus dear ones, song in the worship of God is required by God. It's mandated by God, it's not optional. But what should be the second main point? What should be the nature of the songs that are used? What should be the nature of the songs that are used? Should it be inspired? or uninspired. Now I remind you that whichever of the two positions one comes to, whether inspired songs or uninspired songs, or some kind of combination of both of them, where both inspired and uninspired are sung, whatever position one comes to, that position is not optional. That position is required. so that the other position actually violates the second commandment. Let's look at the inspired song position then very quickly. And that is that only inspired songs... Now remember, we're not at this point talking about the specific content. We're talking about the nature of the songs that are to be sung. Next Lord's Day, we'll begin talking about the content. But this week, we're focusing upon the nature. Should they be inspired songs or uninspired? Of course, the inspired song position would hold to that only inspired songs were used in the worship of God in both the Old and New Testaments. And again, we'll do a very quick survey. I won't even have you look up some of these. In Exodus 15, 1, Numbers 21, 17, and Deuteronomy chapter 31 and 32, you find songs that Israel sang in worship to God. But I would Submit to you because of the presence of a prophet Namely Moses and specifically mentioned also a prophetess namely Miriam that in these cases that we have not uninspired songs But we have inspired songs that Moses gave to the people of Israel to sing and worship to God In Judges chapter Five, you find a song, a song of Deborah. It says in Judges 4.4 that Deborah was a prophetess. Again, the good and necessary inference that would be drawn from the fact that Deborah was a prophetess and then composes a song would be that that song would be inspired as it is sung. and worship to God, especially as we find it recorded in the Scripture. In 1 Chronicles 25, we read this just a few moments ago, but let me draw your attention to this once again very quickly. 1 Chronicles 25, here we find the establishment of the singers under the leadership of Asaph, And very specifically, it says that in verse one, these three men who should prophesy with hearts. Prophecy is inspired revelation. Verse two, Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. Asaph prophesied, inspired revelation. Verse three, Speaking of Jettison, who prophesied with a heart to give thanks and praise to the Lord. Again, prophecy inspired revelation. Verse five, all these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer, the king's prophet. Notice in what particular area that it says in the scripture that he was a prophet concerning. All these were the sons of Haman, the king's seer, the king's prophet, in the words of God to exalt his horn. That is in the area of music, the area of song. They were God's prophets. I ask if we can sing uninspired songs, why was the gift of prophecy necessary in these particular men? Why did they need the gift of prophecy? Why did God give them such a gift? That the inspired songs, as I have heard, are only a pattern to follow in generating new uninspired songs, Why did God give only one inspired prayer to follow, namely the Lord's Prayer, but over 100 inspired psalms for us to sing? Jesus said, when you pray, pray in this manner. That is, when you pray, follow this pattern of prayer. But where does God ever say, when you sing, sing in this manner? Or when you write songs, write songs in this manner? I submit to you that God is not giving us the songs, the inspired songs, so that we can generate new uninspired songs, that they simply are an example or a pattern to follow. Second Chronicles chapter 5, very quickly. Second Chronicles chapter 5, under Solomon, we find, beginning with verse 11, And it came to pass when the priests came out of the most holy place, for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves without keeping to their divisions. And the Levites, who were the singers, All those of Asaph and Heman and Jethethon, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets. Indeed, it came to pass when the trumpeteers and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endures forever, that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. Again, under Solomon, we find the same men, Asaph, Heman, and Judithan. Not only under David, but under Solomon, who are in charge of the worship with regard to song. 2 Chronicles 7, 6, again under Solomon, it says, And the priests attended to their services, the Levites also, with instruments of the music of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord, saying, For his mercy endures forever. Whenever David offered praise by their ministry, the priests sounded trumpets opposite them, while all Israel stood." Again, we find under Solomon that King David had made these songs to praise the Lord. We read earlier in 2 Samuel that he was the sweet psalmist of Israel. We read from 2 Samuel that David spoke the words of the Lord in writing his psalms. They were inspired. Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29 verse 30. The reason I'm giving you several passages is just to show that inspired song is not simply something that is is warranted either by command or by example or by a good and necessary inference in one place in the Scripture, but is found in both the Old and the New Testament." 2 Chronicles 29.30. We read it earlier, but notice again, "...Moreover, King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord were the words of David and of Asaph the seer, the prophet." So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. Under Josiah, 2 Chronicles 35.15, 2 Chronicles 35.15, again, We read this earlier, but it says, And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jethethon, the king's seer, the king's prophet. Ezra 3.10, which we read earlier, When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel." And so I submit to you from the Old Testament that we have many times very specific warrant to sing inspired songs. But I would submit to you on the other hand that we find no warrant to sing uninspired songs at all. We'll look at just a few passages in just a moment that are purportedly said to support the uninspired position. Two passages from the Actually, three passages from the New Testament. The example of Christ again in Matthew 26.30, where he sang a hymn. Universally, all scholars agree that I have consulted that the hymn that Jesus sang was the great Hallel, Psalm 113 through Psalm 118, which are inspired. 1 Corinthians 14.26, where God, through Paul, says, whenever you come together to worship me, God says, each of you has a psalm. Each of you has a psalm. Now, even if one might want to argue that these were not the psalms of the Old Testament that are found in the midst of the 150 psalms, Even if one wanted to argue that point, I think one is forced to conclude, because of the charismatic gifts of the Spirit that were given to the people in the Church of Corinth, that these Psalms were inspired, nevertheless inspired Psalms. Even if they were new Psalms, one must, I believe, conclude from the charismatic Inspiration and revelation is given that they were new Psalms or inspired Psalms And in Revelation 5 9 Where we find a New song it says in heaven and they sang a new song and saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth. Even the songs that we find in the book of Revelation will be talking about their place in the whole discussion as it relates to exclusive psalmody later, but for the time being All we're trying to show at this point is the nature of the songs that you find in the scripture that were sung in worship to God. The songs certainly that are sung in heaven, one must conclude, are inspired songs, new songs, in worship to God. Now remember, As we begin very quickly to summarize the uninspired song position, remember there is required a positive divine warrant to sing uninspired songs in the worship of God or else uninspired songs are forbidden. We need biblical warrant. Now, the uninspired song position from the Old Testament In 1 Chronicles 16, these are just some passages that I have heard used to support this position, and so I'm not making them up. I'm simply giving them to you as I've heard them given. 1 Chronicles 16.7 says, And on that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to thank the Lord. Those who believe in uninspired songs in the worship of God would say that this was an inspired song that God gave to David. However, it was the first song that David delivered into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. The first song, that's important according to this particular argument. Verse 37 says, after the singing of the psalms. So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to minister before the Ark regularly as every day's work required. And so the argument runs something like, what did they sing in the meantime? They had one psalm. Surely, surely there must have been other psalms for them to sing. Could not some of those psalms have been uninspired psalms? Well, why does that assume that even if there were other songs that were sung, why does it assume that the other songs were uninspired? There's no reason to assume that unless you have a particular, seems to me, an axe to grind, because it certainly doesn't say so. Certainly something that is being read into the passage 1 Kings 4.32. Here it speaks of Solomon. It says he spoke 3,000 proverbs and his songs were 1,005. 3,000 proverbs, 1,005 songs. And so again, I've heard it said, what happened to all those other songs that are not found in the Psalter? Were they not appropriate to be used in the worship of God? Well, I don't know specifically about that as far as the songs that were not in the Psalter. I know that they were not included in the worship of God. We're not given any indication that they were so included in the worship of God. But I think very clearly we can say from that particular passage that Why would we assume that only the psalm or psalms that we find of Solomon that are included in this altar were inspired and not the other ones that he wrote? Why would we assume that only the Proverbs that are included in the book of Proverbs that he wrote were inspired and the other two thousand and so forth were not inspired? We would not necessarily be drawn to that conclusion. Isaiah 24.16 Isaiah 24, 16 is a prophecy of salvation which would come to the Gentiles, and it says, concerning the salvation, from the ends of the earth we have heard songs, glory to the righteous But I said, I am ruined, ruined, woe to me. The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously. Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. They focus upon the phrase, from the ends of the earth we have heard songs. Again, why assume that just because the Gentiles are singing songs to the Lord that they're uninspired songs? Why would they not be singing the psalms of praise that we find in the Psalter? Again, there's no necessary reason to conclude that they would not be singing the Psalms of God, but at least we can say there's no evidence from that passage of uninspired songs at all. Isaiah 3820 is the last Old Testament passage. Then we'll just mention a New Testament passage. Isaiah 3820, This is a song that was written by Hezekiah after he had been healed by God and he recovered from his illness. At the conclusion of this song, it says in verse 20, the Lord was ready to save me, therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Now, very clearly, this particular song here would be an inspired song. It's included in scripture. But notice that Hezekiah says, we will sing my songs, plural. And again, the uninspired song position would say, what about the other songs that are not included in scripture? Were they inspired? Or were they uninspired? That would be sung, it says here, all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. We're going to spend more time on this particular passage later on, because it's a very key passage. However, simply for our purposes today, I would say again, there's no reason to conclude that the other songs that Hezekiah is referring to would be uninspired. No reason to conclude that at all. That's just a false assumption. It's said here as well that Hezekiah says, we will sing my songs. Not the Lord's songs, but my songs. Therefore implying that they are not inspired. Well, I would say, my songs no more indicates uninspired songs than my gospel. In Romans 2.16, Paul says, my gospel implies that the gospel is uninspired. Or when David says in Psalm 28 7, with my song, I will praise him as if because it was David's song, it was uninspired. That's not the case. It doesn't follow. And so we find in the Old Testament, again, all of the passages that have been cited, none of them, in my judgment, give warrant, biblical warrant, for using uninspired songs in the worship of God. The one passage that is particularly appealed to in the New Testament is Ephesians 5.19 and its parallel passage, Colossians 3.16. Now, we're going to be looking at both of these passages very extensively in the future, but for now, here it says, Ephesians 5.19, Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord And again, I asked this question How can this passage Be legitimately used to support the singing of uninspired songs unless one can find in Scripture an example of an uninspired psalm sung in the worship of God, or an example of an uninspired hymn sung in the worship of God, or an example of an uninspired song sung in the worship of God. This passage must be interpreted, whatever it means, this passage must be interpreted in the light of what the rest of Scripture plainly teaches in regard to the nature of song. that is to be used in worship. It cannot be simply interpreted in its own light without comparing scripture with it. Many people may want to approach the passage and say, here you find an example of singing the Psalms of the Old Testament and then uninspired hymns and spiritual songs. That's not what the text says. the scripture must interpret scripture. Where are there examples of uninspired psalms, uninspired hymns, or uninspired songs that were used in the worship of God? One will look and search, but one, I'm convinced, will not find any in the scripture. And so I ask, as I conclude, where is divine warrant from scripture to sing uninspired songs? Where is the divine biblical warrant? I don't believe there can be any that is found. There's not, I believe, an example of uninspired song used. And so, as I conclude, I ask the question, which position, therefore, that of seeing inspired songs in the worship of God, Or the position of singing uninspired songs in the worship of God is most consistent with what the scripture teaches. Obviously, it's the position of singing inspired songs. And therefore, I move to the next question. Which position, therefore, is most consistent with the biblical position of singing inspired songs? Exclusive psalmody, or uninspired songs. Exclusive psalmody deals with the content of song. We've been dealing only today with the nature of the song, inspired or uninspired. But answering that question, what's the nature of the songs to be seen, helps us to understand what position can't be true. The singing of uninspired songs cannot be true. And so we're basically left with singing either only the Psalms or singing all biblical songs. And we'll begin trying to sort that matter out as we progress in the future. Dear ones, this subject, I'm convinced, is a subject that is It's frightening for many to pursue because it involves many consequences. Certainly it's had consequences in my life as I have reasoned through this particular issue and in your lives as well. It means that you've had to confront and talk with elders and pastors, family members, friends about this issue. It means that you've had to make decisions with regard to church membership. So the consequences are heavy in considering this whole issue of what is to be the nature of song and worship and what is to be the nature or the content of song and worship. May God grant us His grace to keep us free from all self-righteousness, pride, but rather to fill us with thanksgiving that God has shown us mercy And that he might show mercy to all of our brothers and sisters in the Reformed faith, and even those who are not in the Reformed faith, in regard to the purity of worship. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. 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And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.