“Now what have we, on good authority, as having been sung in the service of the temple in addition to the Psalms? The two songs of Moses, and probably the song of Habakkuk [as referenced earlier from Dr. Lightfoot’s “Temple Service”]– all three of them inspired material, and all found in the Bible. How much basis this little mite for the making of hymn-books of human composition for use in the worship of God!”^[1]

“Philo, the learned Jewish philosopher, writing during our Lord’s life and immediately after (died A.D. 40), never once uses the word ‘psalm’ (ψαλμoς) or its compounds in connection with his many quotations from the Psalter, but always ‘hymn’’ (ὕμνος) or one of its compounds.”^[2]

“The Old Testament teaches us, if nothing else, that the singing of songs in worship is but the musical counterpart of the reading of prose Scripture in worship. If this were not the case, the inclusion of a book of songs in the canon of Scripture would make very little sense.” ^[3]

1. McClenahan, D.A.  “The Psalms in the Old Testament Church” in The Psalms in Worship (1907). Edmonton: Still Waters Revival Books, 1992, page 86.
2. McNaughter, John. “A Special Exegesis of Colossians 3:16 & Ephesians 5:19” in The Psalms in Worship (1907), page 142.
3. Bushell, Michael. Songs of Zion: A Contemporary Case for Exclusive Psalmody (Third edition). Pittsburgh: Crown & Covenant Publications, 1999, page 64.