Are we supposed to use musical instruments in church?

What about the use of musical instruments in Christian worship?

Musical instruments were used in connection with worship in Old Testament times. Some of the Psalms refer to ‘stringed instruments' in their headings (see Ps. 4; 6; 54; 55; etc.) or in their text (e.g. 33:2; 45:8). In David's time, as part of the ‘service of the house of God', various musical instruments were used: ‘cymbals, psalteries, and harps' (1 Chr. 25:6).

When we come to the New Testament we no longer read of any musical instruments as part of worship on the earth – except in a symbolical sense in Revelation[9]. Rather, the directions are: ‘speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord' (Eph. 5:19), ‘singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord' (Col. 3:16).

Therefore, the use of musical instruments in Christian worship is not according to God's mind.

It should be observed that neither here, in this inspired description of the coming together of a Christian company (I Cor. 14), nor anywhere else in the book of Acts or in the Epistles do we read of playing an instrument as part of the worship service.

Instrumental music is out of place at such a gathering and contrary to the spirit and character of the Assembly so gathered. The object before us at such a time is not the pleasing of our senses, our fallen nature, or the gratifying of the outsider with pleasing sounds, but the presenting to God of what suits Him-that with which He has filled our hearts by the Holy Spirit. That which is acceptable and pleasing to God is "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19), "singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). After all, no instrument can equal in effect the human voice; so said Haydn a famous composer. With Israel, an earthly people, we find instrumental music in place, but the Church is a heavenly body and all is to be by the Holy Spirit. It should hardly be necessary to add that reverence should certainly accompany a true spirit of worship. Since we enter into the holiest of all, our souls should be filled with such reverence and godly fear as becomes the presence of God. If we consider the examples given of worshippers in the Scriptures, we find that saints of every age were careful to express reverence before God even in the posture of body which they assumed in worship and prayer. Abraham fell on his face before the Lord (Gen. 17:99; Moses bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped (Ex. 34:8) ; the Levites called the people to, "Stand up and bless the Lord your God" (Neh. 9:5). The wise men fell down and worshipped the Child Jesus and the leper who was healed fell down at Jesus' feet (Matt. 2:11; Luke 17:16). To assume positions of bodily ease and indifference during praise or prayer (when physical infirmities do not hinder), certainly does not express reverence before the Lord.

When the divine judgment is poured out upon Babylon the great, every department of man's world will be remembered. The musical world that began with Jubal is not forgotten, for "the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee." God was pleased to have the music of David in connection with the temple worship, and He will again have music from Israel on earth; but the music of man's world, which is used to charm his heart away from God, is marked out for judgment. In this, the Spirit's day, instrumental music has no place in the worship of God, for we worship by the Spirit of God, and sing with the spirit, and with the under-standing (Phil. 3:3; 1 Cor. 14:15).

Perhaps the matter will be best understood if, taking account of the explanations given, but from a slightly different point of view, we conclude that each of the three words, psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, covers the whole range of Christian expression. The first (psalms) draws attention to the fact that Christian feeling expressed itself in compositions which were musical; the second (hymns) that they were in praise of God; and the third (spiritual songs), that also they were sung with the voice.

Some have attempted to make out that since the verb "to psalm" (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; James 5:13), is given in a certain popular concordance with the meaning "to sing praise with a musical instrument", it is necessarily implied that instrumental accompaniment is appropriate to singing in Christian worship. It has been so universally common to use instrumental accompaniment with singing in Christian worship that familiarity with it prevents our seeing what a far cry such a practice is from Scripture truth. The verb "to psalm" means "to pluck or twang a string with the finger." In its original use the string was a bowstring, but later a musical string. The only shred of Scripture evidence available to be called in support of using musical accompaniment in Christian worship, is the original meaning of this word, and the evidence is quite as strong for using bows and arrows as musical instruments. The word "lunatic" originally meant a person affected by the phases of the moon, but when we use the word in the twentieth century, we make no reference to the moon; the word is still used, but has entirely lost the original connection. Similarly, the use of the word "to psalm" in the New Testament of itself proves nothing at all about the use of musical instruments. In the Old Testament, instrumental music was explicitly authorised for the temple worship, and considerable detail given about the instruments used and the players: "an instrument of ten strings" (Psalm 92:3): "upon the harp will I praise Thee" (Psalm 43:4): "song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries and harps, for the service of the house of God" (1 Chron. 25:6): and numerous other references. When we contrast this with the total absence of such details in the New Testament, it can only be concluded that instruments were not used in the New Testament churches. Indeed, they would hinder by diverting attention from the inward spiritual activity essential to the true worship. The recognition of these facts is not confined to one communion. They have always been recognised by some, notably certain monastic orders in the Middle Ages and by the early Presbyterians in modern times. "Be filled with the Spirit … singing and psalming with your hearts" means that in such songs, the player is the Holy Spirit, and His instrument the believer's heart.

This is no warrant for Christians using such instruments in the worship of God because the distinctive feature of the Christian is, as the Apostle says, to "sing with the spirit and with the understanding also." But an earthly people would have an earthly form of expressing their praise. Therefore all is in season. "So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel." And then we find the singers and others — the doorkeepers, even — everything appointed in the most orderly manner.

All those present at Jerusalem at this time kept the feast for seven days, with great gladness, and the priests and Levites daily praised the Lord in singing with the accompaniment of musical instruments (v. 21). Instrumental music is pleasant to the human ear, though it is not really worship in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23-24), as the Lord insists that worship should be in this present age, in contrast to the "carnal (or fleshly) ordinances "prescribed for Israel (Heb. 9:9-10). The New Testament is silent as to the use of musical instruments in the service of God. When the Lord instituted the Lord's supper, it is recorded that they sang a hymn (Mk. 14:26), but there is no mention of any musical instrument. Why? Because true worship is from the heart, and though one plays an instrument well, this is not worship, for worship is for the Lord, not for people. The people may enjoy the instrumental music, but it is not worship of God. A gospel meeting is for the benefit of people, and instrumental music may attract people to hear, but this is not worship.

But while this false principle underlies "attractive preaching," it equally leavens what may be termed the "attractive accessories" of the gospel. Music and singing have indisputably no small influence on very many people. Good, however, as they may be in their places, the greater the need of scripture warrant for their use. The Cainites, when driven from the presence of God, made themselves contented in the land of Nod with the harp and pipe, (if not "organ") (Gen. 4:21). See also Job 21:12. It may be urged that in the history of Israel, musical instruments played a by no means unimportant part religiously. This however was during the period when man in the flesh was invited to devote his best as man to God; therefore a beautiful house, beautiful decorations, beautiful music, and beautiful singing had their places. But have not these things, as before God, passed away? Are they not among the beggarly elements of the world, being but types and shadows of that Antitype, which has long since come and alone abides with us? Worship now is in Spirit and truth, not in the flesh or form. Melody is not in wind or stringed instruments, but in the heart, "Singing and making melody (psallontes) in your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19).

Whether believers sing in the assembly, or at gospel meetings, are not their hymns the expression of their hearts to God? If saints do not sing to God, to whom do they sing? Is it really meant that they should sing to attract the unconverted? What is it to debase the praises of God as a bait to entice natural men to halls or meeting-rooms? Is it reverence and godly fear? Or shall we endeavour to combine the praise of God with the attraction of men in the same action? To state such a mixture of motives is really to condemn it; yet is it, or is it not, the fact? Is it to imitate the apostles and his companions? or are preachers wiser now-a-days? No! the principle of singing is, and must be, that it be to God. What room then for instruments and choral effects, or even solos? Leave them to such as preach little or no truth. It is a sin and a shame to bring into preaching the elements of the world and of Judaism, from which we have been delivered by the death of Christ (Col. 2). I distrust the utilitarian argument, that is, of success in divine things, when our prime call is to obey God alone. But if music and cultured singing work powerfully on the feelings and imaginations of many, how often do they not supplant Christ in the soul! There were some in a bygone day, who came to the Lord out of mere nature in mind or sentiment. The word concerning them is solemn: — "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man" (John 2:23).

Israel will not always be dumb as to the praise of Messiah. They will yet sing when that day comes. "Praise waits for Thee, O God, in Zion." Many scriptures prove it. "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their king" (Ps. 149). It will be quite in its place by and by for an earthly people to have the dance and the instrumental music. But we are "holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling," and God has given us no warrant for such things now that the Holy Ghost is here since Pentecost, and we have the Holy Spirit indwelling the Christian, and the church. On the contrary, where singing in the assembly is spoken of, it is, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." Do we want more?

Hezekiah also placed Levites who were musicians, with cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, in the house of the Lord, and also priests with trumpets (vv. 25-26). This was in accordance with the command of David. This music speaks of the joy of the Lord, which is to be a very real accompaniment to worship. In the Church of God today there are those who are anxious to make use of musical instruments in worship also, and of course they consider that since instruments were used in Israel's worship, they ought to be also in the worship of New Testament saints. But actually, this instrumental music is only symbolical of the joy of believers in worshiping God "in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:23), just as all the sacrifices of Israel were pictures of the one great sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. How wrong it would be for us today to sacrifice animals to God! When the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord's supper with His disciples, we read of no musical instruments, but they did sing a hymn (Mk. 14:26). What the Father desires of His saints today is not formal worship, but worship "in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:23).

There must have been with these prophets some knowledge of music, which doubtless under David was further cultivated and devoted to the service of God, their music being intimately connected with temple worship. He had several companies of singers, and players on instruments, which are often mentioned in the Psalms. As these were indited under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we may conclude that this way of celebrating the praises of God was in accordance with the dispensation that then was. Such an exhortation as "Praise him with the psaltery and harp," is beautifully in place in the Psalms; but in the N.T. dispensation it is, "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;" and "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." "They that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."