Songs From the Church’s Confessions

July 2, 2023 God by His Creative Word – Based on Lord’s Day 9 & 10 of the Heidelberg Catechism June 25, 2023 Lord’s Day 10 – Leaf & Blade June 25, 2023 Lord’s Day 10 Heidelberg Catechism in Poetry & Rhyme with Guitar Notation June 25, 2023 Lord’s Day…

The Principles
Instruments
Psalms
Hymns
History

We are what we sing - searching for a balanced diet

This article reflects on how the textual and musical substances in congregational singing become the building blocks for a life of faith. Popular John D. Witvliet Reformed Worship 2001 3 Read article [...]

Not Just Any Song Will Do: Three Basics for Choosing Church Music

Much church music (new and old, "contemporary" or "traditional") is of suspect quality and appropriateness for authentic worship in the Reformed tradition. How should we determine what music is appropriate to sing in worship services? This article reflects on relevant considerations and principles. Popular Ronald W. Scates Leo M. Wanenchak Reformed Worship 1997 3 Read article [...]

Teens and Church Music: What Do They Really Think?

This article reflects on the surprising choices of teenagers with regard to the style of church music. Popular Barbara J. Resch Reformed Worship 1997 3 Read article [...]

When God Stops Listening: Doxology and Deed Have to Be in the Same Key

This article echoes the message of the prophet Amos that the praises in song of the church can never be a substitute for deeds of justice. Popular Louis Arthur Vos Reformed Worship 1995 2 Read article [...]

What Should We Sing?

Is exclusive psalmody what the church should hold to? This article shows that while singing Psalms should be valued, hymns should not be excluded. God’s people have a mandate to compose and sing hymns. Basic Peter J. Naylor The Evangelical Presbyterian 2008 5 The Question⤒🔗 Should we sing Psalms only? ‘Exclusive Psalmody’ is the teaching that, in the worship of the church, we should sing all, and only, the 150 Psalms found in the biblical Book of Psalms. We are not allowed to sing hymns. Hymn singing is sinning against God. There is no unity on this question among the reformed churches. On one hand, for example, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America states, “The Book of Psalms, consisting… [...]

A Few Notes on Musical Instruments in Worship

What kind of music is appropriate in church? This article looks at the use of instruments to support congregational singing during the worship service. The author does this by examining John Calvin's reaction to the use of instruments. Popular R. Dean Anderson 4 Recently in Canada (Oct. 2014 in Burlington) there has apparently been a ‛Reformed Music in Worship Conference’. This conference has generated a number of articles in the church magazine of our Canadian sisters, Clarion about the use of music and musical instruments in worship. Both prof. A. de Visser and prof. C. van Dam have contributed to the discussion. Without going into detail on these articles, I’d like to contribute a couple of considerations to our readers here… [...]

With Strings Attached: Leading Congregational Singing with the Guitar

Many congregations use the guitar to lead part of the congregational singing. This article reflects on the appropriate musical arrangements and harmonization with other instruments used. Popular Mimi Farra Reformed Worship 1998 2 Read article [...]

Giving a Hymn a Lift: When Should the Organist Change Keys?

This article gives organists advice on changing keys when leading congregational singing. Popular Jan Overduin Reformed Worship 1994 2 Read article [...]

Musical Instruments in the Public Worship

The regulative principle of worship states that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by his word. Does this mean that there should be no musical instruments in public worship? This article examines reasons why Calvin and others were against musical instruments and why the church today can make use of musical instrument during worship. Popular Cornelis van Dam Clarion 2015 5 How important are musical instruments for our public worship? Does Scripture mandate them? If not, are they forbidden or do we have the freedom to choose whatever instrument we wish to have in our worship service? These kinds of questions were raised in the Reformed Music in Worship Conference in Burlington on October 25, 2014.… [...]

Instrumental Music in Worship?

This article argues that musical instruments in the Old Testament pointed to the coming of Christ, and that his coming rendered them obsolete. In light of this, together with the lack of divine warrant in the New Testament to use instruments to accompany the singing in worship, the author argues against the use of instruments in public worship. Popular John W. Keddie Witness 2010 5 Very little thought is given these days to the question of the propriety of using instrumental music in public worship services. It is not questioned. The fact that instrumental accompaniment was more or less unknown in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland up to the end of the 19th Century comes as a surprise to people,… [...]

Singing in the Corporate Worship of the Church

This article looks at the place of singing in the worship service. The author does this by looking first at the place of singing in the temple and synagogue services, and the role of the Psalms in shaping this singing. Singing takes a central place in corporate worship, and must be done in such a way that it is in accordance with God's word. Popular R. Dean Anderson 38 Open Download Google Drive [...]

Why Should We Sing Psalms?

Why should we sing psalms? This article looks at various benefits in psalm-singing. Basic Joel R. Beeke The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth 2016 10 Open Download Google Drive Should today’s Christians sing psalms in public worship? For a long time — about eighteen hundred years — that question would not have been relevant. Throughout those years Christians of all kinds used psalms in worship. Some chanted them as prose texts in Greek or Latin, and some sang them in metrical versions (the Hebrew psalms rendered into lyrical poetry according to the forms of a given language and set to tunes suitable for congregational use). The situation began to change in the late eighteenth century, and since then psalm singing… [...]

Therapeutic Praise

Why is it that psalm singing is experiencing somewhat of a revival in various places? This article suggests that the main reason is in their therapeutic value. The Psalms minister powerfully to the emotional life of the believer. Popular David P. Murray The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth 2017 2 Despite hundreds of new Christian songs of every possible genre being composed every year, the ancient Psalms are experiencing somewhat of a revival in various places. Why? I believe the main reason for this lies in their therapeutic value. In a day of so many disordered emotions, worshippers are discovering how the Psalms minister so powerfully to their emotional lives. The Psalms balance divine revelation and human emotion⤒🔗 Some Christian songs… [...]

Psalm 13; Psalm 25; Psalm 33

This article introduces a number of psalms to sing in corporate worship: Psalm 13, Psalm 25, and Psalm 33. Popular Emily R. Brink Reformed Worship 1997 3 Read article [...]

Three Ways the Psalms Should Shape Modern Worship

Church music and singing are essential to the worship of the church. This article explains three ways in which the Psalms should shape the worship songs of the church. Popular Adriel Sanchez Core Christianity 2018 2 Read article [...]

Singing Christ into Our Hearts

Singing has been a vital part of the life of God's people since the Old Testament. This article encourages the use of hymns in the worship of the church, but particularly hymns rich with godly experience as well as a focus on the mercies of God in his Son. The church must exercise great care in choosing its hymns. Popular Michael Horton Westminster Seminary California 2010 3 Read article [...]

Songs of Hospitality, Stewardship of Creation, Ascension, and Pentecost

This article introduces songs to be used in worship that focuses on hospitality, stewardship of creation, Ascension Day, and Pentecost. Popular Emily R. Brink Reformed Worship 2001 2 Read article [...]

It Came upon the Midnight Clear; Angels We Have Heard on High; In the Lord, I'll Be Ever Thankful; Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light; Psalm 97

This article introduces a number of hymns and Psalm 97 for singing in a corporate worship service: "It Came upon the Midnight Clear"; "Angels We Have Heard on High"; "In the Lord, I'll Be Ever Thankful"; "Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light." Popular Emily R. Brink Reformed Worship 2000 4 Read article [...]

"Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise"; "O Sing to the Lord"; "Like the Murmur of the Dove's Song"; "Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading"

This article introduces a number of hymns to be used in public worship: "Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise," "O Sing to the Lord," "Like the Murmur of the Dove's Song," and "Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading." Popular Annetta Vander Lugt Reformed Worship 1999 2 Read article [...]

Songs for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

This article introduces a number of hymns for use in public worship during Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Popular Bert Polman Reformed Worship 1998 3 Read article [...]

Oh, for a Thousand Tunes: A Bicentennial Tribute to Lowell Mason (1792-1872)

The hymns and tunes of Lowell Mason are among the best known and best loved in English hymnals. Mason, for example, was the composer of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Joy to the World." This article is a tribute to Mason. Popular Sherman Vander Ark Reformed Worship 1992 2 Read article [...]

With Reservations: A Review of Three Influential Books on the Praise and Worship Movement

Where does the Praise and Worship movement come from? This article reviews three influential books on the movement. Popular Harry Boonstra Reformed Worship 1991 2 Read article [...]

"Sinners Jesus Will Receive": The British Reception of Neumeister's Hymn

Erdmann Neumeister (1671-1756) was a Lutheran court preacher and composer of church cantatas. One of his most popular hymns was first published in 1718, "Jesus Nimmt die Sunder An." This hymn's reception in Britain is considered in this article. Semi-Technical John S. Andrews Evangelical Quarterly 1983 8 Read article [...]

Sheltering in the Rock of Ages

This article explores the biblical background to the hymn "Rock of Ages." Popular J. E. North The Banner of Truth 2007 4 Read article [...]

Contemporary Worship Music – Orientation

In this chapter John Frame argues for a limited use of Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) or Contemporary Worship Music (CWM) in the worship of the church. Frame seeks to define CWM and wants to place it in the context of its relationship to the broader phenomenon of Contemporary Worship (CW). Semi-Technical John M. Frame Contemporary Worship Music: A Biblical Defense P & R Publishing 1997 1-11. Open Download Google Drive Visit publisher Buy book P & R Publishing [...]