Congregational Singing as Worship: Its Primary Purpose Is God Rather Than Man
The New Testament (NT) church does not abandon Old Testament (OT) worship but fulfills it. Christ did fulfill the priesthood, the sacrifices, the tabernacle, and the covenant, yet He did not abolish worship itself. Rather, He opened the way into the very presence of God, where His redeemed people now assemble as a “spiritual house” and “an holy priesthood” to “offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The church, therefore, is not merely a gathering for instruction or fellowship. It is the assembly of God’s priests before His presence.
Hebrews 13:15 concludes its magnificent exposition of Christ’s priesthood with the exhortation:
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
This conclusion raises another important question. If the assembled church truly functions as God’s priesthood, what place does congregational singing occupy within that priestly ministry? Has sacred music ceased to be worship? Has it become merely a means of education, encouragement, or evangelism? Does the New Testament transform the offerings to God for His pleasure into an exercise primarily directed elsewhere?
Modern evangelicalism frequently assumes that the chief purpose of congregational music is horizontal. Many, if not most, now evaluate music according to its emotional impact, its attractiveness to visitors, its effectiveness in producing congregational participation, or its ability to communicate truth in memorable form. Discussions concerning music regularly revolve around the question, “Will people like it?” or “Will this reach our community?” Even where sincere desire exists to honor God, practical decisions often reveal that the congregation has become the principal audience under consideration.
The Emphasis of Scripture
Throughout both Testaments, sacred praise consistently ascends toward God Himself. Believers certainly hear one another. They encourage one another. They learn from one another. Unbelievers may even witness the praises of God’s people, which brings them under conviction (cf. Psalm 40:3). Yet none of these effects changes the direction of the offering. The congregation hears the praise, but God receives it.
This distinction is not a matter of mere terminology. It touches the very nature of worship. Every sacrifice offered upon Israel’s altar benefited the nation in one way or another. The worshiper himself experienced forgiveness, fellowship, thanksgiving, or renewed communion with God. Others observed the sacrifices, reminding them of God’s holiness and mercy. Nevertheless, no Israelite concluded that these beneficial effects altered the recipient of the sacrifice. The offering belonged to God. It ascended before Him. He alone was its proper object.
The same principle governs the New Testament church. Hebrews deliberately describes congregational praise as “the sacrifice of praise to God.” The direction remains unchanged. Spiritual sacrifices differ from animal sacrifices in their substance, but not in their object. God continues to receive the worship of His assembled people.
Consequently, when scripture speaks concerning congregational singing, one should expect to discover this same Godward orientation. If the New Testament intended to redefine sacred music as primarily instructional or congregational in its direction, such a significant transformation would require equally explicit teaching. Instead, one finds precisely the opposite. The biblical pattern remains remarkably consistent from Genesis to Revelation.
The Overwhelming Direction of Sacred Praise Throughout Scripture
A Long List
One of the simplest observations in all of scripture is also one of the most neglected. Whenever the Bible explicitly identifies the direction of sacred singing, that direction is overwhelmingly toward God. The Bible says the following:
Starting with “Sing” or “Singing”
“sing to thy name” (1 time), “sang unto the Lord” (1 time), “sing ye to the Lord” (1 time), “sing praise to the Lord” (1 time), “sing praise unto the Lord” (1 time), “sing praise unto thy name” (1 time), “sing praise upon the harp unto our God” (1 time), “sing praise to the name of the Lord” (1 time), “sing praise to thee” (1 time), “sing praise unto thee” (2 times), “sing unto God” (2 times), “sing unto thee” (3 times), “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (1 time), “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (1 time), “sing praises” (15 times), “sing praises” (15 times), “sing unto the Lord” (16 times)
Starting with “Make a Joyful Noise”
“make a joyful noise unto God” (1 time), “make a joyful noise unto the God” (1 time), “make a joyful noise unto him” (1 time), “make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (1 time), “make a joyful noise before the Lord” (1 time), “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” (2 times)
Starting with “Praise” or “Praising”
“praise thy power” (1 time), “praise thy glorious name” (1 time), “praise thy works” (1 time), “praising thee” (1 time), “praise thy God” (1 time), “praising and thanking the Lord” (1 time), “praising and giving thanks unto the Lord” (1 time), “praising and blessing God” (1 time), “praise unto God” (1 time), “praise to God” (1 time), “praise God” (2 times), “praise him” (18 times), “praise ye the Lord” (24 times), “praise the Lord” (33 times), “praise thy name” (7 times), “praise unto our God” (1 time)
Others
“O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard” (1 time), “shew forth thy praise to all generations” (1 time), “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.” (1 time), “bless the Lord” (15 times), “bless the Lord” (18 times)
The same language appears throughout Israel’s inspired hymnbook. Psalms again and again plainly states the object of praise. God’s people sing unto the Lord. They praise His name, bless the Lord, make a joyful noise unto God, and give thanks unto Him.
The cumulative testimony is remarkable. Scripture does not merely mention this direction occasionally. Rather, it repeats it with overwhelming consistency. The Psalter alone contains scores of commands directing praise heavenward. Throughout the historical books, the prophets, and the Psalms, sacred music appears not as performance before men but as worship offered to God.
The NT Taking from Already Established Pattern of the OT
Following the Pattern
Biblical interpretation ordinarily proceeds from the many clear passages to the few that are more difficult. Since scripture tells God’s people to sing to Him alone, a believer should interpret everything in the light of that. This principle becomes especially important when approaching the principal NT passages concerning church music.
The early church movement did not establish worship in a vacuum. The OT was the scripture of the early church. Because the OT already deeply established the foundation of praise, the Apostles did not need to re-legislate or re-explain the concept of singing to God. They simply assumed it.
Jesus Fulfilling the Pattern
When the NT speaks of singing, it directly ties the activity to the canonical Psalms. Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 note that after the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples “sang a hymn” before heading to the Mount of Olives. This was the traditional Jewish recitation of the Passover Hallel (Psalms 113–118). Jesus Himself engaged in OT musical worship as a natural expression of covenant loyalty. John Gill, in his commentary, taught that this fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:22, mentioned then also in Hebrews 2:12, as His singing in the church. He writes:
This is to be understood not of the church above, but of the church below; and not of the synagogue of the Jews, but of the disciples of Christ, and of his singing an hymn to God, with and among them, as he did at the institution of the supper, Matthew 26:30 for though the number of the apostles was but small, yet they made a congregation or church, and which was a pure and glorious one. With the Jews {h}, ten men made a congregation.
The Apostle Paul Teaching the Pattern
Both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 instruct believers to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” to the Lord. By explicitly naming psalms, Paul also explicitly anchors Christian song in the OT Psalter.
Paul commands the Ephesian believers (5:19):
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
Likewise, he writes to the Colossians (3:16):
Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Notice carefully how both passages conclude. In both cases, Paul explicitly states that believers sing to the Lord.
Further Evidence of This Trajectory
This conclusion should immediately caution interpreters against making the congregation itself the principal audience of sacred praise. Whatever instruction, encouragement, or mutual benefit arises from congregational singing, Paul still directs the melodies unto the Lord. The horizontal effects do not replace the vertical offering.
Indeed, this perfectly harmonizes with Hebrews 13:15. The sacrifice of praise is offered “to God.” The congregation hears it. The saints are strengthened by it. Nevertheless, the offering ascends to God Himself.
To argue otherwise would require one to explain why scripture repeatedly specifies the recipient of praise if the principal audience actually consists of the congregation. Instead, the biblical testimony speaks with remarkable unanimity. God’s people gather before Him not to perform for one another but to worship the One who redeemed them.
Psalm 40, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3: Worship Directed to God While Edifying the Saints
Those who maintain that congregational singing is directed equally toward God and toward the congregation ordinarily appeal to only a few passages of scripture. The two principal New Testament texts are Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, while Psalm 40:3 is sometimes cited because of its reference to unbelievers observing the praise of God’s people. Considering the overwhelming testimony of scripture directing praise to God, these passages deserve careful examination. Yet they must be interpreted in harmony with the broader witness of scripture rather than in opposition to it.
Psalm 40:3 — Recipient Versus Observer
The first passage is Psalm 40:3:
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
The direction of the song is plainly stated. David calls it “praise unto our God.” The song is offered to God. The latter portion of the verse describes what others experience as they witness this worship. “Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” Their seeing and fearing result from observing genuine worship.
This distinction is important. The unbelievers are not the recipients of the praise. They are observers of praise directed to God. They benefit from witnessing worship, just as an unbeliever may be convicted by hearing the prayers of God’s people or by observing their holy conduct. The beneficial effect upon others does not redefine the object of the worship itself.
This principle appears throughout Scripture. The nations frequently witness God’s dealings with His people and come to acknowledge His greatness. Israel’s obedience was intended to display God’s wisdom before the nations (Deuteronomy 4:6). Christ taught that believers should let their light shine before men so that others might glorify the Father (Matthew 5:16). The testimony affects men, but the glory belongs to God. Psalm 40 follows the same pattern. The praise ascends to God, while men behold it and are brought under conviction.
Two Principal New Testament Passages
The just quoted (above) two principal New Testament passages, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, require equally careful attention. These verses have often been treated as though they establish two equal audiences for congregational singing — God and the congregation. Yet a closer examination reveals something quite different. Notice first that neither passage concludes with the congregation. Both conclude identically: “to the Lord.” Paul himself identifies the direction of the singing. Whatever else occurs within these verses, the saints offer the music consciously to the Lord, not to each other.
This conclusion alone should govern the interpretation of the surrounding language. One should not allow subordinate phrases to overturn the explicit statement concerning the object of the praise. If Paul had intended to redefine congregational singing as primarily an exercise directed toward fellow believers, it is difficult to explain why he concludes each passage by directing the melodies to the Lord. The expressions “speaking to yourselves” and “teaching and admonishing one another” therefore deserve closer consideration.
Speaking, Teaching, and Admonishing: Horizontal
In Ephesians 5:18–21, Paul gives one main command —”be filled with the Spirit” — followed by five modifying present participles that demonstrate what a Spirit-filled community looks like: speaking, singing, making melody, giving thanks, and submitting. The use of speaking highlights that all Christian speech in the assembly, whether spoken, prayed, or preached, is meant to convey intelligible, Spirit-inspired truth to one another. The parallel passage in Colossians 3:16 serves as the divine commentary on Ephesians 5:19.
Throughout Paul’s epistles, “speaking” (Greek lalountes or laleo) is the standard word used for preaching the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:2), teaching doctrine (Titus 2:1), prophesying or praying in an assembly (1 Corinthians 14:3, 28), and everyday edifying conversation (Ephesians 4:25, 29). By selecting “speaking” rather than repeating a specific musical verb, Paul intentionally grounds the activity in the broader category of verbal discourse.
Where Colossians explicitly lists “teaching and admonishing,” Ephesians summarizes these mutual verbal ministries under the overarching participle “speaking.” Understood in this light, “speaking to one another” encompasses the horizontal communication of the assembly, to one another, that is, spoken exhortation, testimony, public reading of scripture, and teaching, all serving to instruct, encourage, and build up the body. As the verse continues, this vocal speech overflows into direct worship, thanksgiving, and prayer aimed heavenward (“singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”).
Calvin and Hodge
To evince a historical basis for what I’m writing here, John Calvin in his commentary notes that Paul deliberately shifts terms and directions within the verse to highlight both the interpersonal and Godward aspects of worship. He argues that “speaking to one another” refers to mutual edification, instruction, and spiritual conversation among Christians, whereas “singing to the Lord” is the internal and external expression of praise offered directly to God.
Charles Hodge, in his commentary on Ephesians, makes a clear distinction between the mode and object of both verbs. Hodge explains that “speaking to one another” denotes reciprocal vocal communication — believers instructing, admonishing, and encouraging each other using sacred truths. Conversely, “singing and making melody” describes the direct, devotional adoration of the soul directed “to the Lord. He emphasizes that while the former builds up the congregation, the latter is strictly an act of direct worship toward Christ.
O’Brien and Lloyd Jones
Peter O’Brien in his The Letter to the Ephesians highlights the structural contrast between the two phrases in the Greek text. He points out that the verse contains a clear “dual directional” structure. “Speaking” functions as an umbrella term for the horizontal, mutual verbal edification (similar to “teaching and admonishing” in Colossians 3:16), whereas “singing and making melody” specifies the musical act of heart-worship directed heavenward.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his extensive exposition of Ephesians (Life in the Spirit) insists that “speaking to one another” is not simply a synonym for “singing together.” Lloyd-Jones argues that believers are called to speak these sacred truths to one another, reciting psalms, quoting Scripture, sharing testimony, and exhorting each other in everyday fellowship, not merely when standing together in formal congregational singing. He contrasts this with “singing and making melody in your heart,” which he defines as the inner, spirit-wrought devotion that overflows specifically toward God.
“Teaching and Admonishing One Another” — Grammatical and Syntactical Basis
Parallelism with Ephesians 5:18–19
Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18–19 are companion passages written in the same period. In both letters, the dative terms (psalms, hymns, songs) modify the vocal, musical praise rather than bare instructional discourse.
Balanced Structural Rhythm (Preposition/Dative + Participle)
When parsed this way, Colossians 3:16 exhibits symmetrical Greek poetic structure, where each participle is modified by a preposed dative phrase indicating manner or instrument. There are two pairs. He first joins “in all wisdom” with “teaching and admonishing.” In the second pair, he connects “in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” with “singing.” This is how the structure reads in both Greek and English. The dative prepositional phrase precedes the participle.
Position of the Preposed Dative (Dative of Means/Manner)
In Koine Greek syntax, an instrumental dative or dative of manner (in this case, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs) very often (30-35% of the time) precedes the participle it modifies (singing). It will do that for certain reasons: one, focus or emphasis; two, parallelism and poetic rhythm; and three, it is adjectival or attributive. When a participle functions like an adjective modifying a noun, prepositions or datives modifying that participle almost always sit between the article and the participle (preposed).
The dative prepositional phrase right before and modifying the participle serves as a natural lead-in to the verb of singing rather than an awkward appendage to teaching. Here are two other examples of many in the New Testament of this construction:
- Romans 12:12, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” In the same Greek text, Paul uses three back-to-back clauses in which a preposed dative of manner/instrument precedes the participle.
- Jude 1:20, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” The instrumental/locative dative phrase “in/by the Holy Spirit” directly precedes the present participle “praying.” It defines the instrument or sphere through which believers perform the participle’s action.
Semantic Coherence
“Teaching and admonishing” are primarily intellectual and moral activities governed by “wisdom.” Attaching “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” directly to “singing” aligns the musical forms with the musical action directed toward God.
What Goes with What?
As a Connection — 1 Corinthians 14:26
1 Corinthians 14:26 ends with the imperative, “Let all things be done unto edifying.” I’ve heard an argument from that statement, which says the purpose of singing in the church is edification. The edification of saints is not the enemy of singing to God. One should assume that music God accepts and appreciates will edify saints as a byproduct. God-honoring music will edify, but that isn’t its purpose. In fact, when the audience of the singing and making melody becomes the congregation instead of God, that will serve to corrupt the nature or quality of the singing and making melody.
Edification Accompanies Congregational Praise
Edification as a byproduct also harmonizes perfectly with the Old Testament pattern. Throughout the temple service, the Levites sang before the Lord. Their ministry undoubtedly instructed Israel. The worshipers heard the inspired Psalms and learned God’s truth through them. Yet no Israelite concluded that because instruction occurred, the songs had therefore become directed to the congregation rather than to God. The instruction accompanied the worship. It did not redefine it.
The same principle governs the New Testament church. Edification accompanies congregational praise because God Himself designed it to do so. The more faithfully the church worships according to His Word, the more profoundly that worship instructs, strengthens, and encourages the church. Nevertheless, these blessings remain the gracious consequences of worship rather than its chief purpose.
Here is the simplicity of the assertion. Worship is vertical in its direction, while edification is horizontal in its effect. The direction never changes, even though God graciously blesses His people through the very worship they offer Him.
More to Come