FWD: Morning Manna (July 28); BP: Col. 3:12-17; RBTTY: Acts 28; Ps. 46-48

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 20:52:50 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (July 28); BP: Col. 3:12-17; RBTTY: Acts 28; Ps. 46-48
 
 
July 28 “On Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs”  
 
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom—teaching and  
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing  
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  
Colossians 3:16  
Ours is a “repertoire of righteousness” when we’re in tune with the  
Lord.  
Someone once said, “Music is the universal language and love is the  
theme.” This is certainly a proven truism, for all you have to do is visit  
another country and hear one of your favorite songs being sung in another  
language to realize its validity.  
 
Now, it’s possible for that “favorite” song of yours to take on a  
little different beat and sound when encountered in a different culture.  
And, even if you don’t recognize the translated lyrics, you’ll still most  
likely recognize the melody.  
 
The Apostle Paul exhorted the brethren in the church and Colosse—which  
was around 100 miles east of Ephesus in what is now modern-day Turkey—to  
“teach and admonish (Grk. ‘noutheteo’—‘to put in mind, to caution or gently  
reprove, to warn, rebuke, etc.’) one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual  
songs.”  
 
Now, at first glance, we wonder why he simply didn’t use the singular,  
generic “songs” instead of “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” Most  
likely, it’s because each one of these types of music plays an important  
role in our pilgrimage of faith.  
 
We know “psalms” are basically poems set to music. Even though they  
don’t rhyme like poems with which we’re familiar, they still are “songs of  
the soul” that tell of the ups-and-downs. . .joys and sorrows. . .victories  
and defeats, etc., of the psalmist.  
 
“Hymns” are more abstract and stately in nature. They basically sing  
“about” God or Jesus and are filled with great theological truths that both  
educate and edify. And, “spiritual songs” are those heartfelt, musical  
expressions that spring spontaneously from the lips and are usually love  
songs “to” our Lord.  
 
Regardless of the type, all of them combine to “teach and admonish” us  
in the way of righteousness. Long after we’ve forgotten algebraic  
equations. . .historical dates and events. . .hordes of technical data,  
etc., we still have a way of remembering those precious songs we learned as  
a child—and how they give light to a troubled soul when all else fails us.  
Glory!!  
 
It’s not coincidental that Paul said “Let the Word of Christ dwell in  
you richly in all wisdom” in relation to our “singing with grace in our  
hearts to the Lord.” He knew—and so should we—that the greatest songs of  
praise are those that spring from the vast riches of God’s Word. Setting  
these eternal truths to music helps us remember them. We should also note  
that these edifying songs are to be sung “one to another.” Simply put,  
they’re not for our own personal enjoyment; instead, they’re to aid us in  
building up the Body of Christ and instruct us in how to live/sing with  
hearts full of grace to Him.  
 
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