Week 5 The Practice of Service
LESSON FIVE
HYMNS SINGING
Hymn 1141
Scripture Reading:
Eph 5:18-19 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit, Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord.
THE OBJECTS TO WHOM WE SING
To God
Most hymns are directed toward God. The object of this poetry is God. Most of the psalms in the books of Psalms are poetry directed toward God. Psalm 51 is a famous psalm of prayer to God. All hymns of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer are sung to God.
To Men
Other psalms are directed toward men. Psalms 37 and 133 are examples of such psalms. This kind of hymn either preaches to men or encourages men to go to God….All the gospel hymns and hymns of admonition are sung to men.
To Oneself
There is still a third kind of hymn in the Bible—those which we sing to ourselves. Many passages in the book of Psalms include the phrase O my soul! All these hymns are directed toward oneself.
To One Another
Both Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 speak of the matter of mutual singing. In mutual singing, after one brother sings, another brother responds by singing. The first brother may sing again, and the other brother responds again. Or several brothers can sing and another group of brothers respond in singing. (Messages for Building Up New Believers, pp. 241-243)
EXERCISING OUR SPIRIT BY SINGING HYMNS
TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
You need to exercise your spirit. When you exercise your spirit and use your spirit, the Holy Spirit will fill your spirit. The best way to exercise the spirit is by praying and singing. (Meeting to Speak the Word of God, p. 36)
SPEAKING CHRIST WITH THE HYMNS
In Ephesians 5:18-19 Paul says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled in spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord.” We are to be filled with the Triune God as the all-inclusive, consummated Spirit in our spirit. This filling occurs, not by our speaking in the common, worldly language, but by speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In our hymnal there are many good hymns full of the truth. Every hymn, especially those written by us, is a good message full of the riches of Christ. For example, Hymn 501 describes how Christ was the infinite God in eternity, who as God’s radiant expression became a finite man, limited in time. As the very expression of God, He died for us to accomplish redemption in His flesh. Then He became a life-giving Spirit to be one with us. We must learn to speak Christ with the hymns. (Divine Speaking, pp. 23-24)
According to the New Testament, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are good not only for singing, but also for speaking. Sometimes we are inspired by singing. But on other occasions, speaking that is filled with pneuma may be more inspiring than singing. If we are flat, short of pneuma, then our speaking will afford no inspiration. But if we are full of pneuma, then our speaking will have impact and will inspire others. This is not eloquence; it is utterance with impact. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 434-435)
References: Messages for Building Up New Believers, lsn. 15; Meeting to Speak the Word of God, msg. 3; The Divine Speaking, ch.2; Life Study of Ephesians, msg. 51;Words of Training for the New Way, msg. 11.
