speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord,
Truth to Learn
Singing God’s praise is a sign of being filled with the Spirit.
Behind the Words
“Speaking” is from the Greek word laleō, meaning “to utter words,” that is, “to talk” or “to speak.”
The word “psalms” is transliterated from psalmos, derived from the verb psallō, meaning “to sing.” The words “making music” later in this verse are translated from psallō. Originally, psallō referred to the touching or plucking of a stringed instrument. Later it referred to the singing of a song accompanied by a musical instrument. A psalm tells a story of man’s deliverance or tells of God’s mercy to us.
The word “hymns” is transliterated from the Greek word humnos (hymnos), which is a declaration of praise regarding God’s greatness. According to the church father Augustine, a hymn had three characteristics: it was sung, it was praise, it was to God.
The words “spiritual songs” are translated from two words, pneumatikos and odē. Pneumatikos, derived from pneuma, meaning a spirit, refers to that which pertains to the spiritual world. Odē is the Greek word translated “songs.” Derived from the verb adō, it is a general term for a song.
“Singing” is from the Greek word adō. Throughout the Bible this word refers specifically to singing praises to God.
Meaning Explained
In the previous verse Paul commanded us not to be drunk with wine, allowing it to control our thoughts and actions. Instead he said, be filled with the Spirit of God, allowing Him to control our thoughts and actions.
Now you may ask, “How do I know when I am filled with the Spirit?” The Apostle answers that question with three different forms of evidence. The first is in today’s verse and the others are described in the following two verses. The first evidence of being Spirit filled is “singing and making music in your heart to the Lord.” When a person is filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, he or she cannot help himself or herself. The Spirit within us will break out in song. This singing will usually be accompanied by musical instruments, and it will be songs of praise to God for who He is and for what He has done. These songs will be “spiritual songs” because they are the result of the Spirit of God bursting out through our voices.
What you may not realize is that the only singing that many early Christians heard before coming to Christ was singing that accompanied drunkenness and idolatry, but that’s not the type of singing we’re commanded to do. It’s interesting to note that Paul says that these songs are a form of “speaking to yourselves.” These are messages of praise and encouragement that church members sing to themselves and to other church members. Some people in church just sing the songs because they know they’re supposed to. Others sing these songs simply because they like to sing. And others sing the same songs as a form of worship. Paul, however, says that we should also be singing these songs to each other. I believe Paul intends this to be a form of encouragement and fellowship.
Application
When we realize what God has done for us, we are filled with joy. That joy is often expressed in the form of singing. How wonderful it is to join together with our brothers and sisters each week, lifting our voices up in song. So, be filled with the Spirit and lift up your heart with songs of praise to God and encouragement to others.
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved