“Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people” (Psalm 9:11).

“Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name” (Psalm 30:4).

The Jews, living under the law of Moses, were commanded to “sing praises to the Lord.” In the book of Psalms, there are at least 30 times when the phrase “sing praise” or “sing praises” is mentioned. Those Jews understood this command.

Today, no one is commanded to live under the law of Moses. This law was nailed to the cross at the death of Jesus Christ: “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

The law of Moses is spoken of as a tutor or schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but none are under that tutor now. “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Galatians 3:24-25).

Therefore, those who belong to Christ (Christians) are to obey Christ’s law (commandments). “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2);  and certainly Christ’s law includes singing praises to God.

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

“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).

Read again, carefully, those commands. Did you notice any mention of singing with a mechanical instrumentment? Did you notice any
mention of some individuals humming, while others sing? Did you notice any mention of clapping while singing? Did you notice anything else to be added to the singing? NO! Christians are commanded to sing and make melody in the heart, to sing to the Lord with grace in the heart. The heart is the instrument to be used when obeying the command to sing praises to God today.

Whatever we do today must be done in the name of, by the authority of the Lord Jesus, with no additions, deletions, or substitutions. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

Let us rejoice and sing praises to the Lord, but let us also remember to do this exactly as Jesus Christ has commanded!

Originally posted on April 23, 2012

By Dena Ivie
Dena and her husband, Charles serve with the church in Tatum, NM. Charles is the pulpit minister for the congregation of about 20 members from the local area. There are more articles by Dena on the ladies’ page of their website and on her blog.