Ephesians 5:19: Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
God gives us a pattern to follow for our worship. This pattern is the “recipe” for worshiping in a way that pleases the One who our worship must be directed toward.
Part of God’s pattern involves worship through music. The music He authorizes is not playing with mechanical instruments. Rather, He specifically authorizes singing. (cf. Acts 16:25;
1 Cor. 14:15; Col. 3:16; Jas. 5:13).
While there is a need to avoid worshiping in ways God’s not authorized, there is just as great a need to ensure that the way we sing pleases God.
The words, “making melody in your heart to the Lord” demonstrate a key part of this. Colossians 3:16 contains a similar exhortation, commanding, “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” These phrases show that our singing must be sincere. Our hearts should be moved as we sing with thanksgiving words that we mean. This demonstrates that God doesn’t “rate” singing the way the world does. Rather, He judges according to what He wants. Those who are afraid their singing is “not up to par” should remember that God is listening to their hearts (those tempted to criticize such individuals should remember this too).
Besides the glory we should bring God as we sing, there’s a great deal to learn in the words of the hymns we sing. While Ephesians 5:19 commands, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” Colossians 3:16 commands, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”
These phrases show that an important purpose of “congregational” singing is to edify one another. Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to this edification…not just a select few in a “church choir.” Edification results from a focus on the words being sang. Most every song we sing has a sermon (or more) within it. While our outward actions matter when we worship God, so too does the heart. Following His instruction concerning singing in worship includes making melody with our hearts. This causes a sound that is beautiful to God and builds up those singing.
– Michael Hickox