THE TRUE PSALMODY: Chapter II.

THE BOOK OF PSALMS HAS THE SEAL OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT, WHICH NONE OTHER HAS.

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I. These Psalms have the seal of Divine appointment. We give the argument, and the history of the ordinance of praise in the words of Dr. Pressly. “If it can be made to appear to the satisfaction of the reader, that the songs contained in the book of Psalms were given to the church to be used in celebrating the praise of God, it will then be admitted that the point in dispute is settled; for with all who receive the Bible as the rule of faith, it is a received principle, that in the worship of God, divine appointment is our guide. What evidence, then, have we, that the psalms and hymns and songs contained in the book of Psalms, were appointed by God, to be used in the celebration of his praise?

“The divine inspiration of the book of Psalms, will be admitted by all who are interested in the present discussion. Though it must be confessed that language is sometimes employed by those who

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plead for the use of hymns, in relation to those divine songs contained in the book of Psalms, which is utterly inconsistent with the reverence which is due to the Word of God, and which would seem to indicate, that in reality they are regarded as the productions of mere human genius. They who denominate some of these sacred hymns “cursing psalms,” and represent the Psalmist as giving vent to feelings of malevolence towards his personal enemies, surely do not regard him as one by whose mouth the Holy Ghost spake. But however incautiously and irreverently some men may have spoken of these divine songs, yet all who believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, will admit that the book of Psalms is the Word of God, and is, in common with other parts of the Bible, the rule of faith and practice. But while the book of Psalms is a revelation from God, and is, in common with the rest of the lively Oracles, profitable for instruction in righteousness, it is profitable especially as containing matter adapted to a particular purpose. In this book, the high praises of our God are celebrated by the divine Spirit, who “searcheth all things; yea, the deep things of God;” and therefore, these songs are profitable to the church especially, for the purpose of praising God, which is an end to which some other parts of divine revelation are not adapted. Every thing contained in

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the sacred volume is useful to the church of God; but some portions of the word of revelation are more appropriate to one purpose, while others are more especially adapted to another. And the book of Psalms is adapted to the edification of the church of God, especially as furnishing matter suitable to be employed in singing God’s praise. That these songs were given to the church to be sung in the worship of God, is evident from the peculiar character of their matter; the titles by which the Holy Ghost designates them, and from the use which was originally made of them by the church of God.

“The matter of these divine songs is peculiar, and indicates the particular end for which they were intended. Here,* the glory of Jehovah is celebrated in the sublimest strains of Eastern poetry, as displayed in the works of creation and of redemption; and the church is furnished with suitable matter for praising God, for his goodness, wisdom, power, love and mercy manifested in the salvation of man, the preservation of the church, and the government of the world. As, then, the peculiar character of the contents of any composition, manifests the end for which it was intended; as from its matter, we know that one composition is a political essay; another, is a philosophical specu-

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* See Chap. I.

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lation; and a third, is a biographical sketch of some distinguished individual; so from the matter of the book of Psalms, we learn that its peculiar design is the celebration of God’s praise, and that it was given to the church to be employed peculiarly for that purpose. ‘Praise ye the Lord; for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.’ These divine songs abound with ascriptions of praise to God, and with urgent calls addressed not only to the church in her collective capacity, but to all classes of men, to engage in this delightful exercise:—‘Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! praise thy God, O Zion!’ ‘Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord.’

“The titles which the Holy Spirit has employed to designate these divine hymns, indicate the particular use for which they were intended. The reader will please to remember what has been said in a preceding chapter, on the words of the Apostle, when he exhorts the church to engage in the duty of singing ‘psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.’ It is believed that no interpretation of the Apostle’s language can be sustained, which does not proceed upon the principle, that there is a reference to the different songs contained in the book of Psalms. And this being admitted, it will follow, that we have an explicit divine direction to employ these songs in the worship of God. But

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independent of this consideration, it is undeniable, that the Holy Spirit appropriates to this collection of sacred songs, the title, ‘the book of Psalms,’ or songs of praise. By this title they are referred to repeatedly in the New Testament. For example, our Lord, when speaking with reference to this portion of divine revelation, says, ‘David himself saith in the book of Psalms.’ (Luke xx. 42.) And in accordance with this, is the language of the Apostle Peter: ‘It is written in the book of Psalms.’ (Acts i. 20.) The word ‘psalm,’ is of Greek derivation, and comes from a word which signifies to sing. Psalms, then, are songs which are to be sung. And by giving to this collection of sacred songs, the title of the book of Psalms, the Holy Spirit recognised them as songs of praise to be sung in the worship of God. That these songs were originally used by the church in singing the praise of God, is a matter of historical record.

“Since, then, the book of Psalms is a collection of songs given to the church by the Holy Spirit, the matter of which indicates, that their peculiar design, is to set forth the praise of God; since the Holy Spirit has designated this collection, ‘the book of Psalms,’ or a book of songs of praise; since they are denominated, ‘the songs of Zion,’ and ‘the songs of the Lord;’ and since we learn from the sacred Scriptures, that these songs were used by the

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church of God, with divine approbation, therefore, we conclude, that these songs were given to the church by her glorious King, to be employed in singing God’s praise.

“That the force of the argument in favour of the divine appointment of the book of Psalms, to be employed in the worship of God, may more clearly appear, it may be of advantage, in this connexion, to review briefly, the history of this part of religious worship, as it may be deduced from the sacred Scriptures.

“In the primitive ages of the world, the worship of the Deity, it would appear, consisted chiefly in prayer, in connexion with the offering of sacrifice. There is no evidence furnished by any thing contained in the sacred history, that the singing of God’s praise formed any part of the regular worship of God. The first example recorded in the Bible, in which the people of God are represented as engaged in a social capacity, in this exercise of religious worship, is on the occasion of that signal display of the divine power and goodness, manifested in the deliverance of Israel at the Red sea, while their Egyptian adversaries experienced a terrible overthrow. ‘Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord; for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath

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he thrown into the sea.’ On a subsequent occasion, Deborah, a prophetess, furnished a song commemorative of the divine goodness in delivering Israel from the yoke of Jabin, the king of Canaan: Then sang Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, on that day, saying, Praise the Lord for the avenging of Israel.’ At that time, there had not yet been provided a book of Psalms, containing a collection of songs, adapted to the diversified circumstances of God’s people. Nor have we any evidence that the singing of God’s praise constituted any part of the stated worship of Jehovah; but when the circumstances of divine providence called for a public expression of gratitude to God, some individual was raised up, who, under the direction of the Spirit of God, furnished a song suited to the occasion.

“At least as early as the days of Samuel, there were established in the Hebrew Commonwealth, schools of the Prophets. These Seminaries of sacred learning were under the superintendence of some distinguished Prophet, and in them, the youth destined to the prophetic office, were employed in the study of divine things. Though the sacred history has given us but little information, relative to the exercises in which the youth in these schools were employed, we learn that one particular part of their business was the celebration of God’s praise,

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in sacred songs, accompanied by instruments of music, Saul, as Samuel had foretold, when he came to the hill of God, which was the seat of one of these colleges, was met by a company of prophets, who, ‘prophesied upon the psaltery, and tabret, and pipe, and harp.’ And seized by a divine impulse, Saul joined the company and prophesied also. And, on a subsequent occasion, when Saul sent messengers to Naioth, to apprehend David, we are told that when the messengers saw the company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. By prophesying, in these examples, is evidently meant the celebration of God’s praise, in sacred songs, under a divine influence. Accordingly, the sons of Asaph and Jeduthun, musicians in the temple, are represented as prophesying with a harp, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord.

“In these sacred colleges established in Israel, then, it appears that, among other employments, poetry and music were cultivated by the sons of the prophets; sacred hymns were composed under a divine influence, and were sung in the worship of God, accompanied by musical instruments. Whether any of the hymns composed in these schools of the prophets, have been transmitted to us, in that collection of sacred songs denominated

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the book of Psalms, we have not the means of determining with certainty.

“At length, however, in the person of David, a prophet was raised up, whom the Spirit of the Lord eminently qualified for this purpose; who not only composed a great variety of sacred hymns, but also reduced the public worship of God into a regular system, of which the singing of praise formed a part. That David was divinely qualified for this service, and called to it, is sufficiently evident from the express language of the Bible. “Now these be the last words of David: David, the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue.’ (2 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2.) In the worship of the ancient tabernacle, according to the appointment of Moses, the Israelites were directed to express their joy in God, by blowing with trumpets at the time of offering the sacrifices. ‘In the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets, over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings.’ (Numb. x. 10.) But in connexion with the offering of sacrifice, David introduced the singing of praise. By his direction the Levites were numbered and distributed into classes, that among

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other services connected with the worship of the temple, they might ‘stand every morning to thank and to praise the Lord, and likewise at evening.’ (1 Chron. xxiii. 30.) And in the performance of this part of their service, the custom was, that when the offering was presented on the altar, the Levites began to sing the praise of God. ‘When the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also, with the trumpets and with the instruments ordained by David, king of Israel.’ (2 Chron. xxix. 27.) And that these regulations in the worship of God and in the services of the temple, were made, not by his own private authority, but by divine direction, we have sufficient evidence. In the instructions which David gave to Solomon with regard to the temple and its worship, according to ‘the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit,’ there are included directions, for the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord. And in relation to these instructions, generally, it is added, ‘All this, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.’ (1 Chron. xxviii. 13, 19.) And as a further confirmation of the conclusion that in all these regulations connected with the worship of God, David was directed by divine wisdom, it is stated in the history of the reformation effected under the reign

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of Hezekiah, that this pious king ‘set the Levites in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, with psalteries and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad, the king’s seer, and Nathan, the prophet; for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets.’ (2 Chron. xxix. 25.)

“From this historical survey, then, it appears, that we have no evidence, that previous to the age of David, the singing of God’s praise formed a part of the stated worship of God. But, on particular occasions, when the dispensations of Divine Providence towards the church called for a public expression of their gratitude, the people of God poured forth their thankful acknowledgments in songs of praise; and at such times some one who was divinely qualified by being filled with the Holy Ghost, furnished a hymn suited to the exigencies of the church. But in all the history of the church, as recorded in the Bible, there is no evidence whatever that any person presumed to undertake such a service, who was not divinely called to it, by being endowed with the Spirit of inspiration.

“At length, after the Lord God of Israel had given rest unto his people, and they were in quiet possession of the land promised to their fathers, God raised up, in the person of David, a prophet, by whom the public worship of God was reduced

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into a regular system, of which the singing of praise formed a part. And as the celebration of God’s praise now became a regular part of divine worship, it became indispensably necessary that divine songs should be provided for the use of the church. Accordingly, God, who selects his own instruments for the accomplishment of his work, called David to the performance of this most important service. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he was endowed with those peculiar gifts which were necessary to qualify him for the office of a SWEET PSALMIST OF ISRAEL; and by his instrumentality, the church was furnished with a choice variety of ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,’ adapted to the diversified circumstances of the private believer and of the church of God. ‘In these songs,’ as the celebrated Edwards very justly observes, ‘David speaks of the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension into heaven, satisfaction and intercession of Christ; his prophetical, kingly and priestly office; his glorious benefits in this life and that which is to come; his union with the church; the blessedness of the church in him; the calling of the Gentiles; the future glory of the church, near the end of the world; and the coming of Christ to the final judgment.’* The singing of praise to

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* History of Redemption.

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God, from this time forth, formed a part of the regular worship of God; and by the sweet Psalmist of Israel, the anointed of the God of Jacob, by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake, the church of God was furnished with songs to be employed in divine worship.

“The divine appointment of these songs to be used in the worship of God, is just as conclusively established, as that David was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel, by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake. And accordingly, as a matter of historical record, we know that these songs were used by the church with divine approbation. At the dedication of the temple, it appears that among others, the 136th Psalm was sung. The Levites praised the Lord, saying, ‘For he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.’ And in testimony of the Divine approbation, ‘The house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.’ (2 Chron. xv. 13, 14.) And in the history of the reformation which took place during the reign of Hezekiah, who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done, we are informed that ‘Hezekiah the king, and the princes, commanded the

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Levites to sing praise unto the Lord, with the words of David and Asaph the seer.’ (2 Chron. xxix. 30.) David, who by way of eminence was styled the sweet Psalmist of Israel, was the principal individual employed in furnishing songs of praise for the use of the church; but Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and others, performed their part in the same interesting service. These holy men of God, who were endowed with the requisite gifts by the Spirit of inspiration, furnished for the use of the church, that rich and varied collection of divine hymns contained in the book of Psalms.

“By whom these songs, which were evidently composed by different persons and on a great variety of occasions, were collected into a book and arranged in their present order, we are not able to determine with absolute certainty. There is, however, strong probability in support of the conclusion, that this service was performed by Ezra. This distinguished priest and scribe, who acted a conspicuous part in that important reformation which was effected in connexion with the return of the Jews from Babylon, according to Jewish tradition, by divine direction, collected and arranged the different portions of the sacred writings then extant, and digested them in that systematic order in which they have been handed down to us. But let this matter be decided as it may, it is suffi-

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cient for us to know, that whoever may have collected these songs together, it was done with divine approbation; for the writers of the New Testament refer to them by the title, ‘the book of Psalms.’ And to use the language of the celebrated writer already referred to, ‘it is manifest that the book of Psalms was given of God for this end;’ that is, that it might be used by the church in singing God’s praise. ‘It was used in the church of Israel by God’s appointment. This is manifest by the title of many of the Psalms, in which they are inscribed to the chief musician; that is, to the man that was appointed to be the leader of divine songs in the temple, in the public worship of Israel.’

“In this conclusion, then, we rest. In the revelation which God has given to his church, we find a collection of divine songs, the matter of which, the titles by which they are designated, and the use which was originally made of them with divine approbation, manifest, that the specific end for which they were given, was, that they should be employed in singing God’s praise; and being communicated to the church by her God and King, for this purpose, they should be used in this part of divine worship.*

II. Such appointment can be claimed for no

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* Pressly on Psalmody, pp. 70–81.

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other songs or manual of praise. “There is no book of Psalms in the New Testament. The duty of singing God’s praise is very distinctly recognised in the New Testament. ‘By him,’ says the Apostle to the Hebrews, ‘let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.’ (Heb. xiii. 15.) And again: ‘Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.’ (James v. 13.) At the close of the last passover, our Lord and his disciples sung a hymn. And in the gloomy precincts of a dungeon, Paul and Silas, at the hour of midnight, ‘prayed and sang praises unto God.’ But, while we are exhorted to offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and have the example of our Lord and of his Apostles to excite us to engage in this delightful exercise, we find no collection of psalms, and hymns, and songs, in the New Testament. In what sense is it reasonable to suppose, that the primitive Christians would understand the apostolic direction, ‘Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.’ To assist the plain Christian in determining what is the proper answer to this inquiry, let me propose another question. When our Lord said to his hearers, ‘Search the Scriptures;’ in what sense is it to be supposed, that this direction would be understood? No one will pretend that our Lord designed that his hearers should understand him as instructing them to pre-

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pare writings, the matter of which was to be taken from the Bible, which they might consult for their improvement, instead of searching the Holy Scriptures for their edification. Equally unreasonable would it be to suppose, that the apostolic direction, with regard to singing psalms, could be understood by the primitive Christians, as authorizing them to prepare psalms to be used in the worship of God, instead of those which he himself had provided in his word. As the command of Christ, ‘Search the Scriptures,’ supposes that there were in existence sacred writings, with which those to whom the command was addressed, were acquainted, so the apostolic direction, ‘sing psalms,’ supposes that there were psalms in existence, which those to whom the direction was given, were to use. Those Christians to whom the words of the Apostle James were originally addressed, knew full well, that among the sacred writings which God had given to his church, there was a ‘book of Psalms.’ And the exhortation to sing psalms would naturally be understood by them as a direction to make use of the psalms which the Spirit of infinite wisdom had already provided. And in what sense would the Hebrew Christians understand the words of the Apostle, when he exhorted them to offer continually the sacrifice of praise to God? These Hebrews knew full well, how important it was that in all

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their offerings, those things only should be presented on the altar which God himself had appointed. They knew, moreover, that God himself had prepared and given to his church, a divine collection of psalms, and hymns, and songs, to be employed in singing his praise. And knowing these things, can it be supposed, that they would feel at liberty to lay aside those songs which God had prepared, and undertake to provide others more suitable for themselves? Can we for a moment entertain the thought, that they could understand the Apostle as authorizing them to disregard the lamb which God had provided as an offering for himself, and to come before the Lord with the blind, the halt, and the lame? Had they presumed to do so, would they not have cause to apprehend the execution of the sentence, ‘Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing?’ (Malachi i. 14.)

“And in addition to this consideration, it deserves to be particularly noticed, that while there is no book of Psalms in the New Testament, there is no intimation whatever that one was needed; nor is there either a direction given to any man to furnish such a book, nor a single promise of the influences of the Holy Spirit to assist any man in preparing one. Under the former dispensation,

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God raised up a ‘sweet Psalmist of Israel,’ whom he endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and eminently qualified for the important service. And by the instrumentality of a man, whom God called to the work and fitted for it, a collection of sacred songs, has been communicated to the church, which Christians all over the world, in every age, have found from comfortable experience, to be admirably adapted to the end for which it was given. And when our glorious Lord, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, arose from the dead and ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things; and gave some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ; if it had been necessary for the edification of his church, is it not reasonable to suppose that among other gifts, he would have conferred the Spirit of Psalmody? But among the various services to which different individuals were called by the Head of the Church, and for which he qualified them, by imparting them the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the preparation of a system of psalmody, for the edifying of the body of Christ, is never mentioned. Though with him is the residue of the Spirit, it was not his pleasure to raise up and anoint a ‘sweet Psalmist of Israel,’ under the New Testament dispensation. And why was no one called to this important

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office? The only rational answer which can be given, is, that He in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, did not consider it necessary. However liberal he may be in the distribution of his gifts, he bestows none that are unnecessary. And, having already made provision for the edification of his church, by furnishing her with a book of Psalms, he did not call any of those, whom after his ascension, he endowed with the gifts of the Spirit, to provide another. Since, then, we are in the New Testament commanded to sing psalms, but never directed to make psalms, we come to the conclusion, that we have the sanction of the King of Zion, authorizing the use of the psalms, and hymns, and songs, which had already been furnished, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

“It may, however, be said, that these considerations, at most, prove nothing more than that we should employ the songs of Scripture in the worship of God; but will not establish the position, that the church should be confined to the use of those songs which are contained in the book of Psalms. As to this I remark,

“That from the fact that God has given his church a book of Psalms, it would appear to be the divine will that this should be used to the exclusion of all others. We have already had occasion

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to remark, that in ancient days, on various occasions, individuals, under the influence of the Spirit of inspiration, gave expression to the gratitude of their hearts, in a song of praise. Such songs of praise are found in various parts of the Bible. But, in process of time, a great variety of songs, composed by different men on various occasions, were collected together into one book, which not only has a place in the volume of inspiration, but to which God himself has given a peculiar title, ‘The book of Psalms,’ or songs of praise. The peculiar title of the book designates the end for which it was specially intended. And it is a fact which deserves particular notice, that some of the songs contained in the Book of Psalms, are found likewise in other parts of the Bible. The eighteenth psalm is found in the second book of Samuel, and the ninety-sixth, and the parts of some other psalms, are found in the second book of Chronicles. Other songs, such as the song of Moses at the Red sea, the song of Deborah and Barak and others, found in different parts of the Bible, are not transferred to the book of Psalms. And the question naturally arises, Why is this distinction made? Why are some of those songs, which are found in other parts of the Bible, introduced likewise into the book of Psalms, while others have no place in that collection? I can conceive of no answer so satisfactory

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as this; that the book of Psalms being designed for permanent use in the worship of God, those songs have a place in this book, which, in the estimation of Infinite Wisdom, were best adapted to the edification of the church in all ages.

“It appears then, that in the Old Testament, the duty of praising God by singing psalms or songs, is distinctly recognised: on various occasions, men who were moved by the Holy Ghost, furnished songs of praise appropriate to the circumstances of the church of God. Among those whom God was pleased to employ in this service, David, the royal prophet, stands pre-eminently distinguished as the sweet Psalmist of Israel. In process of time, a choice and varied collection of sacred songs, composed by different inspired men, on a variety of occasions, was given to the church by the God of Israel; to which collection of divine songs, he himself has appended the title, THE BOOK OF PSALMS. These songs are not the effusions of pious, well-meaning, but fallible men; they are the productions of the Holy Spirit, who spake by the mouth of his servants, the prophets. In these sacred hymns, we have not an exhibition of human views of divine truth, which may be correct or may be erroneous; but we have the word of God itself, which is pure as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. The praises of God are exhibited in

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these divine songs, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. That God will accept the ascriptions of praise which are given to him in these psalms, we are absolutely certain; because in them his Spirit has taught us to ascribe to him the glory which is due unto his name.

“We pass on to the New Testament, and we find our Lord and his Apostles not only recognising the duty, but setting an example of praising God. What particular psalms and hymns they used, we are not expressly told; but every part of the New Testament furnishes evidence of their familiarity with the book of Psalms. And that he in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and his Apostles who were endued with power from on high, did not use the effusions of uninspired men in the worship of God, is certain. In an interview with the Apostles, after his resurrection, our Lord addressed them in the following words: ‘These are the words that I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.’ From this and other declarations of like character in the New Testament, we have infallible evidence, that Jesus Christ himself is the great subject of the book of Psalms. This the Apostles understood,

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when their divine Master opened their understandings, that they might understand the scriptures; and the same thing will be understood by all who are taught of the Lord. And when we consider how frequently the Apostles introduce the psalms in their discourses and epistles, we cannot doubt that they regarded the matter of these sacred songs as very suitable to be employed in the worship of God. One thing, however, is certain, that neither our Lord nor his Apostles have furnished any psalms or songs in the New Testament, for the use of the church, much less have they provided a book of Psalms. And further, there is no appointment given to any man to furnish psalms to be employed in the worship of God, nor is there a promise of the Spirit of Psalmody, to assist any one in performing this important service.”*

III. These considerations and arguments require no little force from the fact, generally acknowledged, that the church of Christ is one and the same under both Testaments—the Old and the New. She is the “good olive tree,” (Rom. xi.) from which the Jews were separated as decayed and barren branches, and into which the Gentiles have been “grafted.” Some of the outward garniture of this one Church, was, it is true, removed

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* Pressly on Psalmody pp. 83–91.

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at the advent, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The mode of dispensing the Gospel, was, in a measure, changed. Types, ceremonies, rites—all of which had reference to the Messiah as their anti-type and substance,—passed away, having answered the end of their institution; but the truth remains—the law remains. We still worship the same Jehovah, through the same Mediator, by the same Spirit. The ten commandments are still the summary rule of human duty and obligation. The history of the Old Testament is now, as ever, the history of God’s providential dealings with men, with nations, and with the Church. The Book of Proverbs is yet the book of inspired maxims of wisdom, prudence and purity. The Prophecies are the peculiar inheritance of the New Testament dispensation. All those portions of the Word of God which “came of old time,” are given to the church in all ages, for the very same ends of instruction, admonition and consolation, which they were intended to subserve when first revealed and set in order by the instrumentality of men of God, who “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” “For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Rom. xv. 4.) And again, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for

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reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.)

If then other Scriptures are given for our use and profit, each part according to its own proper nature and end, why not the Book of Psalms, also, for all time, as a Book of Psalms, to be sung as appointed of God for this very purpose, just as truly as the Decalogue was given to be the summary of human duty to the end of the world? Once given to the church to be used in celebrating God’s praise, where is the act setting it aside, any more than the Decalogue? Where the warrant to introduce other Psalms or hymns to supersede this inspired and appointed manual? And, finally, these inquiries are the more pertinent and suggestive, in view of the fact that this Book contains, as we have already proved, all that the Church requires for her exercises of sacred praise in song.

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