Originally Posted by NaphtaliPress

Here is an EP article on the subject:
Singing the Name of Jesus
The Psalm Singer "Can" Sing the Name of Jesus

by Richard Bacon

Copyright 2002 © First Presbyterian Church of Rowlett

See a PDF format of this article in The Blue Banner, v11#1


An argument is sometimes made against the position of Exclusive Psalmody (the position that one should only sing the inspired songs from the OT Psalms in worship) that since the name of Jesus is not in the OT Psalms, that we must have new hymns for the NT Church. I’ve always been a bit puzzled by the force of this “argument.” I’ve seen the argument many times and expressed in a multitude of ways, but when pressed I’ve never been able to get any of its advocates to put it into a syllogistic form for me. Recently I’ve seen the suggestion that the fact that one does not find the name of Jesus in the Psalter is evidence against using the Psalter as an exclusive praise book. In order for that fact to count as evidence however, it seems to me that a syllogism something like the following would be needed:

• We are commanded by Scripture to sing the name of Jesus.
• The Psalter nowhere contains the name of Jesus.
• Therefore the Psalter is insufficient as a songbook for the church.

However, what is generally proposed is something like:

• It would be nice in my opinion to sing the name of Jesus.
• The Psalter nowhere contains the name of Jesus.
• Therefore I want to use some additional hymns that do contain the name of Jesus.