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Originally Posted by py3ak  I think the argument would go that we are commanded to sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and hymn-singers are unconvinced that this is a reference to the titles of the Psalms (which is a discussion all by itself). |
1stly, one needs to find out how they (non-EPers) are providing a definition for these terms.
2ndly, the EP case does not rest on these two verses.
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Originally Posted by py3ak From those same texts (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16) it is plain to see that singing is a form of teaching, and of course since many of the Psalms are prayers it seems that prayers may also be sung. |
There are some huge leaps of logic made in this type of argument. Singing Psalms will undoubtedly teach but that does not mean that the minister is to sing his sermon. Furthermore, whilst some of the prayers have their
sitz im leben as a prayer they were compilled into the Psalter which in its current form was the hymnbook of the second temple. Those prayers included in the Psalter were inspired by God and were included under the inspiration of God to be used as songs. This does not give any warrant to sing prayers of human composition. There is also a confusion of elements, prayer and song are different elements of worship and so are regulated differently.