John Gill was virtually EP:
3. What that is which is to be sung, or the subject matter of singing; and the direction is to these three, “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
3a. By Psalms may be meant the Book of Psalms, composed by David, Asaph, and others; but chiefly by David; hence he is called “the sweet Psalmist of Israel,” (2 Sam. 23:1) this is the only sense in which the word is used throughout the whole New Testament; nor is there any reason to believe the apostle Paul designs any other in the places referred to; nor the apostle James, in James 5:13. Those who are of a different mind ought to show in what other sense the word is used, and where; and what those Psalms are we are to sing, if not the “Psalms of David,” &c. since it is certain there are psalms which are to be sung under the gospel dispensation.
3b. By “hymns” are intended, not any mere human compositions; since I can hardly think the apostle would place such between psalms and spiritual songs, made by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and put them upon a level with them, to be sung; but rather this is only another name for the Book of Psalms; the running title of which may as well be the “Book of Hymns,” as it is rendered by Ainsworth. The hundred and forty fifth psalm is called an hymn of David; and the psalm our Lord sung with his disciples after the Supper, is said to be an hymn; and so the psalms of David in general are called υμνοι, “hymns,” both by Josephus and Philo the Jew.
3c. By “spiritual songs” may also be meant the same psalms of David, Asaph, &c. the titles of some of which are songs; as sometimes “a psalm and song, a song and psalm, a song of degrees,” and the like; together with all other spiritual songs written by men inspired of God; called “spiritual,” because of the author of them, the Spirit of God; the penmen of them, such as were moved by the same Spirit; and the matter of them spiritual, useful for spiritual edification; and are opposed to all loose, profane, and wanton songs. And as these three words, “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” answer to תהלים מזמריםg and שירים the titles of David’s Psalms, and are by the “Septuagint” rendered by the Greek words used by the apostle, it may be reasonably concluded, that it was his intention that the churches he writes to should sing them; but inasmuch as the “word of God” and Christ in general furnishes out matter for singing his praises, I deny not, but that such hymns and spiritual songs, composed by good men, uninspired, may be made use of; provided care is taken that they be agreeable to the sacred writings, and to the analogy of faith, and are expressed as much as may be in scripture language; of such sort were those Tertullian speaks of, used in his time, as were either out of the holy scripture, or “de proprio ingenio,” of a man’s own composure; and such seem to be the songs of the brethren, in praise of Christ, as the Word of God, ascribing divinity to him, condemned by some heretics.
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