Give Praise to God is a wonderful book which contains many a good chapter on such issues as family worship, the sacraments, expository preaching, pastoral prayer, etc. etc. I personally think that Ligon Duncan's first few chapters on the regulative principle are priceless. The problem with this particular book lies in its distaste for exclusive Psalmody (see the end of Derek Thomas' chapter) and its propensity towards adopting a more Lutheran conception of musical forms. Paul Jones' chapter on hymnody celebrates Luther's liturgical reforms as the most consistently Biblical and reformational approach to song in the corporate worship of God. This leads to a fervent defense of historic hymnody and, in the tradition of Luther, a defense of musical instrumentation in the corporate worship setting. This isn't surprising in light of the fact that Jones is both an organist and a hymn writer. Anyway, the book is definitely good, but not the best on the subject. It aptly reflects the kind of nominally inconsistent regulativism which plauges contemporary Reformed and Presbyterian communions. It embraces a distinctly Lutheran/Anglican understanding of hymnody and instrumentation. Yet it beautifully sets forth many aspects of historic Reformed worship confessionally and Biblically. I think its worth the read.

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Jordan Harris
Dickson City, PA
Faith Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP)
My Blog