PB brothers,
I have been trying to research a simple question but I lack a wide enough selection of books in order to make a well-informed judgment. I am trying to understand to what extent there was a development of arguments for exclusive psalmody from the Reformation to the present day. Here is a rough summary of the progression as it seems to me so far:-
1) 1542 onwards, Calvin, Cotton, Manton and others – hymns are acceptable in worship, but Psalms are better. This argument accompanied the success of widespread psalm-singing in the vernacular. The focus at this stage was to introduce congregational Psalm-singing. Calvin used a few scripture songs, the Apostles Creed and the Ten Commandments in addition to the Psalms.
2) 1775 William Romaine- He fought to preserve congregational Psalm-singing from the inroads made by a proliferation of new hymns. His argument was that hymns are pushing out Psalms which is, “ near to blasphemy”, because the very words of God are being removed from the worship service. He did not go so far as to say hymn-singing was forbidden by scripture.
3) 1859 “The True Psalmody”, (Reformed and United Presbyterian Church ministers). Psalm-singing is in serious decline. The new argument in this book is that there is no command to sing hymns, so hymn-singing is wrong. The two earlier arguments are maintained, but now a stronger line is taken against hymns to the point that it is a sin to sing hymns. The argument is similar to arguing “Whatever is not commanded is forbidden” and they talk of a “principle”, but no reference to the WCF is made even though the authors are Presbyterian.
4) 1947 OPC minority report, John Murray and William Young – Psalm-singing is dying out. They use similar arguments to those that have gone before but now with reference to the Confession and the Regulative Principle. It is now considered necessary to sing only the Psalms if you subscribe to the WCF. GI Williamson connects hymn-singing with idolatry.
5) 1930 W. J. McKnight, 1991 Reg Barrow – These men say that hymn singing is idolatry, to join in worship services with hymn singers is idolatry, therefore formal charges against hymn-singing office bearers should be actioned, and hymn-singers should be barred from the Lord's Supper.
My question is, “Is there any evidence of any pre-1700 writers who regarded the singing of non-Psalms as breaking the Second Commandment, ie as idolatry?”
I can find plenty who advocated Psalm-singing, but so far none who would go so far as the later writers in saying that singing anything other than Psalms of David in worship is breaking the Second Commandment. The fact that I have not found any could just be that I have not read widely enough, so if anyone can help please fill in the gaps in my knowledge.
I have been trying to research a simple question but I lack a wide enough selection of books in order to make a well-informed judgment. I am trying to understand to what extent there was a development of arguments for exclusive psalmody from the Reformation to the present day. Here is a rough summary of the progression as it seems to me so far:-
1) 1542 onwards, Calvin, Cotton, Manton and others – hymns are acceptable in worship, but Psalms are better. This argument accompanied the success of widespread psalm-singing in the vernacular. The focus at this stage was to introduce congregational Psalm-singing. Calvin used a few scripture songs, the Apostles Creed and the Ten Commandments in addition to the Psalms.
2) 1775 William Romaine- He fought to preserve congregational Psalm-singing from the inroads made by a proliferation of new hymns. His argument was that hymns are pushing out Psalms which is, “ near to blasphemy”, because the very words of God are being removed from the worship service. He did not go so far as to say hymn-singing was forbidden by scripture.
3) 1859 “The True Psalmody”, (Reformed and United Presbyterian Church ministers). Psalm-singing is in serious decline. The new argument in this book is that there is no command to sing hymns, so hymn-singing is wrong. The two earlier arguments are maintained, but now a stronger line is taken against hymns to the point that it is a sin to sing hymns. The argument is similar to arguing “Whatever is not commanded is forbidden” and they talk of a “principle”, but no reference to the WCF is made even though the authors are Presbyterian.
4) 1947 OPC minority report, John Murray and William Young – Psalm-singing is dying out. They use similar arguments to those that have gone before but now with reference to the Confession and the Regulative Principle. It is now considered necessary to sing only the Psalms if you subscribe to the WCF. GI Williamson connects hymn-singing with idolatry.
5) 1930 W. J. McKnight, 1991 Reg Barrow – These men say that hymn singing is idolatry, to join in worship services with hymn singers is idolatry, therefore formal charges against hymn-singing office bearers should be actioned, and hymn-singers should be barred from the Lord's Supper.
My question is, “Is there any evidence of any pre-1700 writers who regarded the singing of non-Psalms as breaking the Second Commandment, ie as idolatry?”
I can find plenty who advocated Psalm-singing, but so far none who would go so far as the later writers in saying that singing anything other than Psalms of David in worship is breaking the Second Commandment. The fact that I have not found any could just be that I have not read widely enough, so if anyone can help please fill in the gaps in my knowledge.