A Short Essay Toward the Improvement of Psalmody Part 1

A Short Essay Toward the Improvement of Psalmody.

by Isaac Watts.

A Short Essay Toward the Improvement of Psalmody: Or, An Enquiry how the Psalms of _David_ ought to be translated into Christian Songs, and how lawful and necessary it is to compose other Hymns according to the clearer Revelations of the Gospel, for the Use of the Christian Church.

To speak the Glories of G.o.d in a religious Song, or to breath out the Joys of our own Spirits to G.o.d with the Melody of our Voice is an exalted Part of Divine Wors.h.i.+p. But so many are the Imperfections in the Practice of this Duty, that the greatest Part of Christians find but little Edification or Comfort in it. There are some Churches that utterly disallow Singing; and I'm perswaded, that the poor Performance of it in the best Societies, {234} with the mistaken Rules to which it is confined is one great Reason of their intire Neglect; for we are left at a loss (say they) what is the Matter and Manner of this Duty; and therefore they utterly refuse: Whereas if this glorious Piece of Wors.h.i.+p were but seen in its Original Beauty, and one that _believes_ not this Ordinance, or is _unlearned_ in this Part of Christianity should _come into_ such _an a.s.sembly, he would be convinced of all; he would be judged of all, he would fall down on his Face, and report that G.o.d was in the Midst of it of a Truth_; 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25.

In order to trace out the Matter or Subject of religious Singing, let us collect into one View the chief Texts of the New Testament where this Wors.h.i.+p is mention'd, and afterwards see what Arguments may be deduced from thence, to prove, that 'tis proper to use Spiritual Songs of humane Composure, as well as the Psalms of _David_ or the Words of other Songs recorded in Scripture.

The most considerable Texts are these; _Mat._ 26. 30. & _Mark_ 14. 26.

relate, that our blessed Lord and his Disciples _sung an Hymn_. Acts 16. 25. _Paul and Silas prayed and sung Praises unto G.o.d._ 1 Cor. 14.

15. _I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the Understanding also._ Ver. 26. _Every one of you hath a Psalm._ Eph._ 5.

19, 20. _Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; singing and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord, giving Thanks always for all things to G.o.d and the Father, in the Name of {235} our Lord Jesus Christ_. Col 3. 16, 17. _Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all Wisdom teaching and admonis.h.i.+ng one another in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord: And whatsoever ye do in Word or in Deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving Thanks to G.o.d and the Father by him._ Jam. 5. 13. _Is any among you afflicted, let him pray: Is any merry, let him sing Psalms_. Rev. 5. 9. _And they sing a new Song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to G.o.d by thy Blood_. Rev. 14.

3. _And they sung as it were a new Song before the Throne_. Rev. 15. 3.

_And they sing the Song of Moses, the Servant of G.o.d, and the Song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy Works_, &c. To all these I might add Acts 4. 24, &c. Where it is suppos'd the Disciples met together and sung; for _they lift up their Voice to G.o.d with one accord, and said, Lord! thou art our G.o.d, which hast made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and all that in them is: Who by the Mouth of thy Servant David hast said, Why did the Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain thing. The Kings of the Earth stood up, and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a Truth, against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the People of Israel, were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done, &c.

{236} If we turn over the New Testament, and search out all the Songs that are there written, we shall find the Matter or Subject of them as various as the Occasions upon which they were sung or spoken: Such are the Song of the Virgin _Mary_, Luke 1. 46, &C. They Song of _Zecharias_, ver. 67. The Song of the Angels, _Luke_ 2. 13. And of _Simeon_, ver. 29. Besides many others in the Book of the _Revelations.

The three chief Words used to express the Matter of Singing, are _Psalmoi, _Humnoi kai Odai_: _Psalms, Hymns and Songs_, as the three Verbs from which these are derived are generally used to express the Act of Singing, _psallo, humneo, i ado_. Now if it were lawful after so many learned Contentions about these Words, I would give my Sense of them thus:

1. I think no Man hath better explain'd the original Meaning of these Words than _Zanchy_. A Psalm, _Psalmos_, is such a Song as usually is sung with other Instruments besides the Tongue. Hymns, _Humnoi_, such as are made only to express the Praises, and set out the Excellencies of G.o.d. Songs, _Odai_, such as contain not only Praises, but Exhortations, Prophesies, Thanksgivings; and these only sung with the Voice.

2. The Scripture doth not always confine it self to the original Meaning of all these Words; for _Psalmos_ a Psalm, and the Word _psallo_, are used, 1 Cor. 14. and in other Places of the New Testament, where we can never suppose the primitive Church in those Days {237} had Instruments of Music. And the Word _Ode_ a Song, is used several times in the Book of _Revelations_, where Harps are join'd with Voices in the Emblematical Prophesy.

3. The Sense therefore of these Words in the New Testament seems to be thus distinguish'd. A Psalm is a general Name for any thing that is sung in Divine Wors.h.i.+p, whatsoever be the particular Theme or Matter; and the Verb _psallo_ is design'd to express the Melody it self rather than to distinguish the Matter of the Song, or Manner whereby the Melody or Music is performed; and therefore in Eph. 5. 19. our Translators have well rendred _adontes kai psallontes_, _Singing and making Melody_; and it should be thus rendred, Jam. 5. 13. _Is any merry, let him make Melody_. I confess in the New Testament the Noun _Psalmos_ refers generally to the Book of Psalms, and without Doubt there are many of the Palms of _David_ and _Asaph_, and other Songs among the Books of the Old Testament which may be prudently chosen and sung by Christians, and may be well accomodated to the Lips and Hearts of the Church under the Gospel. Yet this Word is once used in another Sense, as I shall show afterwards.

An Hymn, whether imply'd in the Verb _humneo_, or exprest in the Noun _Humnos_, doth always retain its original Signification, and intend a Song whose Matter or Design is Praise: Nor is there any thing in the Nature or Use of the Word either in Scripture or other {238} Authors, that determines it to signify an immediate Inspiration, or humane Composure.

A Song, _Ode_, denotes any Theme or Subject compos'd into a Form fit for Singing, and seems to intend somewhat suited to the Gospel-State, rather than any Jewish Psalms or Songs in all the five Verses in the New Testament where it is used.

Eph. 5. 19. & Col. 3. 16. 'Tis join'd with the word _Spiritual_; and that seems to be used by the Apostle in all his Epistles, as a very distinguis.h.i.+ng Word between the Law and Gospel, the Jewish and the Christian Wors.h.i.+p. The Jews had _carnal Ordinances_, and _carnal Commandments_, and their State and Dispensation is often called _Flesh_, but the Church under the Gospel is a _spiritual House, blessed with spiritual Blessings_, endow'd _with spiritual Gifts_, to _wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in Spirit and in Truth_, to _offer spiritual Sacrifices_, and to _sing spiritual Songs_.

Col. 3. 16. Confirms this Sense, for _the Word of Christ_ must _dwell richly in us in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual Songs_. Now tho the Books of the Old Testament may in some Sense be called the _Word of Christ_, because the same Spirit which was afterwards given to _Christ_ the Mediator did inspire them; yet this seems to have a peculiar reference to the Doctrine and Discoveries of _Christ_ under the Gospel, which might be compos'd into spiritual Songs for the greater Ease of Memory in learning, teaching and admonis.h.i.+ng one another.

{239} Rev. 5. 9. & 14. 3. There is mention of a _New Song_, and that is pure Evangelical Language, suited to the _New Testament_, the _New Covenant_, the _new and living Way_-.of Access to G.o.d, and to the _new Commandment_ of him who sits _upon the Throne_, and _behold_, he _makes all things new_. The words of this Song are, _Worthy is the Lamb, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to G.o.d by thy Blood, &c. and none could learn it but those who follow the Lamb, who were redeemed from among Men, &c._ And it must be noted here, that this Book of the _Revelations_ describes the Wors.h.i.+p of the Gospel-Church on Earth, as is agreed by all Interpreters, tho it borrows some of its Emblems from the Things of Heaven, and some from the Jewish State. I might here remark also, that when a _new Song_ is mention'd in the Old Testament, it refers to the Times of the _Messiah_, and is prophetical of the Kingdom of _Christ_, or at least it is a Song indited upon a new Occasion publick or personal, and the Words of it are accomodated to some new Tokens of Divine Mercy.

Rev. 15. 3. _They sing the Song of Moses, the Servant of G.o.d, and the Song of the Lamb_; that is, a Song for temporal and for spiritual Deliverances; or, a Song for all antient or all later Salvations of the Church. As Moses was a Redeemer from the House of Bondage, and a Teacher of Divine Wors.h.i.+p with Harps and Ceremonies; so the Lamb is a Redeemer from _Babylon_ and spiritual Slavery, and he {240} is the great Prophet to teach his Church the spiritual Wors.h.i.+p of the Gospel.

The Church now, under the Salvations and Instructions of the Lamb, sings with the Voice to the Glory of the Vengeance and the Grace of G.o.d, as _Israel_ under the Conduct of _Moses_ sung with Harps; for we must observe, that these Visions of the Apostle _John_ often represent Divine Things in a Gospel-Church, in Imitation of the Ranks and Orders of the _Jewish_ Camp and Tribes, and by the Rites and Figures used in the time of _Moses_; and it would be as unreasonable to prove from this Text, that we must sing the very words of the _15th of Exodus_ in a Christian Church, as to prove from this Book of the _Revelations_ that we must use Harps and Altars, Censers, Fire and Incense. But 'tis plain that the _15th of Exodus_ cannot be here intended, because the Words of the Song are mention'd just after, (viz.) _Great, and marvellous are thy Works, Lord G.o.d Almighty, just and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints_. Yet after all, if it could be proved, that the very Song which _Moses_ sung is here design'd, still it must be confest that the Song of the Lamb is also to be sung; and if the following Words in this Text are not to be esteem'd the Song of _Moses_, then neither are they to be esteem'd the Song of the Lamb; because there is not any express mention of the Lamb, or his Death, or Resurrection, or Redemption; nor is there any other Song in Scripture that bears that t.i.tle and consequently it must signifie a Song compos'd {241} to the praise of G.o.d for our deliverance by the Lamb, in imitation of the Joy composed for deliverance by the Hand of _Moses_: And thus at least we are to suit part of our Psalmody to the Gospel-State as well as borrow part from the Old Testament, which is the chief point I designed to prove.

The next Enquiry then proceeds thus: How must the Psalms of _David_ and other Songs borrowed from Scripture, be translated in order to be sung in Christian Wors.h.i.+p? Surely, it will be granted, that to prepare them for Psalmody under the Gospel, requires another sort of Management in the Translation, than to prepare them merely for Reading as the _Word of G.o.d_ in our Language, and that upon these two accounts:

_First_, If it be the duty of the Churches to sing Psalms, they must necessarily be turned into such a sort of Verse and Metre as will best fit them for the whole Church to join in the Wors.h.i.+p: Now this will be very different from a Translation of the original Language word for word; for the Lines must be confined to a certain number of Syllables, and the Stanza or Verse to a certain number of Lines, that so the Tune being short the people may be acquainted with it, and be ready to sing without much difficulty; whereas if the Words were merely translated out of the _Hebrew_ as they are for reading, every Psalm must be set through to music, and every Syllable in it must have a particular musical Note belonging to itself, as in Anthems {242} that are sung in Cathedrals: But this would be so exceeding difficult to practise, that it would utterly exclude the greatest part of every Congregation from a Capacity of obeying G.o.d's Command to sing. Now, in reducing a _Hebrew_ or a _Greek_ Song to a Form tolerably fit to be sung by an _English_ Congregation, here and there a Word of the Original must be omitted, now and then a Word or two superadded, and frequently a Sentence or an Expression a little alter'd and chang'd into another that is something a-kin to it: And yet greater Alterations must the Psalm suffer if we will have any thing to do with Rhime; those that have labour'd with utmost Toil to keep very close to the Hebrew have found it impossible; and when they have attain'd it most, have made but very poor Music for a Christian Church. For it will often happen, that one of the most affectionate and most Spiritual Words in the Prose will not submit to its due Place in the Metre, or does not end with a proper Sound, and then it must be secluded, and another of less proper Sense be put in the Room of it: Hereby some of the chief Beauties and Excellencies of _David_'s Poetry will be omitted and lost, which if not reviv'd again, or recompenc'd by some lively or pathetic Expression in the _English_, will necessarily debase the Divine Song into Dullness and Contempt: And hereby also it becomes so far different from the inspired Words in the Original Languages, that it is very hard for any Man to say, {243} that the Version of _Hopkins_ and _Sternhold_, the _New-England_ or the _Scots_ Psalms, are in a strict Sense the Word of G.o.d. Those Persons therefore that will allow nothing to be sung but the words of inspiration or Scripture ought to learn the Hebrew Music, and sing in the Jewish Language; or at least I can find no Congregation with which they can heartily join according to their own Principles, but the Congregation of _Choristers_ in Cathedral Churches, who are the only _Levites_ that _sing Praise unto the Lord with the Words of_ David _and_ Asaph _the Seer_, 2 Chron. 29. 30.

_Secondly_, Another Reason why the Psalms ought not to be translated for Singing just in the same manner as they are for Reading, is this, that the Design of these two Duties is very different: By Reading we learn what G.o.d speaks to us in his Word; but when we sing, especially unto G.o.d, our chief Design is, or should be, to speak our own Hearts and our Words to G.o.d. By Reading we are instructed what have been the Dealings of G.o.d with Men in all Ages, and how their Hearts have been exercis'd in their Wandrings from G.o.d, and Temptations, or in their Returns and Breathings towards G.o.d again; but Songs are generally Expressions of our own Experiences, or of his Glories; we acquaint him what Sense we have of his Greatness and Goodness, and that chiefly in those Instances which have some Relation to us: We breath out our Souls towards him, and make {244} Addresses of Praise and Acknowledgment to him. Tho I will not a.s.sert it unlawful to sing to G.o.d the Words of other Men which we have no Concern in, and which, are very contrary to our Circ.u.mstances and the Frame of our Spirits; yet it must be confest abundantly more proper, when we address G.o.d in a Song, to use such Words as we can for the most part a.s.sume as our own: I own that 'tis not always necessary our Songs should be direct Addresses to G.o.d; some of them may be mere Meditations of the History of Divine Providences, or the Experiences of former Saints; but even then, if those Providences or Experiences cannot be a.s.sum'd by us as parallel to our own, nor spoken in our own Names; yet still there ought to be some Turns of Expression that may make it look at least like our own present Meditation, and that may represent it as a History which we our selves are at that time recollecting. I know not one Instance in Scripture, of any later Saint singing any part of a Composure of former Ages, that is not proper for his own Time, without force Expressions that tend to accommodate or apply it. But there are a mult.i.tude of Examples amongst all the Scriptural Songs, that introduce the Affairs of preceding Ages in the Method I have described. Psal. 44. 1, &c. When _David_ is recounting the Wonders of G.o.d in planting the Children of _Israel_ in the Land of _Canaan_, he begins his Song thus, _We have heard with our Ears O G.o.d, our Fathers have told us {245} what Works thou didst in their Days, in times of old, how thou didst drive Out the Heathen with thy Hand, and plantedst them, how thou didst afflict The People, and cast them out._ Psal. 78. 2, &c. _I will open my Mouth in a Parable, I will utter dark Sayings of old which we have heard and known, and our Fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their Children, shewing to the Generation to come the Praises of the_ Lord. So he relates the Converse and Covenant of G.o.d with _Abraham_, _Isaac_ and _Israel_, as a Narration of former Providences and Experiences, Psal.

105. 8, 9, 10, &c. So in the Virgin _Mary_'s Song, and the Song of _Zecharia_. And I know not any thing can be objected here, but that a Prophet perhaps in some instances may a.s.sume the Words of _Christ_ or the Saints in following Ages; but it should be observed that this is almost always in such Respects wherein Persons or Circ.u.mstances present were typical of what is future, and so their Cases become parallel.

By these Considerations we are easily led into the true Method of translating ancient Songs into Christian Wors.h.i.+p. Psalms that are purely Doctrinal, or meerly Historical, are Subjects for our Meditation, and may be translated for our present Use with no Variation, if it were possible; and in general, all those Songs of Scripture which the Saints of following Ages may a.s.sume for their own: Such are the 1st, the 8th, the 19th, and many others. Some Psalms may be apply'd to our Use by the Alteration of a p.r.o.noun, putting {246} _They_ in the place of We, and changing some Expressions which are not suited to our Case into a Narration or Rehearsal of G.o.d's Dealings with others: There are other Divine Songs which cannot properly be accommodated to our Use, and much less be a.s.sum'd as our own without very great Alterations, (_viz_.) such as are filled with some very particular Troubles or Enemies of a Person, some Places of Journeying or Residence, some uncommon Circ.u.mstances of a Society, to which there is scarce any thing parallel in our Day or Case: Such are many of the Songs of _David_, whose Persecutions and Deliverances were very extraordinary: Again, such as express the Wors.h.i.+p paid unto G.o.d by carnal Ordinances and Utensils of the Tabernacle and Temple. Now if these be converted into Christian Songs in our Nation, I think the Names of _Ammon_ and _Moab_ may be as properly chang'd into the Names of the chief Enemies of the Gospel, so far as may be without publick Offence: _Judah_ and _Israel_ may be called _England_ and _Scotland_, and the Land of _Canaan_ may be translated into _Great Britain_; The cloudy and typical Expressions of the legal Dispensation should be turned into Evangelical Language, according to the Explications of the New Testament: And when a Christian Psalmist, among the Characters of a Saint, Psal. 15. 5. meets with the Man that _puts not out his Money to Usury_, he ought to exchange _one that is no Oppressor_ for an Oppressor or Extortioner, since Usury {247} is not utterly forbidden to Christians, as it was by the Jewish Law; and wheresoever he finds the Person or Offices of our Lord _Jesus Christ_ in Prophecy, they ought rather to be translated in a way of History, and those Evangelical Truths should be stript of their Vail of Darkness, and drest in such Expressions that Christ may appear in 'em to all that sing. When he comes to Psal. 40. 6. and reads there Words, _Mine Ears hast thou opened_, he should learn from the Apostle to say, _A Body hast thou prepared for me_, Heb. 10. 5. Instead of _binding the Sacrifice with Cords to the Horns of the Altar_, Psal. 118. 27. we should _offer up Spiritual Sacrifices_ (that is the Prayer and Praise of the Heart and Tongue) _acceptable to G.o.d by Jesus Christ_, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Where there are any dark Expressions, and difficult to be understood in the Hebrew Songs, these should be left out in our Psalmody, or at least made very plain by a Paraphrase. Where there are Sentences, or whole Psalms, that can very difficultly be accommodated to our Times, they may be utterly omitted. Such is Psal. 150. part of the 38, 45, 60, 68, 81, 108. and some others, as well as a great part of the Song of _Solomon_.

Perhaps 'twill be objected here, that the Book of Psalms would hereby be rendred very imperfect, and some weak Persons might imagine this Attempt to fall under the Censure of Rev. 22. 18, 19. that is, of _taking away from, or adding to the Words of the Book {248} of G.o.d_.

But 'tis not difficult to reply that though the whole Book: of Psalms was given to be read by us as G.o.d's Word for our Use and Instruction, yet it will never follow from thence that the whole was written as a Psalter for the Christian Church to use in Singing. For if this were the Design of it, then every Psalm, and every Line of it might be at one time or another proper to be sung by Christians: But there are many hundred Verses in that Book which a Christian cannot properly a.s.sume in singing without a considerable Alteration of the Words, or at least without putting a very different Meaning upon them, from what _David_ had when he wrote them; and therefore there is no necessity of translating always intire Psalms, nor of preparing the whole Book for _English_ Psalmody. I might here add also Dr. _Patrick_'s Apology in his Century of Psalms first publish'd, that he took but the same Liberty which is allow'd to every Parish-Clerk, to chuse what Psalm and what Verses of it he would propose to the People to sing.

Give me leave here to mention several Pa.s.sages which were hardly made for Christian Lips to a.s.sume without some Alteration: Psal. 68. 13, 14, 15, 16. _Tho ye have lain among the Pots, yet shall ye be as the Wings of a Dove cover'd with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow Gold: When the Almighty scatter'd Kings in it, it was white as Snow in_ Salmon.

_The Hill of G.o.d is as the Hill of Bashan, &c. Why leap ye, ye Hills, &c; ver. 25. {249} The Singers went before, the Players on Instruments followed after, amongst them were the Damsels playing with Timbrels: Bless ye G.o.d in the Congregation, even the Lord from the Fountain of_ Israel: _There is little_ Benjamin _with their Ruler, the Princes of_ Judah _and their Council, the Princes of_ Zebulun, _and the Princes of_ Naphtali. _Because of thy Temple at_ Jerusalem _Kings shall bring Presents unto thee. Rebuke the Company of Spearmen, the Mult.i.tude of Bulls, with the Calves of the People, till every one submit himself with Pieces of Silver._ Psal. 71. 2, 3, &c. _Take a Psalm, and bring hither the Timbrel, the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery, blow up the Trumpet in the New Moon, in the Time appointed on our solemn Feast-Day, &c._ Psal. 84. 3, 6. _The Sparrow hath found an House, and the Swallow a Nest for her self, where she may lay her Young, even thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, &c. Blessed is the Man whose Strength is in thee, in whose Heart are the Ways of them, who pa.s.sing thro the Valley of_ Bacha _make it a Well, the Rain also filleth the Pools._ Psal: 108. 2, 7, 8, 9. _Awake Psaltery and Harp, I my self will awake early. G.o.d hath spoken in his Holiness; I will rejoyce, I will divide_ Shechem_, and mete out the Vally of_ Succoth; Gilead _is mine,_ Mana.s.seh _is mine,_ Ephraim _also is the Strength of mine Head,_ Judah _is my Lawgiver,_ Moab _is my Washpot, over_ Edom _will I cast out my Shoe, over_ Philistia _will I triumph; Who will bring me into the strong City, who will lead me into_ Edom _Psal. 69, 8 & 109._ are so full of Cursings {250} that they hardly become the Tongue of a Follower of the blessed _Jesus_, who dying pray'd for his own Enemies; _Father forgive them, for they know not what they do._ Psal. 134. is suited to the Temple or Tabernacle-Wors.h.i.+p; the t.i.tle is, _A Song of Degrees_, that is, as Interpreters believe, to be sung as the Kings of _Israel_ went up by Steps or Degrees to the House of G.o.d; In the _two first Verses_ the King calls upon the Levites, _which by Night stand in the House of the Lord, to lift up their Hands in the Sanctuary, and to bless the Lord_; the _3d Verse_ is an Antiphona or Reply of the Levites to the King; _the Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless thee out of_ Zion. 'Twould be endless to give an Account of all the Paragraphs of ancient Songs, which can scarce ever be accommodated to Gospel-Wors.h.i.+p.

The Patrons of another Opinion will say we must sing the Words of _David_, and apply them in our Meditation to the things of the New Testament: But can we believe this to be the best Method of wors.h.i.+ping G.o.d, to sing one thing and mean another? besides that the very literal Sense of many of many of these Expressions is exceeding deep and difficult, and not one in twenty of a religious a.s.sembly can possibly understand them at this Distance from the Jewish Days; therefore to keep close to the Language of _David_, we must break the Commands of G.o.d by _David_, who requires that we _sing his Praises with Understanding_, Psal. 47.7. And I am {251} perswaded, that St. _Paul_ if he lived in our Age and Nation, would no more advise us to sing unintelligible Sentences in _London_, than himself would sing in an unknown Tongue at _Corinth_, 1 Cor. 14. 15, 19. After all, if the literal Sense were known, yet the Application of many Verses of _David_ to our State and Circ.u.mstances was never design'd, and is utterly impossible; and even where it is possible, yet 'tis so exceeding difficult that very few Persons in an a.s.sembly are capable of it; and when they attempt it, if their Thoughts should be enquir'd one by one, you would find very various, wretched, and contradictory Meanings put upon the Words of the Hebrew Psalmist, and all for want of an Evangelical Translation of him. 'Tis very obvious and common to observe that Persons of Seriousness and Judgment that consider what they sing, are often forced to break off in the midst, to omit whole Lines and Verses, even where the best of our present Translations at used; and thus the Tune, and the Sense, and their Devotion is interrupted at once, because they dare not sing without understanding, and almost against their Consciences. Whereas the more unthinking Mult.i.tude go on singing in chearful Ignorance wheresoever the _Clerk_ guides them, a-cross the River _Jordan_, thro' the Land of _Gebal, Ammon_ and _Amalek; He leads 'em into the strong City, he brings them into_ Edom; Anon they follow him _thro' the Valley of_ Bacha, till they come up to _Jerusalem_; they wait upon him into {252} the Court of Burnt-Offerings, and _bind their Sacrifice with Cords to the Horns of the Altar_; they enter so far into the Temple, till they join their Song in Consort with the _high sounding Cymbals_, their Thoughts are be-darkened with the Smoke of Incense, and cover'd with _Jewish_ Veils.

Such Expressions as these are the beauties and Perfections of a _Hebrew_ Song, they paint every thing to the Life: Such Language was suited by Infinite Wisdom to raise the Affections of the Saints of that Day: But I fear they do but sink our Devotion, and hurt our Wors.h.i.+p.

I esteem the Book of _Psalms_ the most valuable Part of the Old Testament upon many Accounts: I advise the Reading and Meditation of it more frequently than any single Book of Scripture; and what I advise I practise. Nothing is more proper to furnish our Souls with devout Thoughts, and lead us into a World of Spiritual Experiences: The Expressions of it that are not _Jewish_ or peculiar, give us constant a.s.sistance in Prayer and in Praise: But yet if we would prepare _David_'s Psalms to be sung by Christian Lips, we should, observe these two plain Rules.

_First_, They ought to be translated its such a Manner as we have reason to believe _David_ would have compos'd 'em if he had lived in our Day: And therefore his Poems are given as a Pattern to be imitated in our Composures, rather than as the precise and invariable Matter of our Psalmody. 'Tis one of the Excellencies of Scripture-Songs, that they {253} are exactly suited to the very Purpose and Design for which they were written, and that both in the Matter, in the Stile, and in all their Ornaments: This gives Life and Strength to the Expression, it presents Objects to the Ears and to the Eyes, and touches the Heart in the most affecting Manner. _David_'s Language is adapted to his own Devotion, and to the Wors.h.i.+p of the _Jewish_ Church; he mentions the very Places of his Journies, or Retirements, of his Sorrows, or his Successes; He names the Nations that were Enemies of the Church, or that shall be its Friends and tho for the most part he leaves the single Persons of his Time nameless in the Body of his Psalm, yet he describes them there with great Particularity, and often names them in the t.i.tle. This gives us abundant Ground to infer, that should the _Sweet-Singer of Israel_ return from the Dead into our Age, he would not sing the Words of his own Psalms without considerable Alteration; and were he now to transcribe them, he would make them speak the present Circ.u.mstances of the Church, and that in the Language of the New Testament: He would see frequent Occasion to insert the Cross of Christ in his Song, and often interline the Confessions of his Sins with the Blood of the Lamb; often would he describe the Glories and the Triumphs of our blessed Lord in long and flowing Verse, even as St.

_Paul_, when he mentions the Name and Honours of Christ can hardly part his Lips from 'em again: {254} His Expressions would run ever bright and clear; such as here and there we find in a single Verse of his old Composures, when he is transported beyond himself, and carried far away from _Jewish_ Shadows by the Spirit of Prophecy and the Gospel. We have the more abundant Reason to believe this, if we observe, that all along the sacred History as the Revelations of G.o.d and his Grace were made plainer, so the Songs of the Saints express'd that Grace and those Revelations according to the Measure of their Clearness and Increase.

Let us begin at the Song of _Moses_, Exod. 15. and proceed to _David_ and _Solomon_, to the Song of the _Virgin Mary_, of _Zecharias_, _Simeon_, and the _Angels_, the _Hosanna_ of the young Children, the Praises paid to G.o.d by the Disciples in the _Acts_, the Doxologies of _Paul_, and the Songs of the Christian Church in the Book of the _Revelations_: Every Beam of new Light that broke into the World gave occasion of fresh joy to the Saints, and they were taught to sing of Salvation in all the Degrees of its advancing Glory.

_Secondly_, In the Translation of _Jewish_ Songs for Gospel-Wors.h.i.+p, if Scripture affords us any Example, we should be ready to follow it, and the Management thereof should be a Pattern for us. Now tho the Disciples and primitive Christians had so many and so vast Occasions for Praise, yet I know but two Pieces of Songs they borrow'd from the Book of Psalms. One is mention'd in _Luke_ 19.38.

{255} Where the Disciples a.s.sume a Part of a Verse from the 118th Psalm, but sing it with Alterations and Additions to the Words of _David_.

The other is the Beginning of the second Palm, sung by _Peter_ and _John_ and their Company, _Acts_ 4. 23, 24, &c. You find there an Addition of Praise in the Beginning, _Lord thou art G.o.d which hast made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and all that in them is_. Then there is a Narration of what _David_ spoke, _who by the Mouth of thy servant_ David _hast said_, &c. Next follow the two first Verses of that Psalm, but not in the very Words of the Psalmist: Afterwards an Explication of the _Heathen_ and the _People_, (viz.) the _Gentiles_ and _Israel_: The _Kings_ and the _Rulers_, (viz.) _Herod_ and _Pontius Pilate_, and the _Holy Child Jesus_, is G.o.d's _anointed_. Then there is an Enlargement of the Matter of Fact by a Consideration of the Hand of G.o.d in it, and the Song concludes with the breathing of their Desires towards G.o.d for Mercies most precisely suited to their Day and Duty; and you find when they had sung, they went to Prayer in the a.s.sembly, and then they preached the Word of G.o.d by the holy Ghost, and with amazing Success. O may I live to see Psalmody perform'd in these evangelick Beauties of Holiness! May these Ears of mine be entertain'd with such Devotion in Publick, such Prayer, such Preaching, and such Praise! May these Eyes behold such returning Glory in the Churches! Then my Soul shall be all Admiration, my Tongue {256} shall humbly attempt to mingle in the Wors.h.i.+p, and a.s.sist the Harmony and the Joy.

After we have found the true Method of translating _Jewish_ Songs for the Use of the _Christian_ Church, let us enquire also how lawful and necessary 'tis to compose Spiritual Songs of a more evangelic Frame for the Use of Divine Wors.h.i.+p under the Gospel.

The _First_ Argument I shall borrow from all the foregoing Discourse concerning the Translation of the Psalms of _David_: For by that time they are fitted for Christian Psalmody, and have all the Particularities of Circ.u.mstance that related to _David_'s Person, and Times alter'd and suited to our present Case; and the Language of _Judaism_ is chang'd into the Stile of the Gospel; the Form and Composure of the Psalm can hardly be called inspired or Divine: only the Materials or the Sense contain'd therein may in a large Sense be called the Word of G.o.d, as it is borrowed from that Word. Why then may it not be esteemed as lawful to take some Divine Sense and Materials agreeable to the Word of G.o.d, and suited to the present Case and Experience of Christians, and compose them into a Spiritual Song?

Especially when we cannot find one ready pen'd in the Bible, whose Subject is near a-kin to our present Condition, or whose Form is adapted to our present Purpose.

The _Second_ Argument shall be drawn from the several Ends and Designs of Singing, which can never be sufficiently attain'd by {257} confining ourselves to _David_'s Psalms, or the Words of any Songs in Scripture.

The first and chief intent of this part of Wors.h.i.+p, is to express unto G.o.d what Sense and Apprehensions we have of his Essential Glories; and what notice we take of his Works of Wisdom and Power, Vengeance and Mercy; 'tis to vent the inward Devotion of our Spirits in Words of Melody, to speak our own Experience of divine Things, especially our religious Joy; 'twould be tiresom to recount the endless Instances out of the Book of Psalms and other divine Songs, where this is made the chief Business of them. In the Texts of the New Testament where Singing is requir'd, the same Designs are propos'd; when the _Ephesians are filled with the Spirit_, the Enlightner and Comforter, they are charged to indulge those Divine Sensations, and let them break out into a _Spiritual Song_, Eph. 5.19. When _any is merry_ or chearful, the Apostle _James_ bids him express it by _Singing_. _Giving Thanks unto G.o.d_, is the Command of St. _Paul_ to the Saints while he injoins Psalmody on them; And speaking the Wonders of his Power, Justice and Grace, is the Practice of the Church constantly in the Visions of St.

_John_. To _teach and admonish one another_, is mention'd by St. _Paul_ as another Design of Singing; the Improvement of our Meditations, and the kindling Divine Affections Within our selves, is one of the Purposes also of religious Melody, if Eph. 5. 19. be rightly translated. Now, {258} how is it possible all these Ends should be attain'd by a Christian, if he confines his Meditations, his Joys, and his Praises, to the _Hebrew_ Book of Psalms? Have we nothing more of the Nature of G.o.d revealed to us than _David_ had? Is not the Mystery of the ever-blessed Trinity brought out of Darkness into open Light?

Where can you find a Psalm that speaks the Miracles of Wisdom and Power as they are discover'd in a crucify'd _Christ_? And how do we rob G.o.d the Son of the Glory of his dying Love, if we speak of it only in the gloomy Language of _Smoke and Sacrifices, Bullocks and Goats, and the Fat of Lambs_? Is not the Ascent of _Christ_ into Heaven, and his Triumph over Princ.i.p.alities and Powers of Darkness a n.o.bler Entertainment for our tuneful Meditations than the removing of the Ark up to the City of David, to the Hill of G.o.d, which is high as the Hill of Bashan? Is not our Heart often warm'd with holy Delight in the Contemplation of the Son of G.o.d our dear Redeemer whose Love was stronger than Death? Are not our Souls possess'd with a Variety of Divine Affections, when we behold him who is our chief Beloved hanging on the cursed Tree, with the Load of all our Sins upon him, and giving up his Soul to the Sword of Divine Justice in the stead of Rebels and Enemies? And must these Affections be confin'd only to our own Bosoms, or never break forth but in _Jewish_ Language, and Words which were not made to express the {259} Devotion of the Gospel? The Heaven and the h.e.l.l that we are acquainted with by the Discovery of G.o.d our Saviour, give us amore distinct Knowledge of the future and eternal State, than all the former Revelations of G.o.d to Men: Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel; we are taught to look far into the invisible World, and take a Prospect of the last awful Scene of Things: We see the Graves opening, and the Dead arising at the Voice of the Archangel, and the Sounding of the Trump of G.o.d; We behold the judge on his Tribunal, and we hear the dreadful and the delightful Sentences of Decision that shall pa.s.s on all the Sons and Daughters of _Adam_; we are a.s.sur'd, that the Saints shall _arise to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall we be for ever with the Lord_: The Apostle bids us, _Exhort or comfort one another with these Words_, 1 Thess. 4. 17, 18.

Now when the same Apostle requires that the _Word of Christ must dwell richly in us in all Wisdom, teaching and admonis.h.i.+ng one another in Psalms and spiritual Songs_; can we think he restrains us only to the Psalms of _David_, which speak very little of all these Glories or Terrors, and that in very obscure Terms and dark Hints of Prophecy? Or shall it be suppos'd, that we must admonish one another of the old _Jewish_ Affairs and Ceremonies in Verse, and make Melody with those _weak and beggarly Elements, and the Yoke of Bondage_, and yet never dare to speak of the Wonders of new Discovery except in the plain and simple Language of Prose?

{260} Perhaps 'twill be replied here, that there are some Scriptural Hymns in the Book of _Revelations_ that describe the Affairs of the New Testament, the Death and Kingdom of our _Lord Jesus_, and these are lawful to be sung in a Christian Church; I am glad that our Friends of a different Opinion will submit to sing any thing that belongs to the Gospel; I rejoice that the Bible hath any such Pieces of Christian Psalmody in it; lest everything that is Evangelical should utterly be excluded from this Wors.h.i.+p, by those who will sing nothing but what is inspired; but how seldom are these Gospel-Songs used among our Churches? how little respect is paid to 'em in comparison of the Jewish Psalms? how little mention would ever be made of them, if it were not to defend the Patrons of Jewish Psalmody from the gross Absurdity of an entire Return to Judaism in this Part of Wors.h.i.+p? But give me leave also to add, that these Christian Hymns are but very short, and very few; nor do they contain a hundredth Part of those glorious Revelations that are made to us by _Christ Jesus_ and his Apostles; nor can we suppose G.o.d excludes all other Parts of the Gospel from Verse and Singing.

Most express words of Scripture furnish me with a _Third_ Argument, _Eph_. 5. 19, 20. & _Col_. 3. 16, 17. Which are the two chief Commands of the New Testament for Singing; both bid us _make Melody, and give Thanks to G.o.d the Father, in the Name of our {261} Lord Jesus Christ_.

This is one of the Glories of Gospel-Wors.h.i.+p, that all must be offer'd to the Father in his Name. So very particular is our _Lord Jesus_ in this Command, that his last Sermon to his Disciples mentions it four times, _John_ 14. 13, 14. & 16. 23, 24. Nov why should we make Conscience of praying in the Name of _Christ_ always, and offer up our Praises in his Name when we speak in Prose? And yet when we give Thanks in Verse, we almost bind our selves to take no more notice of the Name of _Christ_ than _David_ or _Moses_ did. Why should every part of Divine Wors.h.i.+p under the Gospel be express'd in Language suited to that Gospel (_viz_.) Praying, Preaching, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and yet when we perform that part of Wors.h.i.+p which brings us nearest to the heavenly State, we must run back again to the Law to borrow Materials for this Service? And when we are employ'd in the Work of Angels, we talk the Language of the Infant-Church, and speak in Types and Shadows?

While we bind our selves to the Words of _David_ when he inclines his Ear to a Parable, and opens his dark saying upon the Harp, Psal. 49. 4.

we have given too great Countenance to those who still continue the use of the Harp while they open the dark saying.

The _Fourth_ Argument may be thus drawn up. There is almost an infinite Number of different Occasions for Praise and Thanksgivings; as well as for Prayer, in the Life of a {262} Christian; and there is not a Set of Psalms already prepared that can answer all the Varieties of the Providence and the Grace of G.o.d. Now if G.o.d will be prais'd for all his Mercies, and Singing be one Method of Praise, we have some Reason to believe that G.o.d doth not utterly confine us even to the Forms of his own composing. This is thought a very sufficient Reason to resist the Imposition of any Book of Prayers; and I grant that no Number of Prayers of humane Composure cam express every new Difficulty or future Want of a Christian; scarce can we suppose a Divine Volume should do it, except it be equal to many _Folio's_. However I can see no thing in the inspired Book of Praises that should perswade me that the Spirit of G.o.d design'd it as a universal Psalm-book; nor that he intended these to include or provide for all the Occasions of Thanksgiving that ever Could befal _Jews_ or _Christians_ in a single or social Capacity. We find in the History of Scripture, that new Favours receiv'd from G.o.d were continually the Subject of new Songs, and the very minute Circ.u.mstances of the present Providence are describ'd in the Verse. The Destruction of _Pharoah_ in the _Red-Sea_; the Victory of _Barak_ over _Sisera_; the various Deliverances, Escapes and Successes of the Son of _Jesse_ are described in the Songs of _Moses_, _Deborah_ and _David_.

The Jews in a Land of Captivity sat by the Rivers of _Babylon_, and remembred _Sion_; they could find none of the antient Songs {263} of _Sion_ fit to express their present Sorrow and Devotion, tho some of them are mournful enough; then was that admirable and artful Ode written, the _137th Psalm_, which even in the Judgment of the greatest humane Criticks, is not inferiour to the finest Heathen Poems. 'Tis a more dull, and obscure, and unaffecting Method of Wors.h.i.+p to preach, or pray, or praise always in Generals: It doth not reach the Heart, nor touch the Pa.s.sions; G.o.d did not think any of his own inspired Hymns clear and full and special enough to express the Praise that was his due of new Blessings of Grace and Providence; and therefore he put a new Song into the Mouths of _Mary_, _Zecharias_ and _Simeon_; and 'tis but according to his own Requirement, that the _British-Islands_ should make their present Mercies under the Gospel the Subject of fresh Praises; _Isa_. 42. 9, 10. _Behold the former things are come to pa.s.s, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them; Sing unto the Lord a new Song, and his Praise from the End of the Earth; Ye that go down to the Sea, and all that is therein; the Isles and the Inhabitants thereof_. As for the new Songs in the _Revelations_, the occasions of some of them are very particular, and relate to the Fall of _Anti-Christ_; It can never be imagin'd that there are a compleat Collection of Psalms to suit all the Cases of a Christian Church: They are rather given to us as small Originals, by Imitation whereof the Churches should be furnished with Matter {264} for Psalmody, by those who are capable of composing spiritual Songs according to the various or Special Occasions of Saints or Churches.

Now, shall we suppose the Duty of Singing to be so constantly provided for when there was any fresh Occasion under the Old Testament, and just in the very Beginning of the New, and yet that there is no manner of Provision made ever since by ordinary or extraordinary Gifts for the Expression of our particular joys and Thanksgivings? This would be to sink the Gospel, which is a Dispensation of the Spirit, of Liberty, of Joy, and of Glory, beneath the Level of Judaism, when the Saints were kept in hard Bondage, and had not half so much Occasion for Praise.

The Fifth Argument may be borrow'd from the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to compose or sing spiritual Songs in the primitive Church, express'd in 1_Cor_. 14. 15, 26. The several Parts of Divine Wors.h.i.+p, Praying, Preaching and Singing, were performed by immediate Inspirations of the holy Spirit in that Day, for there two Reasons.

(1.) That there might be a Discovery of Divine Power in them, and the Seal of a Miracle set to the several Parts of Christian Wors.h.i.+p, to convince the World, and to confirm the Church. (2.) Because there was not time to acquire a Capacity of Preaching, Praying, and composing Spiritual Songs by Diligence and Study, together with the ordinary a.s.sistance of Grace and Blessing of {265} Providence, which would have taken up many Years before the Gospel could have been universally preached. But even in those Times of Inspiration, as _Timothy_ himself was _not to neglect the Gift that was in him given by Imposition of Hands_, so he was charg'd to _give Attendance to Reading, to Exhortation, to Doctrine, to meditate upon these things, to give himself wholly to them, that his profiting might appear unto all_, 1 Tim. 4, 14, 15. And it is granted by all, that the Ministers of the Gospel in our Day are to acquire and improve the Gifts of Knowledge, Prayer and Preaching, by Reading, Meditation and frequent Exercise, together with earnest Requests to G.o.d for the ordinary a.s.sistance of his Spirit, and, a Blessing on their Studies; Why then should it be esteem'd sinful, to acquire a Capacity of composing a spiritual Song?

Or why is it unlawful to put this Gift in Excercise, for the Use of Singing in the Christian Church, since 'tis one of those three standing Parts of Wors.h.i.+p which were at first practis'd and confirm'd by Inspiration and Miracle?

Some may object here, that the words _psallo_ and _Psalmos_, which the Apostle useth in this Chapter, intend the Psalms of _David_, and not any new Song: But if we consult the whole Frame and Design of that Chapter, it appears that their wors.h.i.+p was all performed by extraordinary Gifts: Now, 'twas no very, extraordinary thing to bring forth, one of _David_'s Psalms; nor would it have been proper to have hindered the inspsired Wors.h.i.+p with such an Interposition of the ordinary Service of an antient _Jewish_ Song; 'tis very credible therefore that the Word _Psalm_ in this Place signifies a new spiritual Song, and 'tis so used frequently in the Writings of the Primitive Fathers, as appears in the Citations, _pag_. 274.

To close this Rank of Arguments, I might mention the Divine Delight that many pious Souls have found in the Use of spiritual, Songs, suited to their {266} own Circ.u.mstances, and to, the Revelations of the New Testament. If the spiritual Joy and Consolation that particular Persons have tasted in the general Duty or Singing, be esteem'd a tolerable Argument to encourage the Duty and confirm the Inst.i.tution, I am well a.s.sured that the Argument would grow strong apace, and seal this Ordinance beyond Contradiction, if we would but stand fast in the Liberty of the Gospel, and not tie our Consciences up to meer Forms of the Old Testament. The Faith, the Hope, the Love, and the heavenly Pleasure that many Christians have profess'd while they have been singing evangelical Hymns; would probably be multiply'd and diffus'd amongst the Churches, if they would but breath out their Devotion in the Songs of the Lamb as well as in the Song of _Moses_.