INTRODUCTION:

1. Worship

1. Theyers electronic 4352 proskuneo {pros-koo-neh'-o} from 4314 and a probable derivative of 2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); TDNT - 6:758,948; v, AV - worship 60; 60 1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence

2) among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and

touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound

reverence

3) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make

obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication

3a) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank

3a1) to the Jewish high priests

3a2) to God

3a3) to Christ

3a4) to heavenly beings

3a5) to demons

2. Theyers electronic edition: 2999 latreia {lat-ri'-ah} from 3000; TDNT - 4:58,503; n f

AV - service 4, divine service 1; 5

1) service rendered for hire

1a) any service or ministration: the service of God

2) the service and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law

3) to perform sacred services

C. Defination of singing: Strongs def. 103. aido, ad'-o; a prim. verb; to sing:--sing.

Gramacord parsing -Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Masculine, Plural, Nominative

2. What is accomplished in singing?

1. Teach and Admonish (Col. 3:16)
2. Praising our God

1. When may one worship in song

1. Singing in worship may take place either in the assembling (1 Cor. 14)
2. Or out of the assembling (Acts 16:25)

(Psa 104:33 KJV) "I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."

(Psa 105:2 KJV) "Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works."

1. BACKGROUND (Songs of thanksgiving and praise often followed great events)

A. Israel after crossing the Red Sea (Exo 15:1 KJV) "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea."

(Exo 15:20-24 KJV) "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. {21} And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. {22} So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. {23} And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. {24} And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?"

B. Deborah and Barak after defeating Jabin the king of Canaan (Judg 5:1-3 KJV) "Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, {2} Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. {3} Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel."

1. After God promises to deliver Judah out of the hands of Moab, Ammon, and others who were invading. (2 Chr 20:19-28 KJV) "And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. {20} And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. {21} And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. {22} And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. {23} For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. {24} And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. {25} And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. {26} And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. {27} Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. {28} And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD."

E. Placed in Temple worship (2 Chr 29:25 KJV) "And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets."

F. Upon laying the foundation of the Temple after the return from Babylon (Ezra 3:10 KJV) "And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel."

1. ADMONITIONS TO SING WITH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

(Psa 33:1-4 KJV) "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. {2} Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. {3} Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. {4} For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth."

(Psa 81:1-3 KJV) "To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. {2} Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. {3} Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day."

(Psa 92:1-3 KJV) "A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: {2} To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, {3} Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound."

(Psa 150 KJV) "Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. {2} Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. {3} Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. {4} Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. {5} Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. {6} Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD."

2. SINGING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (Not during the life of Christ – Mk 14:26)

A. Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25 KJV) "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them."

B. (Rom 15:9 KJV) "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."

C. (1 Cor 14:15 KJV) "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."

D. (Eph 5:19 KJV) "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;"

E. (Col 3:16 KJV) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

(Heb 2:12 KJV) "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."

(Heb 13:15 KJV) "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

(James 5:13 KJV) "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms."

3. CHANGES IN THE PATTERN OF WORSHIP IN SONG

1. Mechanical instruments

a. The command is to sing (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16)

2. Choirs, solos, etc

1. Eph. 5:19 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms…"
2. Col. 3:16 "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms"

1. Hand clapping, foot stomping, humming

a. Command is to sing

2. "Modern Music"

1. Mechanical instruments used.
2. Where is the reverence?

Hebr 12:28 (KJS) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve (latruo) God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

1. THE PROPOSITION

1. God was specific as to Kind of music.
2. The kind of music God commanded was vocal not instrumental
3. Therefore the addition or substitution of mechanical musical instruments in worship is unauthorized and therefore sin.

Note this also eliminated humming, clapping, stomping feet, etc.

1. ARGUMENTS FOR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

1. Psallo
2. Old Testament
3. New Testament
4. God didn’t say not to do it.
5. Congregational singing is not authorized therefore Mechanical instruments may be used.