The Highway Forums Announcements What's New on The Highway website? "Examination of Exclusive Psalmody" - Morey

The issue of church music must be approached with great carefulness and seriousness because it concerns a very personal aspect of the worship of God. Exclusive psalmody excites deep emotions in both those who favor it and those who oppose it. This is why unusual care must be taken to approach this issue with a humble heart and mind.

Because of the fact that the topic of Exclusive Psalmody is a controversial one in Reformed circles, it seemed prudent that Dr. Robert Morey's booklet, An Examination of Exclusive Psalmody be added to The Highway. We are thankful to Dr. Morey for granting permission to do so. It should be mentioned first, that Dr. Morey is not opposed to the singing of Psalms in public worship. In fact, he strongly believes that the Psalms should be sung and laments that the contemporary church, by and large, has forsaken the Psalms for music which is less than God-glorifying and edifying to the saints. The issue under examination is whether or not the biblical Psalms are ONLY to be sung in public worship or are other biblical songs to also be sung. The author begins his examination of the subject by posing three questions to be answered:

1. May we sing the Psalms in public worship?
2. Should we sing only the Psalms in public worship?
3. May we sing uninspired hymns or songs in public worship?

The article also includes a brief history of hymnody in the Church, a look at the doctrine of the Regulative Principle of Worship and several other areas which are relevant to obtaining a better understanding of the subject.

You can read this article now by going here: An Examination of Exclusive Psalmody.

Or, for later reading, from the homepage, click on "Calvinism and the Reformed Faith" and then click on the "Ecclesiology" button on the left.

In His service and grace,