the purpose driven music paradigm - Escape Babylon's Demons

CHAPTER 4
The content, purpose and focus of music in the church
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your
heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wis dom; teaching and admonishing one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord . (Colossians
3:16)
This chapter will simply teach the content, purpose and focus of music in the church
according to the truth of scripture.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to instruct the churches at Ephesus and Colosse
concerning the ministry of music. Notice the following three points to his teaching
about music:
1. The content of music is to be the word of Christ (Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly…speaking to yourselves…)
2. The purpose of the word of Christ in the music is instructional (…in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another…)
3. The focus of the music is the Lord (singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord…)
The three types of biblical music: psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
The scriptures mention three types of biblical music: psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs.
Both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 instruct the church to sing the word of God
found in the Psalms. The Book of Psalms consist of 150 songs or poems sung to the
accompaniment of musical instruments. It has also been known as the Book of
Praises. Psalters consisting of the Psalms are available on the internet at
www.cgmusic.com/workshop/index.htm.
One example is the 1719 Isaac Watts metrical paraphrase which is available on the
cgmusic website. Another source of Psalters providing original lyrics, sheet music
scores, guitar chords, midi and mp3 download files for each Psalm (all 150 of them)
for study, worship and praise is Psalms Music found at