The answer to this question is quite simple: God commands us to sing Psalms. In Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, Paul exhorts the believers to sing “Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs”. While there is some debate on what “Hymns and Spiritual Songs” are, we know one thing for sure. We are called to sing Psalms.

The Psalms were originally composed to be Israel’s hymn book. David organized singers and musicians (Asaph and his sons) to sing Psalms as the temple was being constructed (1 Chron. 16). If we look closely, Psalm singing is laced throughout scripture. Psalms are presumably what Jesus and his disciples sang when they gathered together (Matthew 26:30), what the disciples sang in times of trouble (Acts 16:25), and what the early church sang in private and public worship.

If you study the church fathers, you will unmistakably find that they had a regular diet of Psalms in their personal and corporate lives. John Chrysostom (3rd Century) said “If we keep vigil in the church, David comes first, last, and midst, If early in the morning, first, last and midst is David again… O marvelous wonder!”. Jerome writes “Wherever you turn, the labourer at the plough sings Alleluia; the toiling reaper beguiles his work with Psalms; the vine-dresser as he prunes the vine sings something of David’s.” This church today has an obligation to Sing The Psalms!