Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs

The phrase psalms, hymns and spiritual songs comes from the New Testament. It appears twice, in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Ephesians 5:19 reads: "speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Neither letter defines the three words. Readers disagree on whether they name three kinds of song or three names for the psalms themselves.

This page sets out what the two verses say, the two main readings of the phrase, and where else the New Testament mentions singing psalms. Each of the 150 psalms has its own page on this site, with the full text and notes.

In the World English Bible, Ephesians 5:19 reads: "speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Colossians 3:16 reads: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord." The King James Version joins the three words with and: "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs". In both letters the songs are sung to one another as well as to the Lord. In Colossians they are also a way of teaching.

Neither letter explains the difference, and readers take the three words in two main ways. Wikipedia's article on exclusive psalmody describes both. Churches that sing only psalms in worship read the phrase as three names for the psalms, pointing to the titles given to the psalms in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation. Those who disagree read the verses as making room for new songs as well, including songs about the work of Christ. The article lists Presbyterian and Reformed churches among those that sing psalms only. The verses themselves do not settle the question. This site does not take a side.

The idea was not new to these two letters. Many psalm headings call the psalm a song or address it to the chief musician, and Psalm 95 opens: "Oh come, let's sing to the LORD." In James 5:13 the King James Version says "Is any merry? let him sing psalms", where the World English Bible has "Let him sing praises." In 1 Corinthians 14:26, Paul pictures a gathering where "each one of you has a psalm". Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 say that after the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. The text does not say which hymn it was.

The phrase is also the name of an album. Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs is also the title of a live gospel album by Donnie McClurkin, released in 2005, according to Wikipedia's article on the singer. Its title uses the same words as Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. This site has no connection with the album and does not host its songs. If you came for the words behind the title, the two verses quoted above are where they come from.