Why Should We Sing Psalms? - Cultivating Biblical Godliness Series (Beeke)

Among evangelicals, singing psalms is largely a thing of the past. In this pamphlet, Joel R. Beeke gives nine reasons why churches ought to return to the ancient practice of psalm singing. Here you will find the biblical basis, the experiential benefits, and the sheer beauty and glory of singing psalms. Those hoping to recover biblical faith in our day will do well to take part in the Christ- exalting and soul-enriching worship found in the inspired Psalms.

Contents:

The Biblical Basis for Singing the Psalms 

            - God Gave the Psalms for Israel and All Nations to Sing 

            - The Psalms Reveal Christ in His Sufferings and Glory

            - Christ and the New Testament Church Sang the Psalms

The Experiential Benefits of Singing the Psalms  

            - Singing the Psalms Causes the Word of Christ to Dwell in Us Richly

            - Singing the Psalms Helps Us to Be Filled with God’s Spirit 

            - Singing the Psalms Enables Us to Worship God in Every Experience

The Beauty and Glory of Singing the Psalms

            - The Psalms Unite Us with believers of All Times

            - The Psalms Lift Up Our Eyes to the Hope of Glory

            - The Psalms Keep God Supreme in Our Worship 

Series Description

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that what the church needs to do most all is “to begin herself to live the Christian life. If she did that, men and women would be crowding into our buildings. They would say, ‘What is the secret of this?’” As Christians, one of our greatest needs is for the Spirit of God to cultivate biblical godliness in us in order to put the beauty of Christ on display through us, all to the glory of the triune God. With this goal in mind, this series of booklets treats matters vital to Christian experience at a basic level. Each booklet addresses a specific question in order to inform the mind, warm the affections, and transform the whole person by the Spirit’s grace, so that the church may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Author

Joel R. Beeke (PhD, Westminster Seminary) is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; a pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan; editor of Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth; editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books; and a prolific author.

Endorsement

“’The Psalms are full of Christ’ is the foremost of many profound and compelling observations by Joel Beeke in his plea for the recovery of singing the Psalms of the Bible in the worship of God’s people. The tragic neglect of this, the only divinely inspired hymnbook ever published, is a reflection of the shallowness of much of what passes for praise in a culture where endless repetition of emotive mantras – ‘Jesus is the Rock and He rolls my blues away’ over and over again comes to mind. Beeke makes the case for the unique and incomparable depth and richness of the Psalms – for our singing in praise to their Author – showing how they reach into every corner of human experience, from painful to pleasurable, with the message of the Christ of the gospel and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. This is a clarion call that recalls the church to the lost blessings of singing God’s songs to His praise and glory and our comfort and joy. Most warmly recommended.” – Gordon J. Keddie, Reformed Presbyterian pastor and author