Ephesians 5:19

to yourselves R.V., one to another. The Gr. admits either rendering (see above on Ephesians 4:32); but the parallel, Colossians 3:16 ("teaching and admonishing, &c.") is clearly for the R. V. here, as the much most natural reference there is to mutualedification.

It has been thought that we have here a suggestion of responsive chanting. But this is most precarious, to say the least; the words being fully satisfied by the thought of the mutualspiritual help, most real and powerful now as then, given on any occasion of commonspiritual praise. The first disciples thus "spoke one to another" in the united outburst of ascription and praise, Acts 4:24. Still, it is interesting to remember that responsive hymn-singing was, as a fact, used very early in Christian worship. In the famous Letter of Pliny to Trajan (written between a. d. 108 and a. d. 114), where the worship of the Christians is described, we read; "they are used to meet before dawn on a stated day, and to chant (carmen dicere) to Christ, as to a God, alternately together (secum invicem)." See Alford's note here.

psalms… hymns… spiritual songs It is impossible to fix precisely the limits of these terms; nor does the character of the passage, full of the spirit rather than the theory of praise, demand it. But there is probability in the suggestion that the psalmwas generally a rhythmic utterance, either actually one of the O. T. psalms, or in their manner; the hymn, a rhythmic utterance of praise distinctively Christian; and the spiritual song, or spiritual ode, a similar utterance, but more of experience or meditation than of praise. The canticles of Luke 1:2, would thus rank as psalms; the inspired chant of the disciples (Acts 4) as a hymn; and the possibly rhythmic "faithful words" in the Pastoral Epistles (see esp. 2 Timothy 2:11-13) as spiritual odes.

Another suggested distinction is that a psalm (Gr., psallein, to play,) demanded instrumental accompaniment, a hymn did not. But this cannot be sustained in detail.

"Psalm-singing" (see further 1 Corinthians 14:26; James 5:13) is thus a primeval element in not only Christian worship but Christian common life; for the Apostle here evidently contemplates social gatherings rather than formulated services; similar occasions to those formerly defaced by "excess of wine."

The history of psalmody and hymnody in the Church cannot be discussed, however briefly, here. See articles on Hymns, in Smith's Dictionaries(of the Bible and of Christian Antiquities). We may just note that (1) Pliny (quoted above on this verse) speaks already of Christian hymnody, very early cent. 2; (2) St Justin, rather later cent. 2, in his account of Sunday eucharistic worship makes no distinct allusion to it; but (3) a century later the allusions are frequent. See e.g.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl.v. 28, 7:30. The "earliest known Christian hymn" is a noble Greek hymn, in anapæstic metre, to the Son of God, by St Clement of Alexandria, at the end of his Pædagogus(middle of cent. 3).

" Spiritualsongs" :not necessarily "inspired," but charged with spiritual truth.

making melody Lit. "playing instruments" (psallontes, psalm). This seems to assume the use of lute or flute on such occasions.

in your heart Both voice and instrument were literal and external, but the useof them both was to be spiritual, and so "in the heart." No other use of either, in and for worship, can be truly according to the will of God (John 4:24).

to the Lord Who is either directly or indirectly addressed in the song, and to Whom every act of the Christian's life is related.