Worship in the Spirit
A Sermon on Ephesians 5:19
Originally preached Nov. 22, 1959
Scripture
19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Sermon Description
What is the role that singing is supposed to play in the church? What are the Lord’s instructions for how He is to be praised through song? In this sermon on Ephesians 5:19 titled “Worship in the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more. In this passage, Paul is concerned with how the Holy Spirit is manifested when believers gather together for worship. But what is his intent in this section? Is it meant to prescribe the exact style of worship that every church should have? Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses Scripture to provide helpful commentary on why this is not the case. Paul here is calling for a unified expression of joy through singing, specifically through “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Though they might sound as if they are the same, Dr. Lloyd-Jones is careful to show the differences. A psalm is a sacred song intended to be sung with the accompaniment of a musical instrument. A hymn is a song of praise to God. Finally, a song is an ode or lyric, which is why Paul describes it additionally as needing to be “spiritual.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones ends with a note on the permanence and importance of singing in the lives of believers, drawing on thousands of years of church history to show why this should have such a vital place in the spiritual walk of Christians.
Sermon Breakdown
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The passage under consideration is Ephesians 5:19 - Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
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The context is Paul exhorting Christians to be filled with the Spirit rather than drunk with wine. Being filled with the Spirit manifests itself in expressions of joy when Christians gather together.
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Paul is not prescribing a strict liturgy but illustrating how the Spirit-filled life expresses itself. He begins with corporate worship since joy and fellowship are natural expressions of the Spirit-filled life.
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'Speaking' refers to singing, not just speech. It means addressing one another in song.
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Psalms refer to sacred poems, especially those meant to be sung with musical accompaniment. Hymns specifically refer to songs of praise to God. Spiritual songs refer to spontaneous, Spirit-inspired songs about spiritual things.
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Some argue only psalms should be sung in worship, but:
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The Ephesian church was mainly Gentile, unfamiliar with the psalms.
- Early church history shows other songs were sung.
- The passage refers to singing to 'the Lord' (Jesus), suggesting new compositions.
- 1 Cor 14 shows various contributions in worship, including spontaneous psalms.
- Limiting singing to psalms limits the Spirit, who inspires prayer, preaching, art, and hymns.
- The argument against hymns also argues against extemporary prayer and worship.
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Revivals, when the Spirit moves, often inspire new hymns. Hymns have also sparked revival.
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The early church meetings were joyful, spontaneous, and Spirit-led, unlike typical formal services today. Paul had to warn against disorder, not prescribe a strict liturgy.
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We must avoid quenching the Spirit with legalism. Order and decency restrain excess, but do not prohibit expression. Spirit-filled churches should overflow with praise in various forms.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 5:19 - Questions and Answers
What does Ephesians 5:19 tell us about Christian worship?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Ephesians 5:19 tells us that Christian worship should be characterized by spiritual joy expressed through singing. The verse states, "speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." This is contrasted with worldly happiness fueled by wine. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this passage is not primarily a legal regulation for worship services but rather a description of how Spirit-filled believers naturally express their joy and fellowship when gathered together.
What's the difference between psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains these distinctions:
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Psalms: Sacred poems typically sung with musical accompaniment. While they could refer to the Book of Psalms, the term more broadly means sacred poetic compositions.
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Hymns: Songs specifically of praise to God. Augustine defined a hymn as "praise, the praise of God, and it must be sung."
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Spiritual songs: This refers to more spontaneous, extemporaneous expressions of praise. Lloyd-Jones notes the apostle specifically qualifies these as "spiritual," unlike psalms and hymns which are inherently sacred, because songs can be secular or sacred.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones disagree with those who believe only psalms should be sung in church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives several reasons:
- The letter was written to a Gentile church who likely wouldn't know the Book of Psalms in detail
- Early church historian Eusebius confirms other compositions besides psalms were sung
- Tertullian describes Christians singing both from scripture and "from their own heart"
- The text specifically mentions singing "to the Lord" (Christ), suggesting new compositions
- 1 Corinthians 14:26 describes Christians bringing their own psalms to meetings
- The argument against hymns would logically extend to extemporaneous prayer, which is clearly biblical
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the atmosphere of early church worship?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes early church worship as having joy, freedom, happiness, and inspiration—similar to what happens during spiritual revivals. He compares it to Welsh "happy evenings" where people would gather and each person would contribute something—a poem, a song, or a story. In the early church, believers filled with the Spirit would each bring something: "one a psalm, one a doctrine, one a revelation, one an interpretation, one a tongue." There was such spiritual enthusiasm that Paul had to instruct them on orderly participation, not because they lacked joy but because they had too much spiritual excitement happening simultaneously.
What is the relationship between revival and hymn-singing according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that there is a reciprocal relationship between revival and hymn-singing:
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Revivals produce hymns: "Whenever the Spirit of God really does come down and the Church is filled with the Spirit, it always leads to the appearance of numbers of hymns." He cites examples like Martin Luther, Charles Wesley, and William Williams who composed hymns during times of spiritual awakening.
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Hymns can spark revival: He notes how William Williams published a volume of hymns in 1763 during a spiritually dry period in Wales, and "the people began to sing them, and it led immediately and directly to another outpouring of the Spirit of God."
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give about worship practices?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against two extremes:
- Do not tolerate disorder, poor-quality hymns, or sentimental excess in worship
- Do not quench the Spirit through rigid legalism that forbids Spirit-inspired expressions
He concludes: "Let us avoid all excesses. Let everything be done decently and in order. But above all, quench not the Spirit. Rather be filled with him, and give evidence of the fact that you are."
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.