Reference: Singing
Morish
In the O.T. we find there were courses of singers, and there were some who were 'taught to sing praise.' Instruments were also appointed for the singers. 1Ki 10:12. In Hab 3:19, at the end of the prophet's poetical 'prayer,' it says, "To the chief singer on my stringed instruments." "The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels." Ps 68:25.
Such organised choirs have no place in the N.T. They that worship God "must worship him in spirit and in truth." This also applies to the singing: "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." 1Co 14:15: cf. 1Co 14:26. "Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody or chanting in your heart to the Lord." Eph 5:19. "In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col 3:16. There will be singing in heaven. Re 5:9. Singing and PRAISE naturally go together. At the institution of the Lord's supper they 'sang a hymn,' margin 'psalm,' ?????. Mt 26:30. The same word is translated 'sang praises' unto God, when Paul and Silas were in prison, Ac 16:25; and the Lord sings praise in the midst of the assembly. Ps 22:22; Heb 2:12.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Of the almug wood the king made pillars for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, and lyres also and harps for the singers. No such almug wood came again or has been seen to this day.
I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You.
The singers go in front, the players on instruments last; between them the maidens are playing on tambourines.
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them,
Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.
What then, brethren, is [the right course]? When you meet together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a disclosure of special knowledge or information, an utterance in a [strange] tongue, or an interpretation of it. [But] let everything be constructive and edifying and for the good of all.
Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [ and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord,
Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.
For He says, I will declare Your [the Father's] name to My brethren; in the midst of the [worshiping] congregation I will sing hymns of praise to You.
And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation.