Christ’s word indwelling us
‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ is a beautiful expression. Paul tells us that this should be especially evident when we are ‘teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God’.
Do you ever think about this when you gather with others for worship? Yes, you are praising God. But sanctified praise will have a manward as well as a Godward dimension.
The Psalms well illustrate this. Perhaps one third of them are addressed to God himself (‘Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations’); in another third the psalmist is addressing himself (‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!); and in a final third he is addressing others (‘Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good’). Thus, as we sing we are instructing, exhorting, encouraging, an teaching another. This is one reason the words are always more significant than the music — important though the music is. It is also the reason sanctified believers will be singing believers. The word that indwells them comes with such power to them that it issues from them in heart-felt sung proclaimation. Our singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is therefore our corporate ministry of God’s word, a kind of mutual prophesying to one another to hear and live by the gospel.
The more the word of Christ fills us by means of the words we sing, and as we sing them with understanding, the more we will be able to bless God, encourage one another, and be strengthened in ourselves.
— Sinclair Ferguson, Devoted to God, p. 136–137.
