Making Melody In The Heart
About one hundred years ago three commentaries were prepared by Samuel H. Turner. These commentaries were on Romans, Ephesians and Hebrews. I obtained the first two in a second hand book store in Omaha, Nebraska several years ago. Mr. Turner was the professor of Biblical learning and interpretation of scripture in the General Theological Seminary, and of the Hebrew language and literature in Columbia College, N. Y. His commentaries are quite scholarly and logical. I believe that his comments on Ephesians 5:19 deserve wider reading than would be possible with the limited number of his books still in existence. His commentary on Ephesians was printed by Dana and Company in New York in the year 1856. This was before the music controversy began in the churches of Christ.
" 'Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs': Whether these three words are employed to designate three distinct sorts of devotional compositions of different character, or whether the last is general and comprehends the other two, is uncertain. The reader will be gratified by a portion of Eadie's note, which is learned, judicious, and liberal. 'Psalms': This term, from `psallein,' to strike the lyre, is, according to its derivation, a sacred song chanted to the accompaniment of instrumental music. So Basil rightly defines it, and the definition of Gregory of Nyssa is similar. This specific idea was lost in the course of time, and the word retained only the general sense of a sacred poetical composition, and corresponds to the Hebrew — `a sacred poem.' `Hymns': These are also sacred poetical compositions, the primary purpose of which is praise, as may be seen in those instances in which the verb occurs, Acts 16:25; Heb. 2:12. Hymns are songs of praise to God. In Matt. 26:30, and the parallel place, Mk. 14:26, `umnesantes,' which is rendered in our version, that is, Ps. 103-108, which was sung either in part or wholly. by the Jews at the Paschal celebration. (Here the author gives a footnote reference to Lightfoot's Hebrew and Talmudical Excercitations on Mark 14:26. REG) 'Spiritual songs': Literally 'odes,' that is, poetic strains of praise. See Rev. 5:9-10 and 15:3-4, which are evidently poetic, if not metrical, in their structure. Eadie supposed that such odes are called spiritual, because prompted by the spirit. This may be true in some cases, but it is not necessary to limit the expression to compositions emanating from the inspiring Spirit. Whatever harmonizes with Christian principle and character is spiritual; and consequently all religious Christian odes are entitled to this appellation. It is most probable that the apostle employed the epithet in its most comprehensive sense.
"Singing and making melody in your heart': 'Song is the expression of happiness, and also of praise. The mind which is filled with the Spirit is surcharged with gladness, and relieves itself in song. Its passion (feeling, Christian emotion) gives harmony to its utterance.' Eadie. Most true, even though the utterance may be dissonant to musical ears. The harmony is spiritual, appreciated by holy men and angels, with whose devotional character it is in perfect unison. 'In your heart' is not merely equivalent to 'heartily,' sincerely, earnestly. It characterizes that religious joy and thanksgiving with which the inward emotions of the soul harmonize. The oral expression may indeed often serve to denote them; but sometimes they lie too deep for utterance, and are rather to be felt than declared. 'This silent playing in the heart signifies that sincere and genuine emotion which ought to accompany sacred joy. The heart pulsates in unison with the melody.' 'To the Lord': Thus Pliny states that the ancient Christians sang hymns to Christ as to God."