We have established that there are abundant references to instrumental music in the Old Testament, specifically in the Psalms and under the Davidic tradition of worship, but what about the New Testament? Some denominations claim that there are no references to worship with instruments in the New Testament, and since we are under the New Covenant, we should not use instruments in Christian worship, but is this really true? Let’s look closer, by examining two familiar New Testament worship passages, which are pillar three in the Biblical foundations of instrumental music in worship.

 “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;” (Ephesians 5:19)

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

Notice that both of these passages encourage the use of psalms in worship, and what have we learned in pillar one about the use of the Psalms? Many of them are associated with the use of musical instruments, either through the psalm headings or direct references in the text. The most notable one is Psalm 150, with its reference to all four families of instruments. Through this link to the Psalms, we see that both these passages contain an implied reference to the use of instruments in worship.

As we look a little closer at the latter half of Ephesians 5:19, we discover an even more direct reference to using instruments in worship. The apostle Paul, who wrote both Ephesians and Colossians, says that we should sing and “make melody” with our heart to the Lord. The Greek word, translated “make melody” in the NASB, is psallo. The original meaning of this word is “to pluck the strings of an instrument.” In fact, one of the most respected commentators on the book of Ephesians, Markus Barth, translates this verse, “Talk to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and play to the Lord from your heart.” This is more than just an implied reference to instrumental music; it almost sounds like a direct command to praise God with instruments!

Finally, let us examine the context of the verse in Colossians, by looking at the verse that follows it, Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Whatever you do, including playing an instrument, can and should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, with a thankful heart.