A Psalm, a Hymn or a Spiritual Song?

Is there a difference between singing a psalm or singing a hymn?  If I’m singing a spiritual song how is that different (is that different) from singing a psalm?  Both Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3 use similar wording when talking about these three terms; “…speaking to (teaching and admonishing) one another in (with) psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs…”  The apostle Paul authored these letters to the churches in Ephesus and Colossae, and based on Acts 16:25, he was no stranger to singing.  But what exactly is the difference between a psalm or a hymn or a spiritual song?  Do theses words mean the same thing?  A deeper look into these three (different) forms of singing praise to God and singing encouragement to the faithful might give us a better understanding of what we are doing when we sing.

Though admittedly, there is some gray area in the exact interpretation of these three words, a basic idea can be found for a quick understanding of these terms by evaluating each on it’s own merit.

A Psalm (for all practical purposes) would be a song that is based on scripture.  The Psalms would obviously be our first thought in answering the question, ‘What is a psalm?’.  But the following could be classified as a psalm as well: ‘a song of praise or edification that can be found in part or in whole in the word of God.’  It is clear when we sing, the 23rd Psalm… “The Lord’s my shepherd I’ll not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and lovingness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  You know the song… “The Lord’s my shepherd I’ll not want: He makes me down to lie, In pastures green, He leadeth me in pastures green He leadeth me the quiet waters by.”  But do you know this ‘contemporary’ song from Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, but not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  So a ‘Psalm’ is song we sing almost directly from scripture.

Personally, the hymn is my favorite of the ‘songs’ when compared to the other three song definitions.  To understand the definition of a hymn, I have found it is easiest to relate this simple analogy;  ‘A hymn is a song that is sung to HIM’.  Many examples are available, but one of my favorites is a sung written by Annie Hawks in 1872…“I need Thee every hour, most precious Lord; No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.  I need Thee, O I need Thee; every hour I need Thee!  O bless me now, my Savior; I come to Thee!”  No one can refute the fact that this song (hymn) is directed to HIM.

A Spiritual Song is more basic in that it can encompass anything that is Biblical (spiritual) in nature.  If I sing a song that comes from God’s word or is contemplating Godliness, it could be classified as a spiritual song.  An example might be “Walking Alone at Eve”.  Consider the chorus to this ‘spiritual song’; “O! for a home with God, a place in His courts to rest, sure in a safe abode with Jesus and the blest (Biblical in thought); Rest for a weary soul once redeemed by the Savior’s love, where I’ll be pure in whole and live with my God above.”

Next time you stand with the saints to sing praises, or sit alone and singing a song of prayer, ask yourself; “Are we (Am I) singing a Psalm, a Hymn or a Spiritual Song?”