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What does Scripture (New Testament) say about instrumental accompaniment in worship services, especially in the so-called “hour of worship”?
If one wanted to answer your question briefly, one could say: The New Testament nowhere mentions musical instruments in connection with Christian gatherings (as an assembly). That should make us very cautious. For when God is silent in His Word about certain things, we are called to investigate the reasons for that—and not immediately use the silence as “leeway” for our own ideas.
That songs have their place in the gatherings of believers is beyond question: “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the mind also,” the apostle says to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 14:15). Songs of praise glorify God. It is certainly also exemplary that our Lord sang a hymn with His disciples at the institution of the remembrance meal (Mark 14:26). The Jewish custom that certain psalms were sung at the Passover may have played a certain role. Yet the singing sounded directly after the remembrance meal. This shows that precisely on this occasion (spiritual) songs appropriately support and express our thoughts and feelings. After the completed work of atonement, it is obviously a special joy for our Lord to “sing hymns to You in the congregation” (Hebrews 2:12). Therefore, this quotation from Psalm 22 is applied to the believers of the time of grace. The risen Lord has united us most closely with Himself. And that is expressed in common praise.
Let us return to musical instruments. Anyone reasonably familiar with the Old Testament will notice immediately that no instruments are mentioned at all in connection with New Testament worship. In temple service, by contrast, the instruments were of great importance; they are mentioned frequently. Of course, even then, singing was in the foreground, while the instruments served merely as accompaniment. That is why the relevant passages speak of singers—and not of players or instrumentalists (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:16,19). It is noteworthy that in connection with temple service, the instruments used are even called “musical instruments of God” (1 Chronicles 16:42). David had evidently selected them with care and discernment. They were to be suitable for the worship of that time, “to praise the Lord” (1 Chronicles 16:7,41; 23:30; 25:3). And they did fulfill that purpose. God had given His approval; He had, as it were, put His stamp on these instruments.
These “holy instruments” no longer have any significance today for the praise of God and the “worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). They are no longer mentioned and evidently no longer used. Is the reason not that praise and worship in the time of grace are a matter of the heart, even more so than under the old covenant? In any case, it is striking that the New Testament mentions singing “in the heart” twice:
“… speaking to one another in psalms [1] 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, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).
Of course, this does not rule out that Christians’ songs of praise can also become audible. Especially when we come together as an assembly and sing together, this does not happen with the heart alone; voice and lips are involved as well: “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).
This verse from Hebrews also makes it clear that what we bring to God differs from the thank offerings that were brought in the Old Testament. The Israelites had indeed already brought their thank offerings of their own accord; insofar, their hearts were involved as well. But the content and accompanying elements of these offerings were of a material and sensory nature. We, on the other hand, offer “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
In contrast to the visible glory that unfolded particularly in temple service, the New Testament contains no instructions whatsoever on the outward arrangement of our gatherings. Gold, splendid garments, spices, and the like have found their fulfillment in the person, the service, and the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Since God has fully revealed Himself in the person of His Son and “grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17), we can worship “in truth.” Musical instruments cannot promote our worship; on the contrary, there would rather be the danger that spiritual thoughts and feelings would be suppressed by purely natural feelings. For depending on one’s disposition, attention would quickly turn to the musical performance. True worship is promoted only by the Holy Spirit, making the divine persons as well as the divine work great in our hearts.
These principles, which we can draw from the teachings of the New Testament, are not meant to lead to a general prohibition of instrumental accompaniment of (praise) songs. This applies especially to the use of instruments in family and youth meetings. For it is by no means the case that we are together for worship every time, and also not as a local assembly to the Lord’s name (Matthew 18:20). Thus, an instrumental accompaniment can intensify the joyful or sorrowful mood of a song, which can also be of benefit and to the Lord’s honor. It is important, however, that the Word of God is at the center and remains in the foreground. Then the prerequisite is given for heart and thoughts to be involved spiritually. If, on the other hand, only instruments are to be heard in the praise of God, there is the danger of slipping onto a natural and emotional level.
One last note on instrumental musical accompaniment in the gatherings as an assembly: Even if it would not be in keeping with the sense of Scripture for musical instruments to gain entry here, we must nevertheless also consider that there is no direct prohibition of it in Scripture.
In some places, the singing in the gatherings could be better. What can be done? One measure helps in any case: sing more again in families. It would have blessed effects—not only acoustically, but above all spiritually. A revival in personal and family faith always results in a revival of our gatherings.
1 By psalms, what is essentially not meant are the psalms of the Old Testament, but songs that express a Christian’s feelings in musical compositions. In addition, it should be noted that the “use of the Greek word ‘psalmos,’ ‘psallo’ in the original text of the New Testament provides no evidence whatsoever for the use of musical instruments” (J.S. Blackburn: True Worship, pp. 108–109. Neustadt 1991).