Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
The verse calls believers who walk wisely and redeem the time to be filled with the Spirit rather than drunk with wine, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and singing inwardly to the Lord with thanksgiving to God and submission to one another. Such singing springs only from a heart emptied of self and cleansed and made holy by grace so that Jesus abides within, and it does not depend on instruments, accomplishments, or outward forms. Its inward melody is gratitude, joy, peace, and cheerful faith that praises God for His love, pardon, daily care, and hope even in trial, depression, and danger rather than murmuring or dwelling on wrongs. It shapes speech into the language of heaven that encourages and builds others, talks of Jesus, and refuses faultfinding, empty talk, anger, and sharing in worldly amusement. In worship and daily life this song is prayer and proclamation that impresses truth on the heart, comforts families, cheers work, drives away evil, and carries the gospel to others.
Words and Immediate Context
The verse belongs to walking circumspectly as wise and not as fools, redeeming the time because the days are evil, understanding what the will of the Lord is, walking as children of light, and being filled with the Spirit. That filling is expressed in speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord, joined with giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and submitting to one another in the fear of God. Spirit-filled singing thus belongs with gratitude to God and humble relations with one another in united, heartfelt worship.
Being filled with the Spirit with holy unction from on high is the opposite of being drunk with wine wherein is excess. Indulgence in intoxicating liquor and tobacco is not essential to Christian growth, for indulgence in intoxicating liquor places a person wholly under demonic control to deface and destroy the moral image of God, while the Spirit's filling overflows in holy mutual speech and singing. The same context lays obligation to keep the body in the best condition of health to render perfect service, because body and spirit are not our own but belong to God by purchase through the sufferings and death of the Son of God. Any course that expends vitality, decreases strength, or beclouds the intellect sins against God and fails to glorify Him, and just before receiving immortality amid the corruption and defilement of these last days this work of preserving the body holy and the spirit pure to stand unstained must be taken up at once heartily and understandingly without selfishness under the perfect control and sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God in all actions.
The passage contains lessons for the guidance of every married man and every married woman, requiring close searching of heart. This walking circumspectly and wisely, redeeming the time, understanding the will of the Lord, being filled with the Spirit, singing with melody in the heart, giving thanks, and submitting in the fear of God is the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life. The psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs sung with melody in the heart to the Lord are fitting speech, in contrast with corrupt, foolish, or empty words.
Spirit-Filled Source of Song
Heartfelt singing to the Lord springs from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a felt sense of God's wondrous love, received when self is emptied so that Jesus fills the soul and abides in the heart as welcome guest and light. Accepting the truth as it is in Jesus and receiving Him in whom hopes of eternal life are centered fills the heart with praise to God, and finding Christ as a personal Saviour gives rest and peace and contentment and happiness and joy as a treasure of gladness within. That indwelling brings childlike simplicity, humble prayer and talk, a single aim at God's glory, meekness, self-crucifixion, purity and holiness, peace within and then peace without, and unshaken rest standing firm on the Rock of Ages with abiding support and consolation, instead of cold formal religion shut in an iron case that has form without power. Then words are of Jesus, of His love and of His power, with the law of kindness on the tongue, sweet counsel with brethren of like precious faith, and love to talk of Jesus and dwell upon His matchless love, instead of talking, flattering, pitying and extolling self. Open grateful acknowledgment and thankful praise rise from both heart and lips instead of silence, testimony is not stale or spiritless, prayer is prayer in the Spirit, and the one so filled becomes a free man in Christ Jesus with strength to follow Him, resting in God in a quiet life that enjoys the fullness of God, poor in this world's treasure but rich in contemplation and assurance of heavenly treasure, while the sunbeams of righteousness give health and strength to the physical body as well as to the spiritual and moral life.
God accepts the music only when it comes from a heart cleansed and sanctified and made soft and holy by His power and grace and partaking of the divine nature, with true inward song to Him. Many who delight in music lack this inward song to God. The offering acceptable to God is a humble heart shaped by self-denial and by taking up the cross and following Jesus, which requires strenuously avoiding outward superfluities and elaborate display in worship.
Fullness of joy does not depend on instrumental music, musical accomplishments, forms, or ceremonies, for music is not religion or sanctification when those taking part are not consecrated. Pipe organs and other musical instruments must be placed second and not first, even closed while seeking the Lord in humility and repentance and putting away evil doing, so the Spirit cleanses from all defilement and puts the melody of heaven in the heart. Music does not commend to God but doing His Word does, and the rubbish brought into worship must be cleared away.
The instruction was given through the apostles for the benefit of the church in the last days, requiring the high standard of maintaining the simplicity of Christ in all worship. True strength is not forms and ceremonies and musical accomplishments, which have taken the place God should have even as in the worship of the Jews, but melody in the heart. When the heart is cleansed and sanctified and church members partake of the divine nature, power goes forth from the church that causes melody in the heart, and men and women depend not on instrumental music but on the power and grace of God which gives fullness of joy. Making melody to God means welcoming heaven's light into every part of the soul when the will is brought into harmony with God's will, the heart no longer closed to that light or resisting it.
Worship Prayer and Proclamation
Singing in religious service is an act of worship just as prayer is, and many songs are themselves prayers. When the meaning of the words is understood, children feel their power. Song rising from many hearts in clear, distinct utterance, offered with solemnity and reverence as in God's presence, is one of God's appointed means both of serving Him and of saving souls.
Congregational singing should be carefully conducted, and it may be accompanied by skillfully played musical instruments. As often as possible the whole congregation should take part, rather than leaving the singing to only a few. Yet worship requires strenuously avoiding outward superfluities and elaborate display with instruments. Music by itself is not religion or sanctification when those taking part are not consecrated, and what is acceptable is a humble heart shaped by self-denial and by taking up the cross and following Jesus.
Singing is one of the most effective means of impressing spiritual truth upon the heart, and the words of sacred song often unseal penitence and faith. Those who have the gift of song are needed to use it, and young and old are to be educated to go forth singing, with prayer and speaking the word, as part of proclaiming the last gospel message to the world. When singing is done in humility under the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, angels help lift the voice rightly, while the singers' own minds are refreshed to present truth in new and beautiful words to hearers.
Singing Bible songs with families, alongside explaining Scripture and praying, can bless them. Believers can commune with God through holy songs expressing cheerfulness and thanksgiving even amid daily work and weariness, and such praise cheers those who hear it. It turns the mind from earthly exile toward the eternal home and drives away evil influences. Melody in the heart to God accompanies prayer when strength spent in unimportant or idle talk about unimportant things is turned into prayer. Prayer instead of much idle talk gives spiritual strength, with a contented, cheerful spirit and a mind kept from dwelling on self and poor feelings and devoted to spiritual things.
Gratitude Trust and Cheerfulness
The melody of the heart is gratitude, thankfulness, joy and praise rising from heart and lips to God, and it is both privilege and duty. It praises rather than censures or complains, and instead of murmuring or dwelling on wrongs and hardships it thinks on mercy and love and the promises of the Word. A heart made tender by the sense of God's presence sings within, awake to His righteousness, lovingkindness and daily love. Such praise glorifies Him, reflects heaven's joy to others, and takes courage from His mercy, kindness and grace.
Its constant themes are Jesus' compassionate sin-pardoning love, cleansing from sin, and deliverance from the bondage of sin greater than the deliverance at the Red Sea. They include daily blessings and lesser gifts not forgotten, above all the death of Jesus bringing happiness and heaven within reach, God's compassion and matchless love in joining lost sinners to Himself as peculiar treasure and making them His children, the blessed hope, the heavenly inheritance and rich promises, and Jesus living to intercede. They include also God's generous gifts and loving care seen in the beauty of nature, which can lift the mind from infirmity into cheerful praise. They include His goodness opening the way amid perplexing difficulty and placing needed means at hand at the very time of need, to be met with weeping and rejoicing and praise because He is good and greatly to be praised. This thankfulness is to be sung even on disagreeable rainy days and in infirmity, holding the assurance that Christ as Physician of soul and body sustains.
Inward singing is joyful trust in Jesus, an act of faith distinct from feeling. It is made even when depressed, weighed down, sad, without a particular feeling to match it, and even when facing danger or fear. It rests on trust that God hears prayer and keeps unfailing promises, and on confidence that the Father gladly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask in faith. As clouds pass it brings from shadow and darkness into the clear sunshine of God's presence with light and joy.
The melody flows from peace through believing in Christ as personal Saviour and entering communion with Him. Confidence in Him as living Saviour rolls back despondency and gloom on the ground of reconciliation in His atonement. Gloomy feelings are not taken as evidence against the promises, words of discouragement and unbelief are refused, distrust is shut out, faith is spoken and opened wide, the soul turns heavenward, and the love of Jesus is welcomed. So rejoicing in Jesus and relying on His help finds expression in inward praise with cheerfulness and hope.
The melody is inward peace and genuine cheerfulness, not merely outward words. Meekness gives thanks and makes songs of happiness even amid trials and disappointment, and those who bear burdens do so cheerfully rather than with mourning and bitter complaint, in joy and peace through simple trust and obedience. Those who feed on the Word and are yoked with Christ, learning His meekness and lowliness, do not complain of His yoke or murmur at lifting His burdens but march cheerfully forward singing within, because His yoke is easy and His burden light. Those who sow kindness, love, faith and courage rejoice as they travel the upward way toward an eternal reward.
Setting the heart on God's mercies and gifts turns vexing thoughts to praise and makes melody to the Lord. When thoughts dwell on earthly troubles the heart fills with gloom and unbelief, but when affections are set on things above, praise replaces vexation and supports enjoyable work, steadfastness in duty, calm temper and trust. This singing expresses the inward graces of transformed character, with rest, peace, contentment, happiness, joy and a treasure of gladness from finding Christ as personal Saviour. Religion in Christ is therefore cheerful and glad rather than gloomy, rigid, self-absorbed, whining or merely outward, bringing joy to others including children, and its sunbeams of righteousness give health and strength to body as well as to spiritual and moral life in a quiet life rich in contemplation and assurance of heavenly treasure though poor in this world's treasure.
Cheerful praise is lived out in cheerfulness, good courage, hope, joy and dependence on Jesus, while bearing His Word as bread of life to hungry thirsting souls and carrying sunlight and the lifted-up Man of Calvary to all visited. In the home it appears as inward cheerfulness in which ordinary duties are done with a cheerful spirit, where love shown in words, looks and deeds makes a wife a source of joy to those around her.
Speech and Daily Relationships
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart to the Lord means songs of praise that glorify God when they rise from pure hearts filled with love and devotion. Gratitude and God's peace move believers to praise Him inwardly and to express love and thankfulness in words that comfort and build others up, rather than dwelling on faults, complaint, or empty talk. Believers are to encourage one another with rejoicing in psalms and hymns, and that heart-melody is directed to the Lord so that music does not draw the mind away from God and heaven toward trivial things. When others speak sharply or find fault, singing to the Lord keeps the soul steadfast instead of answering back in anger.
Making melody in the heart to God is the language of Canaan and evidence of a living connection with Christ. Heartfelt praise belongs with a life brought into harmony with heaven, and speech that gives no evidence of this inward melody, while God is forgotten, is not the language of heaven. One who keeps that connection cannot in heart take part in worldly amusements, exciting gatherings, and pleasure parties, because the words heard there do not honor God and are not congenial to him. Trifling talk and amusement speech prove the speakers are not making this melody, have left the vital atmosphere of heaven for mist and fog, and stand on dangerous ground as a reproach to Christ.
The melody is made by talking of Jesus and His matchless love, which brings a person into harmony with heaven and peace with others. It is made by talking of light and truth, of the Christian's hope and heaven, by praising the Lord and giving glory to God rather than praising, flattering, or accepting praise from people, losing sight of the human instrument and thinking of Jesus. It is made instead of accusing brethren, since accusing is Satan's work, by repenting daily for hardness of heart, bringing the life into accordance with the life of Christ and into harmony with heaven, which brings harmony with brethren and peace among themselves, and by redeeming the time.
Singing psalms is a practical remedy when the spirit feels like a boiling caldron with violent temper. At that moment husband and wife should read the Bible together and begin to pray and sing psalms, and the devil will be cast out. Doing this improves health, sweetens the spirit by the love of Christ, brings works into conformity to the will of God, and fits the soul for a holy heaven instead of losing eternal life. It is part of a personal work no one else can do, requiring working and watching and praying.
The verse calls believers who walk wisely and redeem the time to be filled with the Spirit rather than drunk with wine, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and singing inwardly to the Lord with thanksgiving to God and submission to one another. Such singing springs only from a heart emptied of self and cleansed and made holy by grace so that Jesus abides within, and it does not depend on instruments, accomplishments, or outward forms. Its inward melody is gratitude, joy, peace, and cheerful faith that praises God for His love, pardon, daily care, and hope even in trial, depression, and danger rather than murmuring or dwelling on wrongs. It shapes speech into the language of heaven that encourages and builds others, talks of Jesus, and refuses faultfinding, empty talk, anger, and sharing in worldly amusement. In worship and daily life this song is prayer and proclamation that impresses truth on the heart, comforts families, cheers work, drives away evil, and carries the gospel to others.
Words and Immediate Context
The verse belongs to walking circumspectly as wise and not as fools, redeeming the time because the days are evil, understanding what the will of the Lord is, walking as children of light, and being filled with the Spirit. That filling is expressed in speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord, joined with giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and submitting to one another in the fear of God. Spirit-filled singing thus belongs with gratitude to God and humble relations with one another in united, heartfelt worship.
Being filled with the Spirit with holy unction from on high is the opposite of being drunk with wine wherein is excess. Indulgence in intoxicating liquor and tobacco is not essential to Christian growth, for indulgence in intoxicating liquor places a person wholly under demonic control to deface and destroy the moral image of God, while the Spirit's filling overflows in holy mutual speech and singing. The same context lays obligation to keep the body in the best condition of health to render perfect service, because body and spirit are not our own but belong to God by purchase through the sufferings and death of the Son of God. Any course that expends vitality, decreases strength, or beclouds the intellect sins against God and fails to glorify Him, and just before receiving immortality amid the corruption and defilement of these last days this work of preserving the body holy and the spirit pure to stand unstained must be taken up at once heartily and understandingly without selfishness under the perfect control and sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God in all actions.
The passage contains lessons for the guidance of every married man and every married woman, requiring close searching of heart. This walking circumspectly and wisely, redeeming the time, understanding the will of the Lord, being filled with the Spirit, singing with melody in the heart, giving thanks, and submitting in the fear of God is the only way husband and wife can glorify God in their united life. The psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs sung with melody in the heart to the Lord are fitting speech, in contrast with corrupt, foolish, or empty words.
Spirit-Filled Source of Song
Heartfelt singing to the Lord springs from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a felt sense of God's wondrous love, received when self is emptied so that Jesus fills the soul and abides in the heart as welcome guest and light. Accepting the truth as it is in Jesus and receiving Him in whom hopes of eternal life are centered fills the heart with praise to God, and finding Christ as a personal Saviour gives rest and peace and contentment and happiness and joy as a treasure of gladness within. That indwelling brings childlike simplicity, humble prayer and talk, a single aim at God's glory, meekness, self-crucifixion, purity and holiness, peace within and then peace without, and unshaken rest standing firm on the Rock of Ages with abiding support and consolation, instead of cold formal religion shut in an iron case that has form without power. Then words are of Jesus, of His love and of His power, with the law of kindness on the tongue, sweet counsel with brethren of like precious faith, and love to talk of Jesus and dwell upon His matchless love, instead of talking, flattering, pitying and extolling self. Open grateful acknowledgment and thankful praise rise from both heart and lips instead of silence, testimony is not stale or spiritless, prayer is prayer in the Spirit, and the one so filled becomes a free man in Christ Jesus with strength to follow Him, resting in God in a quiet life that enjoys the fullness of God, poor in this world's treasure but rich in contemplation and assurance of heavenly treasure, while the sunbeams of righteousness give health and strength to the physical body as well as to the spiritual and moral life.
God accepts the music only when it comes from a heart cleansed and sanctified and made soft and holy by His power and grace and partaking of the divine nature, with true inward song to Him. Many who delight in music lack this inward song to God. The offering acceptable to God is a humble heart shaped by self-denial and by taking up the cross and following Jesus, which requires strenuously avoiding outward superfluities and elaborate display in worship.
Fullness of joy does not depend on instrumental music, musical accomplishments, forms, or ceremonies, for music is not religion or sanctification when those taking part are not consecrated. Pipe organs and other musical instruments must be placed second and not first, even closed while seeking the Lord in humility and repentance and putting away evil doing, so the Spirit cleanses from all defilement and puts the melody of heaven in the heart. Music does not commend to God but doing His Word does, and the rubbish brought into worship must be cleared away.
The instruction was given through the apostles for the benefit of the church in the last days, requiring the high standard of maintaining the simplicity of Christ in all worship. True strength is not forms and ceremonies and musical accomplishments, which have taken the place God should have even as in the worship of the Jews, but melody in the heart. When the heart is cleansed and sanctified and church members partake of the divine nature, power goes forth from the church that causes melody in the heart, and men and women depend not on instrumental music but on the power and grace of God which gives fullness of joy. Making melody to God means welcoming heaven's light into every part of the soul when the will is brought into harmony with God's will, the heart no longer closed to that light or resisting it.
Worship Prayer and Proclamation
Singing in religious service is an act of worship just as prayer is, and many songs are themselves prayers. When the meaning of the words is understood, children feel their power. Song rising from many hearts in clear, distinct utterance, offered with solemnity and reverence as in God's presence, is one of God's appointed means both of serving Him and of saving souls.
Congregational singing should be carefully conducted, and it may be accompanied by skillfully played musical instruments. As often as possible the whole congregation should take part, rather than leaving the singing to only a few. Yet worship requires strenuously avoiding outward superfluities and elaborate display with instruments. Music by itself is not religion or sanctification when those taking part are not consecrated, and what is acceptable is a humble heart shaped by self-denial and by taking up the cross and following Jesus.
Singing is one of the most effective means of impressing spiritual truth upon the heart, and the words of sacred song often unseal penitence and faith. Those who have the gift of song are needed to use it, and young and old are to be educated to go forth singing, with prayer and speaking the word, as part of proclaiming the last gospel message to the world. When singing is done in humility under the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, angels help lift the voice rightly, while the singers' own minds are refreshed to present truth in new and beautiful words to hearers.
Singing Bible songs with families, alongside explaining Scripture and praying, can bless them. Believers can commune with God through holy songs expressing cheerfulness and thanksgiving even amid daily work and weariness, and such praise cheers those who hear it. It turns the mind from earthly exile toward the eternal home and drives away evil influences. Melody in the heart to God accompanies prayer when strength spent in unimportant or idle talk about unimportant things is turned into prayer. Prayer instead of much idle talk gives spiritual strength, with a contented, cheerful spirit and a mind kept from dwelling on self and poor feelings and devoted to spiritual things.
Gratitude Trust and Cheerfulness
The melody of the heart is gratitude, thankfulness, joy and praise rising from heart and lips to God, and it is both privilege and duty. It praises rather than censures or complains, and instead of murmuring or dwelling on wrongs and hardships it thinks on mercy and love and the promises of the Word. A heart made tender by the sense of God's presence sings within, awake to His righteousness, lovingkindness and daily love. Such praise glorifies Him, reflects heaven's joy to others, and takes courage from His mercy, kindness and grace.
Its constant themes are Jesus' compassionate sin-pardoning love, cleansing from sin, and deliverance from the bondage of sin greater than the deliverance at the Red Sea. They include daily blessings and lesser gifts not forgotten, above all the death of Jesus bringing happiness and heaven within reach, God's compassion and matchless love in joining lost sinners to Himself as peculiar treasure and making them His children, the blessed hope, the heavenly inheritance and rich promises, and Jesus living to intercede. They include also God's generous gifts and loving care seen in the beauty of nature, which can lift the mind from infirmity into cheerful praise. They include His goodness opening the way amid perplexing difficulty and placing needed means at hand at the very time of need, to be met with weeping and rejoicing and praise because He is good and greatly to be praised. This thankfulness is to be sung even on disagreeable rainy days and in infirmity, holding the assurance that Christ as Physician of soul and body sustains.
Inward singing is joyful trust in Jesus, an act of faith distinct from feeling. It is made even when depressed, weighed down, sad, without a particular feeling to match it, and even when facing danger or fear. It rests on trust that God hears prayer and keeps unfailing promises, and on confidence that the Father gladly gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask in faith. As clouds pass it brings from shadow and darkness into the clear sunshine of God's presence with light and joy.
The melody flows from peace through believing in Christ as personal Saviour and entering communion with Him. Confidence in Him as living Saviour rolls back despondency and gloom on the ground of reconciliation in His atonement. Gloomy feelings are not taken as evidence against the promises, words of discouragement and unbelief are refused, distrust is shut out, faith is spoken and opened wide, the soul turns heavenward, and the love of Jesus is welcomed. So rejoicing in Jesus and relying on His help finds expression in inward praise with cheerfulness and hope.
The melody is inward peace and genuine cheerfulness, not merely outward words. Meekness gives thanks and makes songs of happiness even amid trials and disappointment, and those who bear burdens do so cheerfully rather than with mourning and bitter complaint, in joy and peace through simple trust and obedience. Those who feed on the Word and are yoked with Christ, learning His meekness and lowliness, do not complain of His yoke or murmur at lifting His burdens but march cheerfully forward singing within, because His yoke is easy and His burden light. Those who sow kindness, love, faith and courage rejoice as they travel the upward way toward an eternal reward.
Setting the heart on God's mercies and gifts turns vexing thoughts to praise and makes melody to the Lord. When thoughts dwell on earthly troubles the heart fills with gloom and unbelief, but when affections are set on things above, praise replaces vexation and supports enjoyable work, steadfastness in duty, calm temper and trust. This singing expresses the inward graces of transformed character, with rest, peace, contentment, happiness, joy and a treasure of gladness from finding Christ as personal Saviour. Religion in Christ is therefore cheerful and glad rather than gloomy, rigid, self-absorbed, whining or merely outward, bringing joy to others including children, and its sunbeams of righteousness give health and strength to body as well as to spiritual and moral life in a quiet life rich in contemplation and assurance of heavenly treasure though poor in this world's treasure.
Cheerful praise is lived out in cheerfulness, good courage, hope, joy and dependence on Jesus, while bearing His Word as bread of life to hungry thirsting souls and carrying sunlight and the lifted-up Man of Calvary to all visited. In the home it appears as inward cheerfulness in which ordinary duties are done with a cheerful spirit, where love shown in words, looks and deeds makes a wife a source of joy to those around her.
Speech and Daily Relationships
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with melody in the heart to the Lord means songs of praise that glorify God when they rise from pure hearts filled with love and devotion. Gratitude and God's peace move believers to praise Him inwardly and to express love and thankfulness in words that comfort and build others up, rather than dwelling on faults, complaint, or empty talk. Believers are to encourage one another with rejoicing in psalms and hymns, and that heart-melody is directed to the Lord so that music does not draw the mind away from God and heaven toward trivial things. When others speak sharply or find fault, singing to the Lord keeps the soul steadfast instead of answering back in anger.
Making melody in the heart to God is the language of Canaan and evidence of a living connection with Christ. Heartfelt praise belongs with a life brought into harmony with heaven, and speech that gives no evidence of this inward melody, while God is forgotten, is not the language of heaven. One who keeps that connection cannot in heart take part in worldly amusements, exciting gatherings, and pleasure parties, because the words heard there do not honor God and are not congenial to him. Trifling talk and amusement speech prove the speakers are not making this melody, have left the vital atmosphere of heaven for mist and fog, and stand on dangerous ground as a reproach to Christ.
The melody is made by talking of Jesus and His matchless love, which brings a person into harmony with heaven and peace with others. It is made by talking of light and truth, of the Christian's hope and heaven, by praising the Lord and giving glory to God rather than praising, flattering, or accepting praise from people, losing sight of the human instrument and thinking of Jesus. It is made instead of accusing brethren, since accusing is Satan's work, by repenting daily for hardness of heart, bringing the life into accordance with the life of Christ and into harmony with heaven, which brings harmony with brethren and peace among themselves, and by redeeming the time.
Singing psalms is a practical remedy when the spirit feels like a boiling caldron with violent temper. At that moment husband and wife should read the Bible together and begin to pray and sing psalms, and the devil will be cast out. Doing this improves health, sweetens the spirit by the love of Christ, brings works into conformity to the will of God, and fits the soul for a holy heaven instead of losing eternal life. It is part of a personal work no one else can do, requiring working and watching and praying.