Ashamed Of The Tents Of Shem?

There are many today who are tired of singing the Bible Psalms in the worship of God. This has various reasons, no doubt. Some are tired of singing the Psalms because they are not willing to bear the cross of being different from the big, popular churches. The other churches sing popular hymns, and the Psalms seem to be not only different but peculiar and old-fashioned.

Some object to the Psalms because they do not like the theology of the Psalms, with its emphasis on the righteousness and justice of God, and His destruction of His enemies.

Some object to the Psalms because they do not like the Jewish flavor and coloring of the Psalms—the names of people and places, the references to the history of the children of Israel, the Hebrew flavor of the language.

…Those who object to the Psalms do not want to dwell in the tents of Shem.”

—J. G. Vos, “Singing The Whole Of the Psalter, Wholeheartedly. Ashamed of the Tents of Shem?; The Semitic Roots of Christian Worship.

    Post authored by:

  • R. Scott Clark
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    R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.

    More by R. Scott Clark ›

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4 comments

  1. I’m not an advocate of exclusive psalmody, but I think we’re missing a lot by not singing the psalms.

    • Nothing wrong for advocating for Psalmody only, what is there anything than Gods own words? Nothing and not even Martin Luther or any modern hymn writer can equal Gods own written Songs. I am not a Psalmody only I am on inspired songs only side. I struggle to believe any Christian to claim to hold to the RPW and be ok with singing modern hymns with out contradicting the Westminster Confession of Faith Art 21, or Leviticus 12:32

  2. I am recently not in a reformed church but I am reformed. My church doesn’t use the psalms but I do at home. I wish I will get some beats and tunes to help me enjoy them more. Because I really enjoy it.

  3. Myself I am Reformed and happen to attend the same Denomination as Dr. Clark, I must confess we really lean more to the Lutherans Principles of Worship even though we claim RPW.
    I was under the impression if Scripture does not command or it is silent on elements of Worship we forbid it, where does scripture command us to offer man inspired songs in worship? Where in scripture does scripture gives us examples of man inspired songs being practiced? To my knowledge of scripture, no where. So applying the RPW properly we should forbid the practice.

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