Why Do We Sing in Church?

Leonard Payton's lectures Worship Music in a Discordant Age was recommended by my pastor.

This was my first exposure to critical thinking about the "why" of worship music.

Dr Payton sheds historical light by pointing out that God's covenantal people were originally led in memorized song by Levitical musicians. They were described as next to Solomon in their wisdom. Music was memorized and used as a means of teaching. Interestingly, the Reformers failed to recover this. Luther did to some degree but it was soon lost. Calvin and Zwingli's cultural situations and backgrounds caused them, and hence the Reformed faith, to minimize worship music. Today neither the "Traditional" or "Contemporary" camps understand the "why" of worship music, but war over the "what" and "how".

He emphasizes that Colossians 3:16 commands us to use song as the way for the Word to dwell richly in us. We should have a core of doctrinally dense, aesthetically sound Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that over time are memorized. These serve to catechize God's covenant people.