七。与别的基督徒一块唱诗歌：赞美神及鼓励弟兄姐妹
从古至今，世世代代的基督徒都喜欢唱诗歌赞美神。连耶稣基督还没有建立他的教会之前，犹太教徒时常以唱诗来表示他们对神的敬爱和尊荣。圣经六十六卷书其中的一卷是诗篇。诗篇是由150首诗歌组成的，包括赞美和感谢，圣歌、哀歌等。他们用诗歌来记载及述说以色列的历史，告诉下一代的人神怎么样拯救他们，保护他们，为他们打胜战等。诗篇记载人的失败和罪孽，神的惩罚和人的懊悔。诗篇的诗歌提醒人要依靠神、顺服神、以神为乐。
因为基督徒的神就是圣经里以色列人的神，因为神的大能也实行在基督徒的身上和生命中，所以基督徒一样可以唱这些诗歌来赞美天上的神。歌颂神的同时，基督徒也互相鼓励姐妹兄弟们要对神忠心，不要忘记神的恩典、作为和慈爱，不要轻视神的公义和惩罚。
诗歌的词句和内容不但来自圣经，我们个人也可以写诗歌赞美神，劝勉弟兄姐妹，教导慕道友。耶稣基督的福音被传到哪里，哪里的人就喜欢以自己的文化背景，按照自己生命上的经验，以自己的母语，写诗歌赞美、感谢那位赐给他们新生命的神。
因为有这么多，这么好的诗歌，虔诚的基督徒就会想办法与别的基督徒一块儿聚会，作礼拜，同心同声地敬拜天上的神。您内心深处担忧，面对挑战，对明天没有把握，需要鼓励和支持，需要除人以外的智慧时，请以诗歌求神的帮助，与别的基督徒一块唱诗，从中感觉得到神的同在和安慰。耶稣的兄弟雅各写道：“你们中间有人受苦吗？他就应该祷告”（雅各书5:13a）。再说，心理轻快高兴，日子过的真好的时候，与弟兄姐妹一块儿向神表示感谢。雅各又说：“有人心情愉快吗？他就应该歌颂” （雅各书5:13b）。
从此可知，每位基督徒应该参加每星期天的主日敬拜聚会。如果不出席，就得不到弟兄姐妹们在一块，心连心，口连口，赞美神所给的鼓励。难怪使徒保罗劝勉住在以弗所城的基督徒说，“应当用诗章、圣诗、灵歌，彼此呼应，口唱心和地赞美主”（以弗所书5:19）。一位基督徒独身在家里很难符合这个经文。（但是，他和他家人一块能够符合此经文；他和几位朋友也做得到。）
教会的歌声反射教会的合一。保罗又说：“又要让基督的平安在你们心里作主；你们蒙召归为一体，也是为了这个缘故。你们要有感谢的心。你们要让基督的道丰丰富富地住在你们心里，以各样的智慧，彼此教导，互相劝戒，用诗章、圣诗、灵歌，怀着感恩的心歌颂 神”（歌罗西书3:15-16）。此句话好像应该产生一个问题，就是“不合一的基督徒怎么能够心连心的唱诗歌，赞美神？”
新约圣经所描绘的教会不是许多基督徒个人独自在家里做礼拜赞美神，乃是一群基督徒都聚集在一起，心连心，手连手，口连口地向神敬拜。当然一个人可以在家里独身独唱，赞美神，但是更佳美是每当星期天他与别的基督徒一块儿聚会，敬拜天上的天父，让他们的声音，他们的心声，他们的赞美，一块儿呈现到神的施恩宝座前。
但远我们期待每周日的敬拜聚会。
Why Christians Attend Worship Every Sunday
07: To Sing with Other Christians: T0 Praise God and Encourage Each Other
By Edward Short
Christians have enjoyed singing praises to God from the earliest days of Christianity. Even before Jesus Christ established his church, the Jews expressed their respect and reverence for God through songs and singing. One of the sixty-six books of the Bible is Psalms which is composed of 150 poems. These poems include praise, thanksgiving, sacred hymns, laments, etc. The Jews used psalms to document the history of Israel, and to tell future generations how God saved them, protected them and successfully fought wars on their behalf. The Psalms record the failures and sins of the Israelites. They describe how God punished his people and how man repented. The Psalms remind us to rely on God, obey God and to find our joy in him.
Since the God of Christians is also the God of the Israelites in the Bible, and since God’s power is likewise visible in the lives of Christians, Christians also can sing the Psalms in praise to God. At the same time, singing together encourages Christians to be faithful to God, and to remember his grace, love and deeds. Christians encourage each other not to take lightly God’s discipline and punishment.
Hymn lyrics not only come from the Bible, but Christians themselves write songs that praise God, encourage Christians and teach those who are just beginning to take an interest in Christianity. Wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ goes, people like to write Christian hymns in their own language, hymns that reflect their own culture and life experiences—songs of thanksgiving and praise to the One who gave them New Life.
Since there are so many good hymns available, devout Christians will find a way to assemble with other Christians and unite their voices in praise and worship. Whenever one faces inner struggles and worries, various challenges of life, and an uncertain future, whenever one needs encouragement and support, needs wisdom that only God can provide, then he should assemble with other Christians and sing hymns of praise. In so doing he’ll perceive the presence of God and receive comfort from his Father in heaven. James, the brother of Jesus, said, “Are any among you suffering? They should pray” (James 5:13a). On the other hand, if one’s heart is light and all is going well in his life, then he, along with his Christian brothers and sisters, should express thanksgiving to God. James said, “Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise” (James 5:13b).
Hence we see that all Christians should take part in the worship assembly each Lord’s day. If one skips out on this service, then he can’t receive the encouragement that comes from Christians uniting their hearts and their mouths in praise to their God. No wonder then that the apostle Paul admonished the Christians in Ephesus, “…sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (5:19). It’s difficult for a single Christian alone in his home to comply with this Scripture.
The singing of hymns by the church reflects the unity of the church as well. Paul said, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God” (Colossians 3:15-16). It seems that these sentences prompt a question, namely: “How can disunited church members unite their voices in songs of praise to God?”
The church that’s described in the New Testament isn’t a lot of individual Christians who worship God at home alone, but rather is groups of Christians, united in both heart and hand, made up of people who unite their voices in worship. Of course an individual Christian can sing and worship God by himself, but how much better it is for him to assemble with the saints on Sunday and worship the Father together! How much better it is to unite their voices and their hearts in praise as they assemble together before God’s throne of grace!
Let us look forward to the worship assembly each Lord’s day with great anticipation!