John Calvin Commentary Psalms 33:2

"Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings." — Psalms 33:2 (ASV)

Praise Jehovah upon the harp. It is evident that the Psalmist here expresses the vehement and ardent affection which the faithful should have in praising God, when he instructs musical instruments to be used for this purpose. He desires believers to omit nothing that serves to animate the minds and feelings of men in singing God’s praises.

The name of God, no doubt, can, properly speaking, be celebrated only by the articulate voice. But it is not without reason that David adds to this those aids by which believers were accustomed to stimulate themselves even more in this exercise, especially considering that he was speaking to God’s ancient people.

However, a distinction must be observed here, so that we do not indiscriminately apply to ourselves everything that was formerly commanded to the Jews. I have no doubt that playing cymbals, playing the harp and the viol, and all that kind of music, which is so frequently mentioned in the Psalms, was a part of the education—that is to say, the elementary instruction of the law. I am speaking of the prescribed service of the temple.

For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their aim not to separate their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they attend their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than burning incense, lighting lamps, and restoring the other shadows of the law.

The Papists, therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other things, from the Jews. Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise, but the simplicity which God recommends to us by the apostle is far more pleasing to him.

Paul allows us to bless God in the public assembly of the saints only in a known tongue (1 Corinthians 14:16). The voice of man, although not understood by most people, certainly excels all inanimate instruments of music; and yet we see what St. Paul determines concerning speaking in an unknown tongue. What then shall we say of chanting, which fills the ears with nothing but an empty sound?

Does anyone object that music is very useful for awakening the minds of men and moving their hearts? I acknowledge it; but we should always take care that no corruption creeps in, which might both defile the pure worship of God and involve men in superstition. Moreover, since the Holy Spirit expressly warns us of this danger by the mouth of Paul, to proceed beyond what we are authorized by him there is not only, I must say, ill-advised zeal, but wicked and perverse obstinacy.