JOHN CALVIN’S THEOLOGY OF MUSIC: AN INTRODUCTION
PART ONE
by N. Seth Nelson for In Covenant (newsletter of Covenant OPC)
As a servant of Christ and a pastor of churches in Strasbourg and Geneva, John
Calvin had a high view of music, both in the public worship of the church and in the
recreation of the home. He provided for the singing of the psalms of David as well as
other hymns for use in public worship, and he encouraged the use and development of the
divine gifts of music in every sphere of life. This short two-part series will present an
overview of Calvin’s views of music based on his own words. But first, I will briefly
summarize some foundational material that will put Calvin’s views on music in context.1
According to Calvin, the public worship of God consists of “the preaching of his
Word, the public and solemn prayers, and the administration of his sacraments,” and the
prayers are of “two kinds: the ones made with the word only, the others with song.” The
Word is central to worship, but it is only a means to the end “that the divine name may be
celebrated by us on the earth.” So he says, “May we be so enthusiastic to sing his praises
that it becomes our main pursuit,” for this is “something which is more necessary than
one can say.”2
The goal of public worship is not publicity, but worship: “When we pray to God here
in the church, and sing the psalms, it is not to show ourselves off, as hypocrites do, but to
declare that we seek nothing but that God may be glorified among us.” These praises are
not mere outward ceremonies, but sincere worship from the heart. “Spiritual songs cannot
be well sung save with the heart,” for “God wishes first of all for inward worship, and
afterwards for outward profession.” The true worship of God “ought to proceed from the
deepest feeling of the heart, and therefore we need the direction and influence of the
Spirit, that we may sing those praises in a proper manner.”3
This spiritual worship is to be governed by God’s Word, for “obedience is the
foundation of true worship,” and is its “first and leading principle.” Calvin believed that
in worship, God “rejects what he does not command,” and therefore “the rule for
worshipping Him must not be sought from any other source than from His own word, and
that we ought to abide by the only and pure worship which is there enjoined.” As a result
Calvin says, “Let us be aware, then, that we are – with good reason – greatly exhorted to
take thought of ourselves day and night (Matt. 26:41; Col. 4:2), and to be vigilant (I Pet.
5:8) to know how God wants to be worshipped and served.”4
Calvin had a real appreciation for music, which is evident in his promotion of music
(through preaching, printing, and education) and his above average contribution to
congregational singing. His first rate education, which included some study of music, is
displayed in his knowledge of the history and philosophy of music. Having said that, take
note that Calvin’s comments on music are not that of a music theoretician or aesthetician,
but a theologian and a pastor.
According to Calvin, God’s being and his creation are the measure of beauty, which
“is a gift of God which we should esteem.” Art, the development of God’s beautiful
creation, is a privilege and ability given by God. As such, artists should cultivate in
conformity with the character of God. Calvin tries to avoid a slippery slope: legalistic
binding of consciences to use only what is necessary on the one hand, and licentious
indulgence on the other. As a middle way, “the use of God’s gifts is not wrongly directed
when it is referred to that end to which the Author himself created and destined them for
us, since he created them for our good, not for our ruin.” This includes receiving pleasure
from God’s creation (e.g., food, clothing, flowers, music, etc.) even “apart from their
necessary use,” provided that we always “recognize the Author and give thanks for his
kindness toward us.”5
Music in General.
Calvin has much to say about music, which he gives singular praise: “Now among the
other things proper to recreate man and give him pleasure, music is either the first or one
of the principal, and we must think that it is a gift of God deputed to that purpose.” Thus,
Calvin not only allowed, but encouraged the study and practice of making music to the
glory of God. We are to continually study and enjoy God’s creation in order to know
better his worthiness of praise, “the Divine goodness which can never be sufficiently
proclaimed.”6
Music can be used for expressing our joy or comforting others. Calvin says simply,
“Singing is an indication of joy.” And elsewhere: “Although it appears to be
unreasonable and inappropriate to prescribe a song of joy in the midst of grief, yet we
have elsewhere seen that this form of expression is well fitted to arouse those who groan
under the burden of sorrow, fear, and cares.” Conversely, plaintive tunes or the lack of
music can express sorrow and lamentation. Calvin says, “For when the Prophets
announce the vengeance of God, they are wont to say, ‘cease shall all joy among you; ye
shall not play any more with the harp or with musical instruments [cf. Isa. 24:8-9].’” In
his commentary on Luke 8:52, Calvin mentions the “plaintive airs” of the flute at a
funeral, but he warns against the abuse of wallowing in grief rather than allaying it. The
use of music he commends, but the abuse he condemns: “It is true that the Flute and the
Taber, and such other like things are not to be condemned simply of their own nature: but
only in respect of men’s abusing of them.”7
Music has great power to influence, and this can be used for good or evil. Calvin
says: “In fine, we all know by experience what power music has in exciting men’s
feelings, so that Plato affirms, and not without good reason, that music has very much
effect in influencing, in one way or another, the manners of a state.” Again:
For there is scarcely anything in the world which is more capable of turning or
moving this way and that the morals of men, as Plato prudently considered it. And
in fact we experience that it has a secret and almost incredible power to arouse
hearts in one way or another. Wherefore we ought to be the more diligent in
regulating it in such a way that it be useful to us and not at all pernicious.
Wherefore that much more ought we to take care not to abuse it, for fear of
fouling and contaminating it, converting it to our condemnation, when it was
dedicated to our profit and welfare. If there were no other consideration than this
alone, it ought indeed to move us to moderate the use of music, to make it serve
everything virtuous, and that it ought not to give occasion for our giving free rein
to licentiousness, or for our making ourselves effeminate in disordered delights,
and that it ought not to become an instruments of dissipation or of any
obscenity…It is true that every evil word (as Saint Paul says) perverts good
morals, but when the melody is with it, it pierces the heart that much more
strongly and enters into it; just as through a funnel wine is poured into a container,
so also venom and corruption are distilled to the depth of the heart by the melody.
To avoid the abuse of music we must avoid licentious songs, and “have songs not only
seemly, but also holy, which will be like spurs to incite us to pray to and praise God, to
meditate on His works in order to love, fear, honor, and glorify Him.” In this context,
Calvin’s solution was to learn the Psalms of David.8
Music in the church.
Unlike Zwingli, who eventually eliminated all music from the Zurich services, Calvin
interprets Scripture’s teachings on singing as warrant for our real vocal song, not just
“singing in the heart.” Calvin says: “We ought also to sing from the heart, that there may
not be merely an external sound with the mouth. At the same time, we must not
understand it as though he would have every one sing inwardly to himself, but he would
have both conjoined, provided the heart goes before the tongue.” Calvin gives several
reasons to sing, rather than merely speak, God’s praises. But first, note that Calvin
clarifies what is not a reason to sing: “We sing in order to give him thanks – and not in
order to produce a solemn ceremony as a meritorious work that we do for God. Those
who take this approach are reverting to a sort of Jewishism, as if they wanted to mingle
the Law and the Gospel, and thus bury our Lord Jesus Christ.”9
Above all, Calvin insists on singing God’s praises for two complimentary reasons:
gratitude to the Savior and obligation to the Lord. First, “He singles out the divine mercy
and truth as the subject of his praise, for while the power and greatness of God are
equally worthy of commendation, nothing has a more sensible influence in stimulating us
to thanksgiving than his free mercy; and in communicating to us of his goodness he
opens our mouth to sing his praises.” And also, “It is indeed the duty of all men to sing
praise to God, for there is no person who is not bound to it by the strongest obligations;
but more lofty praises ought to proceed from those on whom more valuable gifts have
been bestowed. Now, since God has laid open the fountain of all blessings in Christ, and
has displayed all spiritual riches, we need not wonder if he demand that we offer to him
an unwonted and excellent sacrifice of praise.”10
Beyond this, Calvin gives many other motivations for singing, such as in response to
the consolation of God’s sovereignty: “His divine power ought justly to strike terror into
the wicked, so it is described as full of the sweetest consolation to us, which ought to
inspire us with joy, and incite us to celebrate it with songs of praise and thanksgivings.”
We should sing for God’s faithful promises: “When, therefore, the Prophets bade the
Church to sing to God and to give thanks, they thus confirmed the promises made to
them… therefore they could boldly join in a song of thanks to God, as though they were
already enjoying full redemption; for the Lord will perfect what he begins.” More
pragmatically, singing is for mutual edification: “Here we see the true use of hymns: we
are to encourage one another to celebrate and magnify the name of God in our hymns
(Eph. 5:19-20).” So great a priority was this for Calvin that of all the complaints he had
with the church of Geneva when he arrived, he drew up four points of reform in the
Articles of 1537, and one of them was: “Further, it is a thing very expedient for the
edification of the Church, to sing some psalms in the form of public devotions by which
one may pray to God, or to sing his praise so that the hearts of all be roused and incited to
make life prayers and render like praises and thanks to God with one accord.” In addition,
singing in worship is a more concentrated for of expression, and can therefore be an aid
to worship: “And surely, if the singing be tempered to that gravity which is fitting in the
sight of God and the angels, it both lends dignity and grace to sacred actions and has the
greatest value in kindling our hearts to a true zeal and eagerness to pray.” Calvin calls on
believers to follow the example of the early church and to avoid the distorted practice of
the Roman Catholic Church: “There are the psalms which we desire to be sung in the
Church, as we have it exemplified in the ancient Church and in the evidence of Paul
himself, who says it is good to sing in the congregation with mouth and heart…Moreover
it will be thus appreciated of what benefit and consolation the pope and those that belong
to him have deprived the Church.”11
Another interesting motivation is presented in the form of an argument for the singing
of God’s praises from the fact that we are created the image of God. “Moreover, since the
glory of God ought, in a measure, to shine in the several parts of our bodies, it is
especially fitting that the tongue has been assigned and destined for this task, both
through singing and through speaking. For it was peculiarly created to tell and proclaim
the praise of God.” In other words, singing the praises of God is part of man’s task in
carrying out the moral perfection involved in the imago Dei.12
To sum up this installment, Calvin considered music a great gift of God with practical
and pleasurable characteristics. It should be used as our response to God’s goodness, as
part of our obligation as the image of God and covenant members, and as a witness to the
body of Christ as well as to the world. Calvin has much more to say about the
implications of this and the role of music in the church, which will be brought out in Part
Two of this introduction next month.
This summary is based on the larger unpublished paper, “Calvin on Music,” by N. Seth Nelson
(San Antonio, 2006). This is a historical paper, not a theological one. It is not intended to judge the views
of Calvin as good or bad, but merely to summarize what he taught.
2
Epistle to the Reader from Calvin’s Form of Prayers, trans. Charles Garside as an appendix in
“The Origins of Calvin’s Theology of Music: 1536-1543,” in Transactions of the American Philosophical
Society, 69:4 (August, 1979), 31-33. Comm. Ps. 104:33. Serm. II Sam. 6:1-7. All commentary quotations
are from the set translated by John King (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996). The sermon on II
Samuel was translated by Douglas Kelly (Carlisle: Banner of Truth Trust, 1992).
3
Serm. II Sam. 6:1-7; Comm. Eph. 5:19; Dan. 3:2-7; Isa. 42:10.
4
Comm. John 6:15; Matt. 15:1; Amos 2:23; Matt. 22:21; Serm. II Sam. 6:1-7.
5
Comm. Isa. 5:12; Institutes of the Christian Religion, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, ed. John McNeill
(Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960), 3.9.3.
6
Epistle; Comm. Gen. 1.27.
7
Comm. Ps. 119:54; Isa. 52:9; Jer. 31:7, 4; Luke 8:52; Serm. Job 21:7-12. Cf. Serm. Job 21:13-15.
The sermons on Job were translated by Arthur Golding in 1574 (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1993).
8
Comm. I Cor. 14:7; Epistle.
9
Comm. Col. 3:16; Serm. II Sam. 6:1-7.
10
Comm. Ps. 138:2; Isa. 42:10.
1
11
Comm. Ps. 22:13; Zech. 2:10; Serm. II Sam. 6:1-7; Articles Concerning the Organization of the
Church in Calvin: Theological Treatises, trans. J. K. S. Reid (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1954); Inst.
3.20.32.
12
Inst. 3.20.31.