What Kind Of Songs Did The New Testament Christians Sing?

What Kind Of Songs Did The Early Christians Sing?

New Testament Christians sang new songs, songs they created, songs rich in doctrinal content. For examples, go HERE and HERE

These articles list some of the songs but for the most part talk about what scholars feel went on in early worship services and why scholars feel these bits of scripture were sung, and why some of them were likely hymns before, for instance, Paul quoted them in his letters.

For those who don't wish to click on the links, here is a comprehensive, though incomplete, list of the scripture songs (there are some obvious ones I haven't included due to space, like the song of Mary). Note the rich, varied doctrinal content that clearly differentiated Christ from every false god or "good" teacher:

Who is the blessed and only Potentate
the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Who alone hath immortality,
dwelling in light unapproachable.
Whom no man hath seen, nor can see,
To whom be honour
and power eternal. Amen 1Tim.6;15-16

This is a trustworthy saying;
If we have died together with Him
we shall also reign together with Him;
If we deny Him then
He Himself will then deny us;
If we are unfaithful to Him
He Himself will also deny us;
If we are unfaithful to Him
He Himself will remain faithful;
For He cannot deny Himself. 2Tim.2;11-13

Who being in the very form of God,
did not consider it an object of rapine
To be on equality with God
but emptying Himself
Taking on a Bondman’s form
taking His place in likeness figure of man
He humbled Himself
and became obedient unto death
and even the death of the cross
Wherefore also God highly exalted Him
and granted Him a Name
that is above every name
That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow
of heavenly and earthly and infernal
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
To God the Father’s glory. Philip. 2;6-11.

Great and marvellous are Thy works,
O Lord God Almighty;
Righteous and true are Thy ways,
Thou King of the ages,
Who shall not fear, O Lord,
and glorify Thy Name?
For Thou only art holy;
For all the nations shall come
and worship before Thee;
For Thy righteous acts have been revealed. Rev.15;3-4

He was revealed in the flesh
was vindicated by the Spirit
was seen by angels;
Preached among the Gentiles
believed on in the world
and taken up into glory. 1Tim.3;16


COL. 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Titus 3:4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 1:3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Rev. 1:5B To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. 8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

Rev. 4:11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."

Rev. 5:9And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!"

Rev. 11:15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign for ever and ever." 16And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying:
"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your saints and those who reverence your name,
both small and great—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth."

Rev.12:10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
12Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short."