加爾文註釋詩篇卅三2

加爾文著/沈其光譯

詩篇卅三2：你们应当用琴称谢耶和华

Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

詩篇作者顯然在此諄諄囑咐，應使用樂器以達到讚美神這目的之際，也在此表達出信徒在讚美時應有的熱烈真摯之情。他希望信徒在歌詠神的事上，不要省略任何一點能激動人心意與情感的東西。固然神的名無疑只能用清晰的語言來頌讚，但是大衛會在這語言以外，加上這些信徒慣於用以刺激自己更多這樣讚美的輔助物，並不是沒有理由的；尤其是當我們想到，此時他的對象是古時的上帝子民。但是，在此我們也要注意一個分別，就是不可以把過去加諸猶太人的一切典章教導，一股腦地全都視為同樣適用於我們自己。我一點不懷疑，詩篇裡經常提到的敲鑼擊鈸、彈琴鼓瑟，以及各種音樂，都是當時教育的一部份，也就是給孩童的律法教導：我指的是聖殿明定的儀式。因為即使在今天，如果信徒選擇以樂器來鼓舞自己，我想他們也應該立定心志，不要讓他們的歡樂和對神的讚美脫節。但是他們在參加聖會之際，這些讚美神所使用的樂器，比焚香、點燈，以及其它恢復律法影兒的做法更不合適。因此，天主教徒採用猶太人這種做法，以及其它許多事物，乃是愚昧。喜愛藉炫耀外表的人可能會因這些聲音而歡欣；但是神藉使徒建議我們純樸，因這純樸更討祂的喜悅。保羅只許我們在聖徒的公開聚會中用可理解的語言稱頌神（林前十四 16）。人的聲音─即使是大多數人不瞭解的聲音─也絕對優於各種無生命的樂器；即使這樣，我們還看到使徒保羅對於不能瞭解的言語 4所下的評斷。那麼只讓雙耳充塞空虛聲音的吟唱，就更不用說了。可是難道有任何人反對「音樂有振奮心思，感動心靈的功用」嗎？我並不否認音樂這些正面的功用，但是我們總要小心，別讓敗壞潛入，否則就可能既污染了敬拜神的純淨，又讓人陷入迷信。更重要的是，聖靈既然明明藉著保羅的口警告我們這樣做的危險，如果我們的做法居然還要超過他所擔保的界限，那我就必須說：這樣的熱心不但失之魯莽，更是剛愎自用，邪僻行惡。"

2. Praise Jehovah upon the harp. It is evident that the Psalmist here expresses the vehement and ardent affection which the faithful ought to have in praising God, when he enjoins musical instruments to be employed for this purpose. He would have nothing omitted by believers which tends 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 wont to stimulate themselves the more to this exercise; especially considering that he was speaking to God’s ancient people. There is a distinction, however, to be observed here, that we may not indiscriminately consider as applicable to ourselves, every thing which was formerly enjoined upon the Jews. I have no doubt that playing upon cymbals, touching 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 puerile instruction of the law: I speak of the stated service of the temple. For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of 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, (1Co 14:16.) The voice of man, although not understood by the generality, assuredly excels all inanimate instruments of music; and yet we see what St Paul determines concerning speaking in an unknown tongue.  672 What shall we then say of chanting, which fills the ears with nothing but an empty sound? Does any one object, that music is very useful for awakening the minds of men and moving their hearts? I own it; but we should always take care that no corruption creep 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 there warranted by him is not only, I must say, unadvised zeal, but wicked and perverse obstinacy.