Let us take full advantage of this gift [of song] from God. Let us stir our affections, inform our theology, and fill our souls with biblical richness so that we will be equipped in the day of temptation.

On December 4th, 1685, John Nisbet was sent to the Lord by the executioner’s hand. It was during the killing times in Scotland where the tyrannical Anglicans were seeking to bind the consciences of the Scottish Presbyterians.

The Nisbet family tree had committed themselves to the Covenant. And a handcopied New Testament passed down through the generations convinced them of the Gospel. John Nisbet had fought and been wounded in many battles. He had lost his wife and daughter to exposure when the Redcoats burned his house. Finally, he was captured by forty Dragoons and taken to Edinburgh for trial. When he was brought out for execution, he met the crowd with joy in Christ. He offered them the Gospel and he died singing Psalm 34.1

This godly Covenanter met his Savior singing. He encouraged his own soul and left a powerful witness to the crowd testifying of his faith in his Savior through singing. Perhaps he took his pattern from the Apostles, who, after a day of preaching, being attacked by a mob, beaten with rods, and thrown in prison, were praying and singing (Acts 16:25). These Christian fathers in the faith force us to ask ourselves a few questions; Do we know any Psalms or hymns well enough to sing them from memory if they took away our hymnal/psalter? Could we sing if the power went out? Could we sing if our bodies were bleeding, our bones were bruised, and we were shackled in a prison cell? Could we sing if we were being led to our execution?

Real Christian men can. Real Christian men have. Could I? Right now? It is a manly activity to sing with conviction. If you do not think so, just attend a presbytery meeting. And no matter your age or position in the Church, singing is an avenue for you to train in masculine practices as well as an outlet for masculine conviction. “I cannot sing” is no excuse. “I cannot sing like so and so, or like ___,” is an even worse excuse.

But singing with conviction requires a few things. So let us consider Colossians 3:16 for a few practical points: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

1. Sing the rich songs.

Now, we all have some songs memorized. Whether it is the jingle for a common commercial, or a song from pop culture, or a children’s song, we all have something in the memory. But not all songs are equally edifying. No matter how deep your voice is, hollow praise songs with repeated choruses do not inspire; they tire. They cater to effeminate emotions and emotions wear out long before convictions do.

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