Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

In his recent biography of John MacArthur Iain Murray refers to the use of musical instruments in Christian worship. He says: ‘In the Reformed tradition, the use of one musical instrument, simply to set the tune, is a very different thing from introducing a collection of instruments as a part of worship, as in the Temple: a single instrument may belong to adiaphora, or “things indifferent”, no more to be regarded as a part of worship than the pulpit on which the preacher stands.’ It seems to me that this is correct, because it is part of Christian worship for the congregation of God’s people to sing and make melody ‘to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). In most nonconformist services the verbal participation of the congregation is limited to sung praise and possibly the ‘Lord’s Prayer’. It is sad thing when Christians do not realise that it is their privilege, their duty, and should be their joy, to open their mouths and sing to the Lord from their hearts. Who would really want to be playing when he or she ought to be praising?