The primary musicians of the church are the faithful gathered for worship, and only by extension also choirs, soloists, and instrumentalists. The church, understood in the NT as a charismatic community (1 Corinthians 12–14; Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:15–20), manifests its praise and thanksgiving to God in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” Such doxological offerings are the common “sacrifice of praise” (Heb. 13:15) of the universal priesthood. Early Christian communities continued familiar prayer traditions, incorporating psalms and canticles while composing new hymns and …