The verse is closely similar to Colossians 3.16. Here it follows without a break in Greek from verse 18 with the participial phrase “speaking among yourselves.” Verse 20 similarly begins with a participle, “giving thanks” (and verse 21 with another participle, “being subject”).
The readers are told to Speak to one another with the words of psalms, etc. (literally “speaking among yourselves with psalms” etc.). It is impossible to differentiate precisely among psalms, hymns, and sacred songs. Psalms are Old Testament psalms, used also by Christians in their corporate worship; hymns could be specifically Christian compositions in honor of Jesus as Lord and Savior; and “spiritual songs” (Revised Standard Version) could be spontaneous outbursts of inspired singing, prompted by the Spirit. It is quite possible that hymns and sacred songs are synonymous, referring to Christian compositions generally, so that in translation only one word is needed.
It may seem strange to use an expression such as speak to one another in connection with psalms, hymns, and sacred songs, which one assumes would be sung or chanted. It is possible that the reference here is to reciting to one another psalms, hymns, and sacred songs, but it is also possible to render this first part of verse 19 as “in speaking to one another use the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs.”
Sing hymns and psalms translates the participles of two verbs: the first one “to sing” (also Col 3.16) is related to the noun “song”; the second one is related to the noun “psalm.” This second verb can mean “play an instrument” (so Barth; Translator’s New Testament, New English Bible, New International Version, Barclay “make music”). A possible translation is “sing praises” or else “sing and praise.”
What follows in Greek is simply “in your heart,” which Good News Translation understands to mean with praise in your hearts. But some translate “in your hearts” (New English Bible, Translator’s New Testament, New International Version, Jerusalem Bible), which can only mean inaudible singing; so Westcott: “the outward music was to be accompanied by the inner music of the heart.” But it seems difficult to believe that the writer was telling them to have the strains and choruses of songs and psalms running through their minds. Others translate “from the heart,” “heartily,” “with all your hearts” (Barclay, Moffatt, Goodspeed, and others). Abbott, however, notes that the normal way to say this is “from the heart” (see the synonymous “from the soul” in 6.6). Good News Translation understands the Greek phrase here to mean “with praise in your heart,” but it may be preferable to take the phrase to mean “with all your heart” (Revised Standard Version), that is, heartily, enthusiastically.
The Lord here is probably Christ. The expression to the Lord may be rendered in some languages as “as praise to the Lord.” A strictly literal rendering might suggest that the Lord was himself present at the performance or that such hymns and psalms had not been heard by him before.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .