04/02/2024
I am fortunate that my home is in Nashville, TN because I am surrounded by music. Although not all of this music is suitable for worship (or worshippers), the influence of the music business here bleeds over into churches across the city. In this city of music, my current and previous churches have both stood out for the quality of their choirs, soloists, and musicians.
This morning as I read my daily devotional, E.M. Bounds wrote of music and its importance to worship during his life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I found his reference to paid choirs to be interesting... I can't say that I have heard of a church today that pays its choir to sing during its services.
"When God is in a person's heart, heaven is present and melody is found there." – E.M. Bounds
Bounds began his comments in this way, and I must agree that music and song are spiritually moving indeed, and there is no doubt that we will hear it in heaven.
However, not all of us are gifted musically and I am certainly one of those. I once told my pastor that I had finally found a pew where I could sit that my voice wouldn't disturb those around me during their worship. When he asked where that was, I told him I was sitting behind the front two pews reserved for the hearing impaired, and I said… "They seem to appreciate my enthusiasm despite my off key and cat-like bawling." You see, I am one of those who is moved by the voices and music of others during service but, like in the shower, I merely give it my best shot and hope that God miraculously transforms my nearly painful offering into something pleasing to Him.
Bounds made a strong point about why we should sing in church and why we should not when he wrote:
"The main purpose of singing is for God's ear; to attract His attention and to please Him. Certainly it is not for the glorification of the paid choir, nor to draw people to the church." – E.M. Bounds
He was of the strong opinion that God and His Word should be what brings people to church... not the entertainment. Many churches today use music as an attraction, then hope to convert those who are attracted once they are firmly planted on the pew. I can see the merits of both views, but I absolutely believe that without the emphasis on worship the music becomes a distraction, and that without music our worship is dulled. The purpose and spirit of our musical offering in church is important. It elevates and focuses our worship.
Music has been a part of worship since Old Testament days. The bible is full of examples of offering praise and worship by song. The Psalms are especially noteworthy, but the book of Job, which is widely felt to be the oldest written book of the bible, also comments on music. Listen…
“But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;”
Job 35:10 KJV
Job is linking songs in the night to praise and the presence of God in our worship. So when the Psalmist later says:
“Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.”
Psalms 33:2-3 KJV
He is not the first, nor is he alone in recognizing music as a tool of worship and praise.
During biblical times the horns were more akin to a modern day vuvuzela. They were loud, blaring, and quite unlike the brass instruments of today. So when Paul spoke to the Corinthians about the lack of charity negating his good words and deeds he rightly used this example...
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV
Paul was implying that without charity he would be missing the important music used in worship. He might also be telling us that he couldn’t carry a melody, nor sing sweet words... Just loud (probably chanting) bawling.
Today as we secretly pray, and this Sunday during church service when we sing praise songs, hymns, prayers, and melodically praise the Lord, or speak in musical tongues, let's remember that there is a foundation for our musical offering in scripture and also in how we were created. We are creatures of music and melody, and even our very voices become instruments that are pleasing to God... Let's offer them to him as an offering of sweet praise and worship. Have we ever sung, or hummed before, during, or after praying?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the gift of music and song that you have given us. Thank you for those songs we sing in harmony and perfect key, and thank you more for those we sing with no apparent skill whatsoever. Thank you Lord for transforming what we offer you so feebly and in ear grating fashion into amazingly beautiful songs before they reach your ears. Help us to be like David who loved music and making music, and who you called a man after you own heart. Open our hearts and souls as you as you miraculously give us music and the lyrics to thrill us as we prepare to pray and worship you each day. Whether with the melody of poetic words, or those of the inspired song writer, you reveal to us the wonder of the human voice, stringed instruments, blaring horns, bold drums, and tingling cymbals. No matter what we are holding, or have access to, we find the means to turn these things into instruments, and praise you with them. Help us Father to worship and praise you in music, and every other creative way imaginable. Help us to pray in rhyme, lyric, harmony, or simple words and groans that come from our hearts, souls, and minds. Continue to speak to us through your Holy Spirit and to inspire our faith in so many ways. Great are you, and greatly to be praised Abba. Your mercy and grace ride on eagle wings, on the backs of donkeys, and within the heart of every song we sing. We give you all the glory as we are lifted up by the amazing music you inspire us with, and through which we are carried into your presence in words that flow melodically from us. It is a mystery Father how you can bring forth music from us, every living thing, and even the stones. All things are meant to praise and worship you, and in this way all glory is yours. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah… Jesus hear us sing “Praise the Lord!”
““For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:12 ESV
And…
“As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.””
Luke 19:37-40 ESV
Amen
Rich Forbes