Singing to the Lord

As one who has had a go at writing Christian songs, I am always curious as to why churches choose to sing the songs they do. There’re those exclusive psalmodist congregations that sing only versifications of the 150 psalms of the Bible, some doing this without any musical accompaniment, while there’re others where anything seems to go!

I’ve often been curious of those subheadings found in some of the psalms, such as (as per the NIV), “For the director of music. Of David. A psalm” and “For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song” and “For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy.’  A psalm of Asaph, A song” and “For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.”

Clearly there’re differences between singing being accompanied by stringed instruments than that with wind instruments. Obviously, mood setting has been considered. Who hasn’t heard the mournful tones of a cello or the upbeat notes of a happy woodwind? Of course, the tunes and the instruments used must suitably accompany the words. In the case of church worship, the words must reflect God’s words, the very Word of God. Otherwise, instead of praising God we will be pleasing ourselves. And there’s rub: Who are we trying to please in our songs of worship, ourselves or our God? If it is God, we shall need to make sure that our songs are pleasing to His ear. This is where culture comes in.

We can run the whole gamut from staid unaccompanied psalm singing in the western isles of Scotland to those exuberant handclapping arm waving gospel chorus songs of the deep south of USA. Both are beautiful in their own way. The idea of congregational singing is twofold, a) To praise God. b) To edify His people. Yet, there is also a third idea, and this is where things can go so wrong: To evangelise the “unchurched.” It would seem to me that the last point ought to be left to the preaching of God’s Word, i.e., the sermon, and not to singing God’s praises. However, there would be nothing wrong with keeping reaching the lost in mind when composing songs for Christian worship.

Amazing Grace by the converted ex-slave trader John Newton (1725-1807), sung to the traditional tune arranged by John Barnard (b. 1928), was popularised by e.g., pop singers Rod Stewart, also Julie Covington, not forgetting the Scottish pipes and drums versions! And who doesn’t like How Great Thou Art? Or who hasn’t sung (Psalm 23) The Lord’s My Shepherd to the tune Crimond at the funeral of a loved one? The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 1 springs to mind here even when thinking about psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Therefore, there are both the vertical (towards God) and the horizontal (towards man) involved in congregational singing. And we need to keep in mind that not everyone who is singing is a Christian convert!

One of the go to verses of Scripture regarding congregational singing is Colossians 3:16. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). Note that it’s to be Christ’s word that is teaching and admonishing us while we are singing to the Lord. Thus, the horizontal and the vertical aspects of worship songs. Usward and Godward! That great church reformer, John Calvin has the following to say about this verse,     

“Under these three terms [Paul] includes all kinds of songs. They are commonly distinguished in this way – that is psalm is that, in the singing of which some musical instrument besides the tongue is made use of: a hymn is properly a song of praise, whether it be sung simply with the voice or otherwise; while an ode contains not mere praises, but exhortations and other matters. He would have songs of Christians however, to be spiritual, not made up of frivolities and worthless trifles.”[1]

Calvin adds elsewhere,

“Songs composed merely to tickle and delight the ear are unbecoming the majesty of the Church, and cannot but be most displeasing to God.”[2]

It’s as if the Apostle Paul had Scottish and Irish pubs in mind, the ones where, as the night progresses, they pull out guitars, fiddles and tin whistles, as they all break into fervent song, “And do not be drunk with wine, which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord’ (Eph. 5:18-19). Some Christians are so fixated with that word wine in these verses that they miss that Paul is saying something like, “Have you ever seen and/or heard a drunken choir? Have you seen how the singers put their hearts and souls into their folk (and sometimes bawdy) songs? Well, see you Christians, you ought to outshine and out-sing them by the infilling of the Spirit when your speaking to one another in song as you make melody to the Lord!” Yes, singing God’s praises both manward and Godward.

Many years ago I wrote the words and tunes for many Christian songs, two of which, Good Shepherd and Back To Life/Exalt His Name, were used for congregational singing when I pastored a church. Yes, yonks ago! The songs seemed to be God-glorifying while being congregation edifying, and maybe even evangelizing! The usual musical accompaniment was guitar, piano, with a clarinet thrown in for good measure on occasion. Being of Scottish extraction, the tunes were recognizably Celtic sounding. Much of the material put out by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty is Celtic sounding, at least it is to me. However, I produced my material before I had even heard of these guys! Be that as it may, I was encouraged to read about Keith Getty in the following,  

“To write songs for the church is a beautiful, fun (sometimes), and laughable activity. But most songs that are written (in the case of songs we have written, at least 95%) never should be heard. We estimate Keith has written or recorded five hundred to a thousand tunes per year for the last seventeen years, in order to come up with what is a relatively small handful of songs that we’re pleased with and known for. Kristyn has countless journals and Word files and scrap pieces of paper with lyrics that never made the cut.”[3]

I wonder if a song I wrote with the following verses of Scripture in mind will ever come to anything? It’s more of a contemplative mournful cello than a happy woodwind kind of song:

“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law (Psa. 119:136).

Father, look in my eyes;

What do You see in there?

Father, tears in my eyes;

My cross is hard to bear.

Rivers, water running down, flowing to the ground,

Men don’t keep Your Law, O God.

Men don’t keep Your Law.

Saviour, I look in Your eyes;

What do I see in there?

Saviour, tears in Your eyes;

Your cross is hard to bear.

Rivers, blood is running down, flowing to the ground,

Jesus kept Your Law, O God.

Jesus kept Your Law.

Father, You kept Your Word;

You poured Your Spirit out.

Saviour, You are the Word;

You poured Your Spirit out.

Rivers, Spirit running down, flowing to the ground,

Men will keep Your Law, O God.

I will keep Your Law.