Half True Praise Songs
Some modern praise songs are theologically rich and can express deep Biblical truth through a worshipful spirit. Others tend to focus on a single attribute of God by frequent repetition. Though Biblical, that truth can be shallow when it comes to living the Christian life.
For instance, it is true that Psalms 118:5 says the following:
“In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.” NIV
But if we were to worship using a song that was written as follows:
I cried to the Lord and wept
The weeping of my eyes, tears for the Master
I felt the stirring of the Lord on my journey
Which kept me from disaster.
Oh Lord, my tears are for You
Oh Lord, my fears are for You
To seek you in the morning
To weep for you in the evening
Oh Lord, my tears are for You.
OK, I admit – poetry is not my thing. The point is that sometimes we take a shallow Biblical truth; build words around it, then make a song. This (bad) song above which I wrote in 24 seconds, is Biblically true but completely incomplete.
When our church worship music is dominated by these kinds of songs, we dumb down our worship.
Other songs twist Biblical truths to fit into a poetic schema the author wants. The words ‘sound’ Biblical and maybe even exude worshipful feelings, but are simply inaccurate.
This post is a direct result of my wife’s explanation of worship this past Sunday at church while I was away. The song was “This Is Your House” and the words are as follows:
As we gather in this place today; Holy Spirit come and have Your way
Have Your way; As we lay aside our own desires
Sweep across our hearts with holy fire; Have Your way
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You
Lord we welcome You; This is Your house Your home; We welcome You today
As we offer up our hearts and lives; Let them be a living sacrifice; Have Your way
Be glorified in ev'rything we do; Be glorified in ev'rything we say; Have Your way
As we pray (As we pray); O Lord draw near; It's Your voice (It's Your voice); We long to hear
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You
Lord we welcome You; This is Your house Your home
We welcome You today; This is Your house Your home
We welcome You; Lord we welcome You
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You today
We welcome You today; We welcome You today
There a few good lines in this song, but a vast majority of it are that “This is Your House, we welcome You today”.
Think about that line. I mean, besides the general feeling that it sounds Biblical, actually READ the line and find the paradox.
If it is HIS house, then why are we welcoming Him? If it is His house wouldn’t we be the ones who are visitors? Never once since I have been a homeowner have I ever had someone come to my house and said “welcome”.
The proper expression of this would be that HE welcomes us into His presence, not the other way around.
Many don’t care if the words don’t make sense. I have a good friend that believes that there is no such thing as a bad praise song! He believes that if the song brings him or anyone closer to God in worship that the words simply don’t matter.
I see his point that the ultimate objective is a personal connection to God, but if we lower our standards to the point that the words can loose their meaning, then why have words at all? What’s the point?
Here is another spontaneous composition to make my point:
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
It is so beautiful to me
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
Your majesty is what I give to you, not me
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
How is that for a 10 second composition with the help of ‘copy and paste’? You see my point? I know the words are poetically terrible, but do you see a theological inaccuracy here?
For instance, it is true that Psalms 118:5 says the following:
“In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.” NIV
But if we were to worship using a song that was written as follows:
I cried to the Lord and wept
The weeping of my eyes, tears for the Master
I felt the stirring of the Lord on my journey
Which kept me from disaster.
Oh Lord, my tears are for You
Oh Lord, my fears are for You
To seek you in the morning
To weep for you in the evening
Oh Lord, my tears are for You.
OK, I admit – poetry is not my thing. The point is that sometimes we take a shallow Biblical truth; build words around it, then make a song. This (bad) song above which I wrote in 24 seconds, is Biblically true but completely incomplete.
When our church worship music is dominated by these kinds of songs, we dumb down our worship.
Other songs twist Biblical truths to fit into a poetic schema the author wants. The words ‘sound’ Biblical and maybe even exude worshipful feelings, but are simply inaccurate.
This post is a direct result of my wife’s explanation of worship this past Sunday at church while I was away. The song was “This Is Your House” and the words are as follows:
As we gather in this place today; Holy Spirit come and have Your way
Have Your way; As we lay aside our own desires
Sweep across our hearts with holy fire; Have Your way
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You
Lord we welcome You; This is Your house Your home; We welcome You today
As we offer up our hearts and lives; Let them be a living sacrifice; Have Your way
Be glorified in ev'rything we do; Be glorified in ev'rything we say; Have Your way
As we pray (As we pray); O Lord draw near; It's Your voice (It's Your voice); We long to hear
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You
Lord we welcome You; This is Your house Your home
We welcome You today; This is Your house Your home
We welcome You; Lord we welcome You
This is Your house Your home; We welcome You today
We welcome You today; We welcome You today
There a few good lines in this song, but a vast majority of it are that “This is Your House, we welcome You today”.
Think about that line. I mean, besides the general feeling that it sounds Biblical, actually READ the line and find the paradox.
If it is HIS house, then why are we welcoming Him? If it is His house wouldn’t we be the ones who are visitors? Never once since I have been a homeowner have I ever had someone come to my house and said “welcome”.
The proper expression of this would be that HE welcomes us into His presence, not the other way around.
Many don’t care if the words don’t make sense. I have a good friend that believes that there is no such thing as a bad praise song! He believes that if the song brings him or anyone closer to God in worship that the words simply don’t matter.
I see his point that the ultimate objective is a personal connection to God, but if we lower our standards to the point that the words can loose their meaning, then why have words at all? What’s the point?
Here is another spontaneous composition to make my point:
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
It is so beautiful to me
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
Your majesty is what I give to you, not me
The air, the grass, the sand the sea
How is that for a 10 second composition with the help of ‘copy and paste’? You see my point? I know the words are poetically terrible, but do you see a theological inaccuracy here?
posted by duteberta at 7:40 PM
2 Comments:
I've been picking apart every song I hear on the radio or sing in church for the past week now because of this post. It's so true in many songs in church these days. But my dad says there are just as many inaccuracies in some of the old hymns as well. I may just pull out a hymnal and read some tonight. Final thought here...you may have heard this story from me before but I'll share it anyway. The Sunday morning of our accident I was sitting back in the "cry room" at church- something I never did, but Chip had to usher and I had 3 little kids by myself. Anyway, I was watching different people in the audience as we sang the song, "Holiness". When we got to the verse, "Brokeness...brokeness is what I long for. Brokeness is what I need. Brokeness, brokeness is what I want to be.", I sat and sort of "hand-picked" the people I thought were just singing the words, and not meaning them. Then I realized I was one of them too. I talked to Chip about it on the way to the Old Depot. I said things like, "Those people have no clue what their singing about. Nobody wants brokeness. I don't even want brokeness." I remember it so clearly. I think of it often. And the ironic thing is that a few hours later when me and my family lay in the Otsego Memorial ER- physically, mentally, emotionally, totally broken- it was the very place that I felt God most. He was overwhelmingly present in the midst of my brokeness and stayed there throughout our entire hospitalization. It was a horrible experience, yes, but the crazy thing is that sometimes I wish I could go back there- just to feel the way I did there. The Holy Spirit surrounded me with His presence- I think I could touch it. I always pay attention to the words I choose to sing in worship now. I know that God can turn that worship into reality- even words like brokeness.
Thanks Jody! I am tempted to remain speechless here because everything you said is to moving and so true.
I just want you to know that is really making me think about words I sing in church and if I truly mean them.
Thanks so much!
Post a Comment
<< Home