Skip to main content

A New Song

As I practice my electric guitar... usually worship songs, I think about how music fits into the the Kingdom of God. I have been playing for 30+ years and I still play at church from time to time. I have to say I am shocked by denominations that think music is sinful and shouldn't be allowed in church. Don't get me wrong, I think there are lots of secular songs and a few hymns that don't belong anywhere near church, but real worship songs? How did we get there?

FYI - There are 34 verses in the NIV Bible that directly reference the word music. There are 47 references song, 153 referencing worship, and I am betting that a good number of those include music. There are 30 for the harp and 5 for the tambourine. And you can look up any other ancient instrument and probably find a few verses for those too.

Getting past my shock, I have been a part of all kinds of church music from playing three story cathedral pipe organs, choirs to plain chant and even rap that brought hundreds to the alter for salvation. Having participated in folk masses and near rock concerts I can't imagine church without music.

There was the time that a I heard a 50 piece orchestra and 100 voice choir sing "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him" and I weep just thinking about all those hands outstretched towards a plastic Jesus in a manger. Wow! There was the time the I first heard "Our God Is An Awesome God" and the fear of God was in the room; my knees were shaking. There were other times too, when I heard contemporary worship, like "Let It Rain" played by the Mike Smith Band in Norway while the heavens opened. There are lots of other encounters while I was just listening to a CD, or picking my way thought a chord sheet where God touched me. I think it is called anointing. Why does God use the vehicle for His presence? As a hack musician I don't think that God only speaks to me because I like music. No, I think it is part of the Christian culture.

Wherever you are with music, whether you can carry a tune in a bucket or not, if you have been in a church, you have probably experienced music. This leads me to my next thoughts... what is a new song as described in scripture? There are 9 references to it; 6 in Psalms, 1 in Isaiah and 2 in Revelation. 5 of the Psalms passages say "sing to Him a new song." 1 says "He put a new song in our mouth." The Revelation verses, although in the future (unless I missed that rapture), are in the past tense in the presence of the throne of God.

So here is my analysis or exegesis of this concept. Music is staple of praise and worship to, and of Jesus. When we praise God we give Him "worth-ship" which is really where we get the word worship. It is because He has done great things, and because He is good. It because we have tasted His glory and also because we love Him. But what is the reason for a new song, it is because the old one is boring?

If music is praise, how does it fit into that which God wants us to experience? Paul said that we should praise without ceasing and also pray without ceasing. One can do both at once, or can we? I am believer that the spirit of God in us can do a lot that our natural body cannot. As the gifts of the Holy Spirit operate through us, a vessel, so does the communion of God; spirit to Spirit. It is here that the new song is birthed by His spirit in us. He can give us utterance as He sees fit. Here is an example. Someone that I am very close to was baptized in the Holy Spirit at a retreat. The most common responses to this "event" are speaking tongues, prophesying and in some cases falling out. This time, however; the person began to sing in wonderful and glorious "musical" syllables. This was not just a new song that He put in her mouth, but a spontaneous one.

The new song is much more then just another song. It comes with anointing, worship and praise mingled together to produce something that is edifying to our spirit and pleasing to our God. In some cases a gifted "psalmist" will actually bring heaven to us where we participate in adoration around the throne. But the new song, is birthed in our spirit. It isn't always something that we haven't heard before. In fact, it just might be the way that we sing it "this" time. The new song is a connection to God. As we worship, we are connected to the kingdom of heaven.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mad Libs: An Unforgettable Church Service

Hopefully you have heard of Mad Libs (R) ! They are stories that you blindly fill in the blanks for articles of grammar and then read the completed story. Since I was a kid, these have always been a hoot. I decided to make up my own. Just fill in the blanks next time you are at small group and then read it back. It is sure to shake up a few religious spirits. An Unforgettable Church Service We arrived at _________ ( time of day ) at the Church of the Holy _________ ( noun ). It was ___________ ( day of week ) and we got out of the _________ ( mode of transportation ). We were dressed in our __________ ( day of week ) best. We all held _________ ( plural body part ) as we crossed the street. Today was special because it was ___________ (holiday) and the kids look forward to receiving _________ ( noun ) as part of the celebration. Pastor _________ ( name ) was there to greet us and shake our ________ ( body part ). He welcomed my __________ ( family member ) with a big _________ ( bodil...

God is Great, Beer is Good, and People are Crazy

There was a discussion on Facebook today about how some people think Christians are "whack jobs." Regardless, God is still great. I don't really know much about beer. I haven't had one in just about 30 years. There are a lot of folks that consider themselves to be Christian. Some because they do good, and others because they have faith in God or are born again-- and others because they grew up in a Christian denomination. Far be it from me to decide who is in, and who is out. Some say we'll be surprised at who is going to be there, and others say who think they are in will be surprised when they are rejected at the Pearly Gates. Hmmm... But let's say you are a real Christian who is feeling passionate about doing something for God. You know something beyond throwing a few bucks in the offering plate and trying to be a good person. The church calls it service or ministry, which could include such things as: reading scriptures on Sunday morning, planning a harves...

Political Tuesdays - The Taxation Question

I have written on political topics in the past. And with the upcoming electons, I thought I would dedicate Tuesdays to some political ranting and Johndrow-esque, "think for myself" politics. Most will not be based on any specific Christian belief or doctrine unless it applies. As an American I find myself stunned, over and over; like fish in the reach of the tenticles of a man-o-war, at political solutions to human and spiritual problems. I live in Masschusetts, and we are the most liberal state in the US. We were first in gay marriage, we were first in mandatory healthcare, we have rejected mandatory sentencing for repeat and sex offenders, we are ahead of the Global Warming curve, we have high taxes ( on average 10% ), we are split on casino gambleing only because we've missed the boat (if doesn't create jobs, it's a political flop), and well John Kerry and Ted Kennedy were our sentaors for many years (Kerry still is). The last time we went red for president...