Over the past few weeks we've been considering what makes something an effective worship song by biblical standards. A thoughtful and biblical stance needs to examine each song on its own merits. We need to ask ourselves the question(s) “What am I looking at? What am I listening to? What am I singing?” Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18-20 provided the measuring rod. Ideally, we want music that:
holds a high view of God's word
teaches, admonishes, and gives thanks
keeps the Lord as the sole recipient and beneficiary of the music (any blessing we receive is just God’s grace poured out for our obedience in song)
In addition to the content and presentation of the song, we should also recognize that not all songs need to be the same. We've seen how Colossians 3:16 creates a hierarchy of music for us, going from most biblical to most personal: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Let's close out this series of posts with some positive recommendations - music that meets the biblical expectations, but also appeals to listeners in the 21st century. I also have some un-recommended listening for you, and then we'll end back on a high note by reiterating the importance of biblical music, as demonstrated by Psalm 119:9-16.
Recommended Listening
The following albums and artists have good, biblical music to offer. Many of them utilize one or more traditional hymns, while also offering contemporary songs that have the qualities of a hymn, or a thoughtful spiritual song. Is every song on every album perfect? Probably not. There are some lines in some songs that we might disagree with for one reason or another, but as I mentioned in the first post, the same can be said of the traditional hymns. As the old saying goes, we need to eat the meat and spit out the bones. We will need to exercise some discernment, and if something violates your conscience, skip that song, that album, or that artist. There is plenty to choose from.
The following provides a solid place to start that process. I've ordered them, starting with those that are most like traditional hymns, and then moving from there toward quality spiritual songs. I have included YouTube links for each so that you can evaluate them for yourself; if you find something that you really enjoy, I encourage you (if you are able) to support that artist and purchase a copy of the individual songs or albums that have blessed you. It is not only a biblical thing to pay someone for their labor (I Timothy 5:18) but it also encourages them to produce more of that type of music!
Piano Hymns
Ever considered simply listening to hymns played on the piano? It's a great way to learn how to sing the lyrics to a new hymn. There are many different options out there; I usually just search "piano hymns" on YouTube or the iTunes store. There is one that I listen to often while I'm working: you can listen to it on YouTube here.
Selected Songs from Aubrey Assad
I've only listened to her singing of hymns, so I don't know about the rest of her music, but Assad has a beautiful singing voice. I've included the links to the hymns she sings below:
You can listen to "Holy, Holy, Holy" here.
You can listen to "It Is Well with My Soul" here.
You can listen to "Be Thou My Vision" here.
Hymned and Hymned Again by Bart Millard
Bart Millard (famous for the song "I Can Only Imagine" which you can listen to on YouTube here) made two albums of classic hymns set to modern musical elements. They're great, although there is a portion of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" that always makes me chuckle, because it sounds like something from an episode of Scooby Doo. You'll know it when you hear it. Notwithstanding, I highly recommend these albums.
You can listen to Hymned on YouTube here.
You can listen to Hymned Again on YouTube here.
Gospel Hymns, Vol. 1 by Attalus
Attalus made one album of classic hymns set to modern musical elements. There are also a few of their own songs sprinkled in that have all the hallmarks of an excellent hymn, despite not being found in the hymn book at church. "We Stand Amazed" is a particular favorite of mine.
You can listen to Gospel Hymns, Vol. 1 on YouTube here.
Selected songs from Matt Papa
I've only listen to two of Papa's songs, but both are great:
"I Will Trust in You My God (Hymn in A)" is about worshiping the Lord when you are at the end of your rope. It can be listened to on YouTube here.
"Hymn in E Minor" is about the two advents of Christ, with an especially satisfying verse on Christ's victory over Satan at His second coming. It can be listened to on YouTube here.
Sonicflood
Sonicflood has a great album that includes some traditional hymns set to modern musical elements. They also have a host of other songs that fit nicely in the space somewhere between hymns and spiritual songs. I think they have some additional albums, but I've only ever listened to the one linked below.
You can listen to Sonicflood on YouTube here.
Third Day
To my knowledge, Third Day does not sing any traditional hymns, but they do strike a balance between hymn-style content and the more emotional aspects of "spiritual songs." They have a more southern vibe for those of you who enjoy that sort of thing. Offerings: A Worship Album and Offerings II: All I Have to Give are their stand-out albums as pertains to the topic of worship.
You can listen to Offerings: A Worship Album on YouTube here.
You can listen to Offerings II: All I Have to Give on YouTube here.
Nicole Nordeman
Like Third Day, Nordeman does not sing any formal hymns that I know of, but she does strike a beautiful balance between hymn-style content and the more emotional aspects of "spiritual songs." She has many great songs, but "Why" cuts right to the marrow of the crucifixion day.
You can listen to "Why" on YouTube here.
O.C. Supertones
Remember ska? The O.C. Supertones took that rambunctious genre of music and used it for some genuinely thoughtful songs about doctrine and the Christian life. That style of music may not appeal to you - I don't blame you if electric guitars and trumpets aren't your thing - but this band was a buoy for me in my early Christian years when I was still trying to figure everything out, and I still think it is a blast to listen to their albums today.
If you want to give them a try, start with their album O.C. Supertones Live Volume 1. It gives you a good sampling of their music, and includes a few worship songs partway through the set list. You can listen to it on Youtube here.
Un-recommended Listening
I've tried to be fair, balanced, and charitable in this series of posts, but there are a few popular "praise and worship" songs that absolutely drive me crazy, and I can't resist the urge to take myself off the leash for just a moment:
"Reckless Love"
This one crawls under my skin and pushes every button I have. One repeated line in the song says, "Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God." Seriously? We're going to use the same word to describe God's love that we use for a drunk driver? There is nothing reckless about God. Learn English. Or at least invest in a dictionary. Better yet, read your Bible and use the language that God uses about Himself!
"How He Loves Us"
This song uses metaphors the same way that Colonel Mustard might use the lead pipe to murder Professor Plum in a game of Clue. Here are a a few lyrics:
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
When heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
What is the deal with comparing God's love to danger and destruction? First He was reckless, and now He's a hurricane? I live in Florida, so l can verify: hurricanes are bad. There's a lot of water down here, too, so I can also verify that sinking is bad. To make matters worse, the whole metaphor of the storm and sinking seems to spit in the face of Scripture: But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me (Matthew 14:30). Who thought it was a good idea to take what Peter needed to be saved from, and make that the metaphor for God's love and grace? This song is a hurricane, and every time I hear it I cry out like Peter, "Lord, save me!"
And don't even get me started on that lyric about the "unforeseen kiss." There is another version of this song that makes that line worse by instead saying "when heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss." If you could peak inside my head when either of those lyrics are sung, you would see something like this:
"Real Thing"
The chorus to this song says, "All I know right now, is I'm ready, All I want right now, is the real thing, Lord, You're the real thing, Lord, You're the real thing." Does anybody else think of the old Coca-Cola ad? Also, I'm not entirely clear what is meant by God being the "real thing." Maybe I'm overthinking it, but it seems odd to praise God by simply saying He exists, and yet to divorce His existence from the attributes that make Him praiseworthy. That's like complimenting someone after they have done something remarkable by telling them, "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that you're really here." Um, thank you?
The Conclusion of the Matter
Thank you for indulging me in my rant about a few of the songs that grate on my spiritual nerves. The purpose of this series of posts is not to gripe about "new" music, advocate for my personal preferences, or tear a song away from someone who sincerely uses it to worship the Lord. My goal has been only to encourage us to recognize the importance of music, and as a result to consider more carefully that which we listen to or sing. We have repeatedly used Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18-20 to establish a biblical method of measuring a piece of music, so let's close by using Psalm 119:9-16 to summarize everything that we have considered together. The passage says:
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Consider the practical desire presented to us in the passage: the psalmist wants to be cleansed (verse 9), to take heed (verse 9), to seek the Lord (verse 10), and to be taught (verse 12). This provides us with a attitude by which we should approach worship.
Next, consider the practical method demonstrated in the passage: the psalmist is going to act on his desire by hiding God's word in his heart (verse 11).
Finally, consider the practical means by which that will be done: the implication is that the psalmist will hide God's word in his heart through music! How did I get to that inference? Look at what follows in verses 12-15: the psalmist declares (verse 13), rejoices (verse 14), meditates (verse 15), respects God (verse 15), delights (verse 16), and will not forget (verse 16). Isn't that an apt description of what happens when we sing?
When we take all of what we see in Psalm 119: 9-16 together, it is describing exactly what we've seen in Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18-20:
hold a high view of God's word
teaches, admonishes, and gives thanks
keeps the Lord as the sole recipient and beneficiary of the music (any blessing we receive is just God’s grace poured out for our obedience in song)
If you're like me, you may struggle to memorize Scripture (the chapter and verse numbers are always elusive to me - numbers just don't stick in my brain for some reason, but that's a separate issue). But whether you have trouble memorizing passages of Scripture or not, there is one thing I think we can all agree on: music sticks! Get to the good stuff that most clearly echoes God's word - whether as a psalm, a hymn, or a spiritual song - then start listening and singing unto the Lord!
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