As I’ve said before, I take singing seriously. I don’t believe in singing to get the congregation quiet. I don’t believe that talking during a song is any more acceptable than holding a conversation during a prayer. (especially since many songs are prayers)
I try to pay attention to the words when I sing. I do my best to avoid singing things I don’t really believe or agree with. I don’t hold anybody else to my choices; I’m not offended if someone wants to sing something I choose not to (unlike the producers of Sacred Selections of the Church, who saw it necessary to “correct” the words to many hymns. My friends in college used to call that hymnal “Scared Selections”)
For example, our Spanish hymnal at church has two hymns that talk about the new Jerusalem having streets of gold and a sea of crystal. Problem is, in Revelation, those two things are mutually exclusive. That is, when the new Jerusalem appears with its streets of gold, the sea no longer exists. I prefer not to sing that one.
There’s another one in Spanish that talks about Christians always smiling, even when bad things happen. I’m a believer in consistent joy, but that doesn’t mean we’re always smiling. There is room for “weep with those who weep” in the Christian life.
Here’s a few others:
- “I want a mansion, a robe and a crown…”—The whole “Mansion Over The Hilltop” has questionable lyrics, but that line really gets me. That’s not where my focus is. I want to be in the presence of God; anything He chooses to give me beyond that won’t really matter at that point.
- “The Evergreen Valley”—Maybe someone can point me to something in the Bible about such a place. Until then, I’ll just smile and listen.
- “May Your kingdom be established in our praises”—Sorry, I don’t even know what that line is supposed to mean. I’d just as soon not sing it.
There are others, but I guess you get the drift. What about you? Any lyrics that you are uncomfortable singing?
I’m silent for “Can He Still Feel the Nails” – that has to be the worst song ever. I just want to yell “NO!” after every question in the song.
And any song where “I” or “me” is the primary focus. Like we did anything?
I have a serious problem with one part of “Jesus is Coming Soon.” Some song books have removed this line, but most still have:
When these signs come to pass,
Nearing the end at last.
I thought the Bible clearly teaches that there are no “signs” of the end.
I’m with you on the “questionable” songs. There are some that are more personal than Scriptural. I choose to not sing the song (or just a verse), but I am not going to “write someone up” for leading or singing. That seems to be the Biblical approach.
I don’t sing anything that talks about dying and going to heaven as the final goal (what about resurrection and New Heavens/New Earth?). I especially DO NOT sing “I’ll Fly Away.” Misguided gnostic nonsense.
Grumble grumble….
There are some songs I wish were edited out. However, “May your Kingdom be established in our prasies…as your people declare your mighty works” I have always understood to mean that our praise and proclamation of God is proclaiming his kingdom. Jesus did declare the kingdom of God has come.
Any ways…Blessed Be the Lord God Almighty happens to be one of my favorites but not because of that line…because of the line “Who was and is and is to come.”
Grace and peace,
Rex
■“I want a mansion, a robe and a crown…”—The song as sung by gospel groups says mansion, harp and a crown. Wow. Isn’t that the song with being satisfied with a cottage below …. a little silver and a little gold?
Precious Memories….nocturnal scenes of dead relatives.
I come to the garden alone. Can’t we share the joy?
And there was a song about people at judgement day looking back and saying…”Hey, how come you never told me?!” Perhaps a legitimate question, but aren’t we all on our own at that point?
I’d don’t know about you guys, but I always want to start fist-pumping during “Almost Persuaded.” :)
Seriously though, the least edifying song of all time. At my church, we would up the intensity of the words by also staring at the people that needed to be “persuaded.”
Perhaps I am shallow, but if it sounds bad, I can’t focus. Case in point: “There’s Just Something About That Name.” There’s Just Something that makes me want to take a nose-dive off of a bridge when I hear that song.
Well, I have trouble singing the verse “None of self, and all of Thee” … but the reasons are pretty personal.
My wife and I can both remember growing up and cringing everytime the closing hymn was “You Never Mentioned Him to Me.” Was that to motivate personal evangelism?
Tim,
i don’t know the name of the song, but the chorus goes like:
“Behold he comes riding on a cloud,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call”
i sing it. But the song is chalk-full of so many OT and apocalyptic imagery that i’m honestly not sure what it is i’m saying. There’s nothing particularly bad or obviously problematic in the song for me, it’s just a matter of not being clear what i’m claiming when i sing it.
i agree with other commenters that we have an awful lot of songs about going-to-heaven-when-i-die and few if any about resurrection and new heavens/new earth. That’s very, very unfortunate IMO.
–Guy
Just a thought:
The final goal isn’t heaven or the redemption of creation in the New Heavens/New Earth. The final goal is Christ!
Woe to us if we only seek His rewards and not Him…
Guy,
I was gonna mention that one. I love camp and new songs but “Days of Elijah” makes not sense to me what-so-ever. that’s the line you were referring to
Precious Memories references ‘unseen angels’ and little else regarding the spiritual, faith, God, church etc.
Keith, I love none of self, but recently preached on Ecclesiastes 5 and vows, if it ain’t true we better be careful singing it. We better at least want it to be true.
“No one ever cared for me like Jesus” sounds like something from a 40s broadway play. the music gets in the way of the sentiment. ironically, it’s a favorite hymn of a great older christian brother who bashes all songs that in his opinion, the music doesn’t match the words, or the music is “like being at the circus”
i sheepishly confess that I used to refrain from singing “you ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart” because it was too subjective and not based on scripture/faith.
I now have no problem with it
Do we really keep falling in love with Him over and over and over and over again? And does He really get sweeter and sweeter and ….?
I love singing, so I usually end up singing along even if I don’t fully agree with the lyrics, simply because music tends to overtake me. The only song that really makes me angry is Days of Elijah. David did NOT rebuild the temple, let alone BUILD it. lol Really it just makes me laugh that it’s so blatantly wrong and few people notice it. Usually I try to fit in the correct name, but it doesn’t fit… Oh well.