Tag Archives: Singing

What Christian lyrics especially speak to you?

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We’ve been discussing music a bit lately. I asked the other day about songs or parts of songs that you refuse to sing. Then yesterday I was talking about Keith Green and the impact he had on my life.

That got me to thinking again about lyrics, but in a positive way. What are some lyrics that especially speak to you? I’m especially interested in songs that may not be the ones that are sung every Sunday.

I’m interested to know what you think of. I’ll mention a few in the comment section during the day, but first I’d like to hear some of your favorites.

Choosing silence over song

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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?

You singing to me?

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My mother was a music teacher, as was one of my uncles. My sister is a music teacher. My mother-in-law teaches music, as does her only son. We take music fairly seriously in our family.
For years now, I’ve tried to take singing at church seriously. Among other things, I’ve tried to focus on the words of the songs. I’m picky enough that I won’t sing certain lines of songs, sometimes out of disagreement, sometimes just not knowing what the line means (any ideas on “May your kingdom be established in our praises…”?).
One thing that has been very helpful to me is to be conscious of whom I am singing to. Is the song directed to God? Is the song directed to my brothers? I often close my eyes on a God-addressing song, just as I generally do when speaking to Him. When singing to my brothers, I try to look at them.
I like to sing and definitely have my preferences in songs. Above all, I try to “sing with my mind” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15. If you aren’t in that habit, I strongly suggest it. It makes a world of difference.

Singing as Two Acts of Worship

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First, some confessions. Among immediate family, in-laws, uncles and cousins, I have a disproportionate number of music teachers and professional musicians. I participated in music groups from grade school through college. I’ve grown up taking music seriously.

And I think we in the church rarely take our singing seriously enough. Need to say something to someone? Not during the sermon. Not during a prayer. Do it during a song. Want to get people to come in and sit down? Let’s sing ’em in. I’ve never been in a church that “prayed ’em in.”

Many songs are prayers. I guess I didn’t really think about that until studying the story of Paul and Silas in Acts. Most English versions stick in a conjunction that isn’t in the original. While they say something like “Paul and Silas were praying and singing,” the original text says “Paul and Silas praying sang…” They weren’t two separate activities. Their songs were prayers to God, as are many of ours. When we sing “Lord, we come before Thee now,” what is that but a prayer? When we sing to God, we are praying. And if you look at the songs we sing, many are directed to God.

Another way in which we don’t take our singing seriously is in not thinking about the words we sing. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15 “I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” Too many times we sing songs because they are fun to sing and not because they have anything meaningful to say. Most people who sing “Just a Little Talk With Jesus” don’t believe that you can be made whole just by having a little talk with Jesus. We sing “Down in the Evergreen Valley” without ever questioning where in the Bible it talks about an evergreen valley. I personally don’t like to sing “I’ve Got A Mansion” because I’m not in it for a mansion, a robe and a crown; I want to live eternally in the presence of God, be it in a mansion or a hut with rags on. And I have yet to find anyone who can explain the phrase “May Your kingdom be established in our praises,” which is a line from a popular praise song. God’s kingdom is established in our praises?

You’re being too picky! Am I? It’s quite possible, based on the confession I made at the beginning. But I think if we viewed singing as a solemn act, we’d do some things differently. We might even get guys to take their caps off while singing, rather than just for spoken prayers.

Though I doubt we’ll ever get to the point of saying, “Brother Jones will lead our opening prayer song.”