blog on worshiping Christ (not my blog)

The Musical Expression of Worship

April 21st, 2011

The musical expression of worship has always been one of the most powerful forces of faith. Songs endure far beyond even the best sermons. Consider how few of John Wesley’s sermons we are able to recite by heart. Yet even the most contemporary of us could recite the lyrics to one of his hymns-without even knowing it’s his! Worship songs are of no small significance. They stir the emotions of those who hear them; they stay with our memory. But maybe most significant of all, they impart a vision of God to the worshipper.

The most serious question for every worship songwriter to ask is not, “Will this song be a CCLI #1?” or “Will a major recording artist cover this song on his latest worship record?” Rather, the most significant question to ask is, “What am I communicating about God through this song?” Notice the question is not, “Am I communicating about God?” That is because as worship songwriters our songs are always saying something about God. The only remaining issue is whether what they are saying is true.

One of my roles at New Life Church is the Director of New Life School of Worship. I teach a class at the school called “Understanding the Psalms.” Over the last few years I’ve been struck how over and over again the ancient songwriters praise God for things He had done. You see, like many other sincere worshippers, I had tried to stay away from praising God for what He does.

After all, is that selfish? Aren’t we supposed to rise above His blessings and worship Him for who He is? If you’re like me, you’ve tried sincerely to do it: to worship God for some ethereal reason completely unattached from his actions, but somehow failed miserably. You may have become severely discouraged and resigned yourself to a life of sub-Biblical worship, tainted by selfishness. Yet after pressing further in the worship we see in the Bible, it is difficult if even possible to find examples of individuals worshipping God without tying it to some act he has done.

The only songbook in the Scriptures, the Psalms, reveals worship that celebrates what He has done, looks forward to what He will do, or that pleads for Him to act again based on how He has acted in the past. A close study of the Psalms reveals that God’s actions are at the very heart of Biblical worship.

You see, God reveals who He is by what He does. It is impossible to know God apart from what He does. Christians-and Jews, for that matter-unlike any other religion in the world, worship a God who has chosen to be involved with human history, and moreover, a God who self-discloses by action. Our God is not a mere force or an unseen energy; he is not a vague ill-defined spirit. He is a person; one that can be observed and known; one who acts and speaks; and most significantly, one who has chosen to interact with humanity. All of God’s names speak of a Person who does something: Jehovah Jireh, the God Who Provides; Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals, and on and on.

There is no abstract worship in the Bible. God is not worshipped as an abstraction, but rather, for His action. The specific challenge to songwriters is whether our songs do the same. Do our songs paint a picture of a God revealed by His greatest act of all time: the cross and resurrection? There are enough touchy-feely, mystical worship songs. We need worship songs that show people who God is by reminding them of what He has done. That is our unwavering cause for celebration, our confidence in prayer, and our steady anchor of hope.

The song “Everyone” is my attempt to convey the blood and salvation as the inspiration of our praise. Sometimes we hit the goal and other times we miss. But whether or not we end up with good songs immediately, we need to keep on the path of Biblical songwriting: reveal God by reminding people of what He has done. It’s a song that never grows old.