As I have been reading the book "Why I left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement" by Dan Lucarini, I have also been listening to teachings on worship by Douglas Wilson (So I've been getting a kind of 1-2 punch of worship reformation). I have really been impressed by Wilson's clear commitment to what the bible has to say about these things and not just doing worship the way we may see fit. The main thing that has had the most immediate impact is a message Wison gave called "A return to Psalm singing".
Just think about it, I mean I know the words to songs I heard in my teen years I don't even like (then or now) like Oasis' song "Wonderwall" Lisa and I were listening to the radio on our way home and the song was on and we started singing along ..."Maybe--your gonna be the one that saves me (echo)..." We both confessed that we never actually liked the song but just had it drilled into our heads when the radio stations and MTV decided that this will be a top 40 hit. Now how much better would it be to know the Psalms like that? That at will I could think "Oh yeah psalm 60 that goes...."? Sounds like a good idea right?
Well Paul seemed to think so too as he writes: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. " C0l 3:16
If we want to be obediant to this call and have Christ's word dwell in us RICHLY we will be Psalm singers (Actually Psalms Hymns and spiritual songs was all in reference to the 3 part division of the book of psalms in the Greek septuagent which Paul no doubt read). This is huge to me I have yet to be in a Church that gives attention to Psalms in worship like this, I think hymns and bible/God centered praise songs are fine, but how much better to sing the words of God back to Him? How much better to be obediant to Col 3:16 and have the word of Christ dwell in us richly?
So I am taking up the task of putting music to the psalms, the entire psalm, and try to not change the wording. It has been difficult but it is rewarding, in a week I know almost the first 3 Psalms by heart (Psalm1 for sure). That's why Paul (or rather God through Paul) thought this was a good idea.
3 comments:
Right? It took me how many MONTHS to learn psalm 86 but by singing psalm 1 I learned it in just a few days and with little effort. It's like we've uncovered a secret purpose to music!
Good luck with 119,
flutes or harp?
not being rude here, I think it's a great idea. but consider this.
how would psalm 1 (or my favorite psalm 8) sound if Native Americans put them to music, or Africans, or Mexicans, or Austrailian bush men? If all you had to work with was a piano, or an electric guitar, or drums and flute?
Yeah, It will probably be about 200 songs to cover all the psalms, many of them too long to do in one song (although that is how the Jews sang them).
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