Music Matters  | |
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Music Matters
August 2006
 PRAISE THE LORD!
WHAT IS PRAISE MUSIC?
Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to
come.—Revelation 4:8
As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O
God.—Psalm 42:1
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised...—Psalm 48:1
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an
end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.—Lamentations
3:22-23
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and
glory and might forever and ever!—Revelation 5:13
As you read these words, I wonder what came to your mind. Was it a song? an
anthem? a praise chorus? an oratorio? an orchestral piece? an instrumental solo?
How do we praise the Lord?
I will never forget a time I was asked by a friend, “But you’re a classically
trained musician...why do you like this service?” and the service he was
referring to is where I attend frequently—where bands often accompany
congregational singing. His surprised question was an honest one, and these
scriptures provide some of the answer.
I appreciate good music—well prepared and well presented (rather than
“performed”) and I can find that both in many congregations and in many places
in the worship service. Our traditional hymns are often based on scriptures, as
in ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty” (based on Revelation 4:8) and “Great is
Thy Faithfulness” (based on Lamentations 3:22-23). Contemporary worship songs
are also often direct quotes of scriptures, as in “Great is the Lord” (based on
several of the psalms) and “As the Deer” (based on Psalm 42:1). I think of
Handel writing his great oratorio Messiah when I read Revelation 5:13.
 David
calls us to praise the Lord, to make a joyful noise, to worship the Lord with
gladness. In other places, he calls us to use the organ, tambourine, trumpet,
dance, loud cymbals...
I also appreciate silence...and sounds from nature. David reminds us of that
as well. He called on fire and hail, snow and frost, all the animals and trees
to praise God. He told us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
So how do we praise the Lord? In any and every way that draws us
closer to God! Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Have a “praise time” that includes at least one selection from each
century: 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, 1900s, 2000s. This can either be the focus of
the entire service or it can be a shorter time in the early part of the
service. Singing is the most participatory activity our congregations share;
when we share together in singing selections that remind us of the One who is
the focus of our worship, our worship is strengthened.
- On a regular basis, have a Sunday School class teach the congregation
their favorite piece that praises the Lord. Be sure to include all
generations.
- Concentrate on a particular scripture and find pieces that quote (or
paraphrase) that scripture.
- Each Sunday, have a member of the congregation tell about their favorite
hymn of praise and then sing it together. Be sure to include selections from
all generations.
- Sing “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation”—a great
praise chorus written in the 17th
century. Encourage the congregation to sing in spirit and in truth—like
they really mean it!
—Pam
Robison
If you have suggestions or ideas for future columns, please contact:
Jan Kraybill
Principal Organist and Director of Music
Community of Christ Headquarters
Independence, MO, USA
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Next month’s topic: Performance vs. Ministry: Excellence in Worship Music
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