Why do we sing what we do?

[Theophilus]

I have a question

Why do we sing the songs we do, I would be really interested to get your veiws on what makes a song a good choice for use in a public meeting or for in private etc...

In short
What are you looking for in a P/W song?

 

[peeps]

praise and worship songs are expression of my heart in secret to my God Im able to express my feelings in words and song, Im able to pour out my heart by ppl helping me by writing and singing these songs. . .leading me in prayer, leading me in worship its singing my heart to God, it is defenetly praising Him for Who He is and What He has done for us, its shouting out loud what I feel secretly deep inside my heart and would probably keep there

what am I looking for in a praise and worship song

*standing on Holy Ground, entering heaven, stepping before His throne alone*

 

[Theophilus]

thanks peeps, your answer is heap different from mine. (yes I do have an answer and I will share but later, I really want some different input on this topic)

next

 

[Sleepy]

Hmmm

Upbeat
Energetic
Repetitive
Slow start and real soulful strong ending!

 

[fiddlejen]

mmm - you know there are a number of songs I really like but I have to leave out certain lines when singing because they're just ... wrong.
For example, there's a song I love, really love all the words... except the ending lines of the chorus which go "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the cross." How can we sing that? And sing it repeatedly? Doesn't the bible indeed TELL us the cost - the only begotten Son of the Father, creator of all - and even if we think, yes but we don't really understand... don't we think we Will know & Understand when we see Him face-to-face? Oh, I so much love the whole rest of that song, but, how can we sing "I'll NEVER know" the cost, when we just don't know that never can be true!

Okay I'll stop now about that. But then I come to gripe number two, poor lyrics - or even acceptable-but-not-great-lyrics - that just repeat over and over. There are so many lovely rich songs with really good lyrics, why do we have to keep singing the ones that aren't???

MMm. Gee. I sound kind of grumpy here. Sorry about that. Really there is a such huge amount of wonderful great praise & worship music! Nice when it relates to the sermon or lesson too, but not a big thing. The richer in lyrics, the better! In fact I'd consider the most important thing would be good lyrics. Preferably not mixed with poor lyrics. Nice when music has enough energy to wake you up, and nice to have a song or two to quieten your spirit too.

 

[peeps]

so . . .Theo . . .where is your answer

 

[Theophilus]

OK Peeps, I was hoping for more people to answer but here are my thoughts.

1)The song needs to have lyrics that are biblically acceptable and sound, they need to say something, be somewhat eloquent and be in agreement with the revealed word of God i.e. the bible.
I like some other stuff which doesn't fit this 100% but I wouldn't take it to a church meeting and say lets sing this one

2) The song should have a great tune, with great potential for melody and orchestration. This is not to say that we have to be really complicated all the time or to limit choice of music forms, but there needs to be something to the song (music itself)

3) The song needs to be acceptable to be sung by a group of people with no ear and no vocal training. It matters if a song is in the right key, has the right sound and range then it is great. If you have to be an operatic singer to pull of the chorus then it sounds really weak. Also "we" song's beat out "I" song's most of the time. As "We believe in God the Father" over "I love you Lord"

So that is what I think about, when I pick songs - however you are limited we do some stuff that isn't great (lacks eloquence) but it is in the rotation and so it gets done.

 

[peeps]

3) The song needs to be acceptable to be sung by a group of people with no ear and no vocal training. It matters if a song is in the right key, has the right sound and range then it is great. If you have to be an operatic singer to pull of the chorus then it sounds really weak. Also we songs beat out I songs most of the time.

. . .that sounds good yes . . .havent even thought about this .. .Thank you

 

[pastortdc]

I have not read everyone elses comments in full but for me good music is God breathed and that is it

 

[CliffS]

In short
What are you looking for in a P/W song?

One that speaks to my heart.

One that is relevent to me personaly.

One with lyrics that are both biblical and meaningful.

One that is easy to learn and sing, but not repeating the same words over and over.

 

[sebi]

when i'm all alone, at home, and i listen to a song, and sing it myself, i want it to have a good orchestration, i want the singer to have a good voice, and i definitely want to hear some good Bible based lyrics. Also, i'm looking for a balance between the message and the music/rhythm.
when i'm at church, or in a greater group, i like almost any christian song. But the really great thing is when all can sing it, and all can praise God through it. So it doesn't have to be a very special, difficult song, just something we all feel can bring glory to God.
but in any christinan song, i want to feel God somehow. Some may show Him to me as the loving parent, some as a warrior, some as the creator, some as the redeemer. I think that if a song can't portray God or his people the correct way trough music and lyrics, then it isn't suitable for praise...

 

[Chad]

Your last line hit the nail on the head brother. Amen to that. I personally am seeking for GOD's guidance to find worship music to replace all the secular things I listen to and what a difficult proess it is. But I am grateful to GOD in Jesus Christ that He has shown me the gift of music is a gift from Him to us to help us express worship and praise, adoration to our Redeemer.

Thank GOD for music! What a sweet part of His creation it is!

 

[4givN&hope4U]

I'm in agreement with peeps and sebi.

Music and song helps me reach out to God with more passion. Lyrics that are words from the Bible I find to be most helpful.

The Pastor at this new church I had been attending that is closer to where I live, will even preach with music. It stirs him up.

I really like David's songs, from the Psalms. The Psalms express a lot of what, I feel, in my heart.

One of my most favorite CD's is "Free to Fly" by Point of Grace.

I will not listen to songs that sing of enjoying sin or encouraging others to sin.

Just plain music, without words, helps me also.

I really enjoy, like another pastor at the other church I was attending, listening to just song without music; especially, when it is voices lifting themselves up to praise and worship God.

Words with music that expresses an overall truth, at all times, is good all the time.

Godly songs that use God's names, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, etc. I like more than not.

I have found that good godly music that shares a lot of things from the heart or from God's Word, helps me talk to God, moves me, stirs me, and if I will lift my voice up with it/them, I can end up rejoicing in the LORD greatly or falling on my knees in tears. When I fall on my knees I usually end up balling my eyes out but it is a releasing of things, for me. My tears express deeper things within me that I may not be able (usually, am not able) to express in any other way.

To and for me, good godly music helps me draw closer to God and if I participate with it - I, usually, always feel God drawing closer to me.

It is one thing that, I believe, every believer must have in their lives and should exercise, at least, once daily - like taking a multi vitamin & mineral supplement....

Praising and worshipping should be an every day exercise for me/us/Chistians and good godly music can help get one started.

The lyrics, if you believe/agree with them are the best.

I can go from beginning to end with one good godly praise and worship tape/CD and get all my sins confessed for that day, all my burdens taken off my shoulders for that day, receive a high dose of "faith", and walk away burden-free and refreshed and able to take on the world.

If I miss a day of this time with God, it makes a huge difference in my walk for that day. Skip a few days and it can get right down dangerous!

Got to have that kind of time with the LORD! Good godly music filled with a lot of Biblical truth is wonderful for the health of a soul!

That's the best I can describe it.

 

[Theophilus]

I have not read everyone elses comments in full but for me good music is God breathed and that is it

I've got to be honest pastortdc I guess the thing that irritates me about your post is I can't work out how you judge music. I'm not sure if 'shout to the Lord' is to your tastes or you would perfere Bach's Mass in Bb Major.

I guess it is because I am a person that actually has to try and get it right and choose music at my local church that this bugs me. but as to your criteria I can think of 150 God breathed songs, oh I guess there might be another few outside the book of psalms 'miriam's song (Exodus) there is another one in kings ... .

Certainly music has its place (Eph 5:19-20) but there exists a certain tendency to let it have too much within some meetings. After all one meets to remember the LORDs death and reserection not to sing. Although singing may play a role in remeberance it is not the reason we meet. The focus needs to be the Holy Spirit not the songs about the Spirit.

 

[MargoPego]

I have not read everyone elses comments in full but for me good music is God breathed and that is it

OK, people say that - "God breathed" - but what do they mean by that? I'm not familiar with that term. It's not been used in the churches I've attended. Even different denominations have terms they use that others don't.

Anyway, to me, P&W is all about an extension of my life & serving God. As it says in Romans 12:1 & 2, our bodies should be a living sacrifice to God & used to serve Him fully. To me, each believer's life should be one of worship & service to God. As an extension of that, the songs I like in P&W tell God how much I love Him & desire to know Him & to serve Him. Also, they cause me to reflect on what He's done for me & on how much He's done for me.

About the line - "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the Cross" - I know what you're saying when you remind us that the Bible tells us what it cost, (I apologise for not catching your handle before writing this) but I can also see what the author of that line is saying. We know that Jesus was hung on the cross & gave up His very life, & then spent 3 days in Hell before rising from the death, but there's so much more to that than what can be expressed. Such a deep, deep love there was for that to happen! It goes beyond any depth that we could measure, any height that we could climb, etc., so much so that we can't really know how much it really cost. At least that's how I see it. Anyway, just sharing my two cents.

 

[Levites10]

to Christian like us worship is a life style it means all songs that we sing will glorify our GOD alone.GOD is the author of music it was only corrupted by the enemy.Blessing

 

[Theophilus]

um MargoPego see 2 Timothy 3:16 it is a quote from this verse (at least it is in the NIV)

 

[MargoPego]

:shade: Theophilus, I do thank you for the verse. I know that phrase is in the Bible, & I know what it's supposed to mean, but I was asking pastordtc what he meant by that, especially in regards to worship music. I didn't find that what he wrote really answered the question originally posted for this thread. I also wasn't sure if he meant it in the way that some denominations do or what have you. That answer isn't always clear & some give it as a pat answer. I just wanted him to clarify his words is all. I realise that my response to his words weren't as clear as what they should have been, but I've found that, even when I know what something is, not everyone does & not everyone realises that others may not know what they're talking about.

I feel that, as Christians, we have our own lingo, &, as I wrote, even denominations don't even mean the same thing when using the same phrases. We have to remember this & we should try to be more precise. On this forum, as well, there are probably new believers who don't know what all the lingo & catch phrases mean, & I'm trying to remember that & ask questions in order to get people to clarify themselves & say things in a way that everyone would be able to understand. Sometimes asking questions as if I don't know stuff makes people clarify themselves for all, newer believers or, like me, older in the faith.

Theophilus, again, I thank you for the verse. I know a lot of Scripture as well & where things are & what they've mean. I do have a lot of knowledge, but sometimes I appear not to know so that clearer answers can be given for those who may be too shy to ask for themselves.

 

[diamarie]

Well in my school christian meetings I'm on the worship team... We sing a couple fast songs like "Take a Grip" and our theme song; and then one or 2 slow ones... LIke This is my Desire, and stuff...
We pray about it the night before, and God gives us an answer...
But I look for uplifting songs; songs that get everyone on fire for Jesus

 

[kenwyn]

I want to sing worship songs that direct my attention away from me towards God.