Jun22
Q&A Fridays - What About “Me” Songs?
Matt wrote in to ask:
What do you think about singing songs that have a lot of me/we/I content. Is it wrong to sing a lot of songs that talk about us? A couple come to mind right now: “We stand and lift up our hands…” “I love you Lord…” etc…I think there’s value in having some songs with personal language as we sing/speak to God, but is there a balance that we should seek in using songs that speak of we, me, or us?
Great question.
Lyrics in worship songs can be generally categorized as objective, subjective, or reflective. Objective lyrics tell us something true about God that helps us know him better. Most, but not all, hymns from the 18th century tend to focus on objective truths. Like this one:
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest, whose name is love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
(Before the Throne of God Above, words by Charitie Lee Bancroft)
Subjective lyrics express responses to God such as love, longing, conviction, or adoration. Don’t assume a song that uses a lot of first person pronouns is subjective. Psalm 86 uses the personal pronouns “I, me, and my” thirty-one times in seventeen verses. But you’re never left wondering who the focus is. Also, subjective doesn’t necessarily mean man-centered. God delights in strong emotions that are a response to objective realities. These are subjective lyrics:
And I, I’m desperate for you
And I, I’m lost without you.
(chorus to Breathe, by Marie Barnett)
Reflective lyrics describe what we’re doing as we worship God. We bring our offering, we praise, we sing, we lift up our hands.
We stand and lift up our hands…
We bow down and worship him now.
(from Holy is the Lord, by Chris Tomlin)
These three categories aren’t hard and fast divisions, and many songs contain all three perspectives. All three are an aspect of singing God’s Word. But objective truth about God’s glory in Christ should be the main part of the songs we sing. If it isn’t, our songs will eventually drift into emotionalism and self-absorption. We lose sight of God and get caught up in our own emotions. We start to worship our experiences, become focused on how well we’re doing what we’re doing¸ and are more impressed with our feelings and actions than God’s.
If I’m leading, or even when I’m in the congregation, I often fill in what a song leaves out. Many songs, both traditional and modern, don’t say everything we want them to. So if I’m singing, “I stand in awe of you,” I might interject something like, “Your mercy is great,” or “You’re my Creator,” or “You’re seated on the throne.” On the other hand, in the midst of a song packed with truth, I might express “We love you, Father,” or “You are my joy,” or “There’s no one like you.” The thing is, we don’t have to settle for one or the other.
A lot of times I see churches react to a perceived imbalance and end up being unbalanced themselves - either all emotion or all theology. God wants us to enjoy both. Our songs should reflect the passionate God-centeredness of the Psalms, filled with emotion, struggle, and personal language, but leaving no doubt as to the Creator-Redeemer around whom everything revolves. Praise God, there are an increasing number of songs, both old and new, that help us the balance in tension.
Book update: I’m starting to receive edited chapters back from my editor. He said Crossway wants to cut 1/3 of the book. I thought that would be the case, but wanted to have too much to draw from rather than too little. Appreciate your prayers.
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Bob - thanks for those explanitory interjections. It so helps to focus people. Much more meaningful than the oft heard “Here we go”.
Comment by Marshall Stoy — June 22, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Great to hear that someone else has been pondering stuff like this, just as I have.
Comment by Jess — June 22, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
I am looking forward to the book. I hope the cuts are streamlining, not cuts in content. For most of us in the worship ministry, less is not necessarily more.
Comment by Ruth — June 23, 2007 @ 2:42 pm
Crossway wants you to cut a third of the book out? Yikes! That’s like asking someone to decide which of his three children he wants to donate to science.
Comment by Cap Stewart — June 25, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
what?!? we’ll take the other 1/3 here!!
Comment by pete t. — June 26, 2007 @ 8:47 am
Hey Bob,
In your session on “Roles and Goals of the Corporate Worship Leader” at the 2001 PDI Worship Leader’s Conference, you mentioned that we’re not leading people “into worship” or “into the holy of holies”, but “into a fresh awareness of who God is, what he has done, and how that affects our past, present and future.” I dig this, but wonder about the holy of holies part.
Hebrews 9-10Hebrews 9-10This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
:22 calls us to enter the Most Holy Place confidently. John Frame says “The Most Holy Place was opened to us at the death of Christ, when the veil of the temple was torn in two” (In Spirit and Truth, 27).
[9:1]Now even the first covenant had regulations for
worship and an earthly place of holiness. [2]For a tent was
prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand
and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called
the Holy Place. [3]Behind the second curtain was a second
section called the Most Holy Place, [4]having the golden
altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all
sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the
manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of
the covenant. [5]Above it were the cherubim of glory
overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now
speak in detail.
[6]These preparations having thus been made, the priests
go regularly into the first section, performing their
ritual duties, [7]but into the second only the high priest
goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood,
which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins
of the people. [8]By this the Holy Spirit indicates that
the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as
the first section is still standing [9](which is symbolic
for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts
and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the
conscience of the worshiper, [10]but deal only with food
and drink and various washings, regulations for the body
imposed until the time of reformation.
[11]But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the
good things that have come, then through the greater and
more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of
this creation) [12]he entered once for all into the holy
places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but
by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal
redemption. [13]For if the blood of goats and bulls, and
the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a
heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, [14]how
much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our
conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
[15]Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so
that those who are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them
from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
[16]For where a will is involved, the death of the one who
made it must be established. [17]For a will takes effect
only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one
who made it is alive. [18]Therefore not even the first
covenant was inaugurated without blood. [19]For when every
commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all
the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with
water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the
book itself and all the people, [20]saying, "This is the
blood of the covenant that God commanded for you." [21]And
in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent
and all the vessels used in worship. [22]Indeed, under the
law almost everything is purified with blood, and without
the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
[23]Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly
things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly
things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
[24]For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with
hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
[25]Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high
priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his
own, [26]for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly
since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has
appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27]And just as it is
appointed for man to die once, and after that comes
judgment, [28]so Christ, having been offered once to bear
the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal
with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
[10:1]For since the law has but a shadow of the good
things to come instead of the true form of these realities,
it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually
offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
[2]Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered,
since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no
longer have any consciousness of sins? [3]But in these
sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. [4]For
it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
away sins.
[5]Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he
said,
"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
[6]in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
[7]Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O
God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
[8]When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken
pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings
and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the
law), [9]then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your
will." He does away with the first in order to establish
the second. [10]And by that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all.
[11]And every priest stands daily at his service,
offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never
take away sins. [12]But when Christ had offered for all
time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right
hand of God, [13]waiting from that time until his enemies
should be made a footstool for his feet. [14]For by a
single offering he has perfected for all time those who are
being sanctified.
[15]And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for
after saying,
[16]"This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,"
[17]then he adds,
"I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no
more."
[18]Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer
any offering for sin.
[19]Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to
enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20]by the new
and living way that he opened for us through the curtain,
that is, through his flesh, [21]and since we have a great
priest over the house of God, [22]let us draw near with a
true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts
sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. [23]Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is
faithful. [24]And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, [25]not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
[26]For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving
the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a
sacrifice for sins, [27]but a fearful expectation of
judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the
adversaries. [28]Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses
dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three
witnesses. [29]How much worse punishment, do you think,
will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God,
and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was
sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? [30]For
we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay."
And again, "The Lord will judge his people." [31]It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
[32]But recall the former days when, after you were
enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
[33]sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and
affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so
treated. [34]For you had compassion on those in prison, and
you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property,
since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession
and an abiding one. [35]Therefore do not throw away your
confidence, which has a great reward. [36]For you have need
of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God
you may receive what is promised. [37]For,
"Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
[38]but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him."
[39]But we are not of those who shrink back and are
destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their
souls. (ESV)
If God is enthroned on and abides in the praises of his people, and if he is wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in his name, then it seems that there is an actual, spiritual experience of “entering into” the holy of holies when we gather and praise him. That being said, it seems that we as leaders in corporate worship have a kind of priestly duty to bring God’s people into his presence, his Most Holy Place, like the Israelite musicians of old.
I don’t know. Am I just way off on this?
P.S. Can I publish the other 1/3 of your book pseudonymously?
Comment by West Breedlove — June 28, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Yes yes. the church should find a variety of ways to express a variety of feelings and thoughts spoken from a variety of hearts, but always keeping the Objective Truth as the main focus, not our personal and fickle experiences.
Comment by mandy — July 5, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Bob just came across your blog by chance you have encouraged me no end. I am leading worship tomorrow and feel far from the lord yet I know that he is faithful, that his name will be praised and as you wrote that our purpose is to remind me and all those attending of who he is and what he has done to put our trust in him anew. Praise God.
Comment by Mike (from Ireland) — July 14, 2007 @ 7:12 pm