“the prophetic nature and function of song in congregational worship. Deut. 32Deuteronomy 32
[32:1]"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
[2]May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb.
[3]For I will proclaim the name of the LORD;
ascribe greatness to our God!
[4]"The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
[5]They have dealt corruptly with him;
they are no longer his children because they are
blemished;
they are a crooked and twisted generation.
[6]Do you thus repay the LORD,
you foolish and senseless people?
Is not he your father, who created you,
who made you and established you?
[7]Remember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
ask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
[8]When the Most High gave to the nations their
inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
[9]But the LORD's portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.
[10]"He found him in a desert land,
and in the howling waste of the wilderness;
he encircled him, he cared for him,
he kept him as the apple of his eye.
[11]Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that flutters over its young,
spreading out its wings, catching them,
bearing them on its pinions,
[12]the LORD alone guided him,
no foreign god was with him.
[13]He made him ride on the high places of the land,
and he ate the produce of the field,
and he suckled him with honey out of the rock,
and oil out of the flinty rock.
[14]Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock,
with fat of lambs,
rams of Bashan and goats,
with the very finest of the wheat--
and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the
grape.
[15]"But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked;
you grew fat, stout, and sleek;
then he forsook God who made him
and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
[16]They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods;
with abominations they provoked him to anger.
[17]They sacrificed to demons that were no gods,
to gods they had never known,
to new gods that had come recently,
whom your fathers had never dreaded.
[18]You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you,
and you forgot the God who gave you birth.
[19]"The LORD saw it and spurned them,
because of the provocation of his sons and his
daughters.
[20]And he said, 'I will hide my face from them;
I will see what their end will be,
For they are a perverse generation,
children in whom is no faithfulness.
[21]They have made me jealous with what is no god;
they have provoked me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are no people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
[22]For a fire is kindled by my anger,
and it burns to the depths of Sheol,
devours the earth and its increase,
and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.
[23]"'And I will heap disasters upon them;
I will spend my arrows on them;
[24]they shall be wasted with hunger,
and devoured by plague
and poisonous pestilence;
I will send the teeth of beasts against them,
with the venom of things that crawl in the dust.
[25]Outdoors the sword shall bereave,
and indoors terror,
for young man and woman alike,
the nursing child with the man of gray hairs.
[26]I would have said, "I will cut them to pieces;
I will wipe them from human memory,"
[27]had I not feared provocation by the enemy,
lest their adversaries should misunderstand,
lest they should say, "Our hand is triumphant,
it was not the LORD who did all this."'
[28]"For they are a nation void of counsel,
and there is no understanding in them.
[29]If they were wise, they would understand this;
they would discern their latter end!
[30]How could one have chased a thousand,
and two have put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
and the LORD had given them up?
[31]For their rock is not as our Rock;
our enemies are by themselves.
[32]For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah;
their grapes are grapes of poison;
their clusters are bitter;
[33]their wine is the poison of serpents
and the cruel venom of asps.
[34]"'Is not this laid up in store with me,
sealed up in my treasuries?
[35]Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
and their doom comes swiftly.'
[36]For the LORD will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
and there is none remaining, bond or free.
[37]Then he will say, 'Where are their gods,
the rock in which they took refuge,
[38]who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offering?
Let them rise up and help you;
let them be your protection!
[39]"'See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
[40]For I lift up my hand to heaven
and swear, As I live forever,
[41]if I sharpen my flashing sword
and my hand takes hold on judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
and will repay those who hate me.
[42]I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword shall devour flesh--
with the blood of the slain and the captives,
from the long-haired heads of the enemy.'
[43]"Rejoice with him, O heavens;
bow down to him, all gods,
for he avenges the blood of his children
and takes vengeance on his adversaries.
He repays those who hate him
and cleanses his people's land."
[44]Moses came and recited all the words of this song in
the hearing of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun.
[45]And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to
all Israel, [46]he said to them, "Take to heart all the
words by which I am warning you today, that you may command
them to your children, that they may be careful to do all
the words of this law. [47]For it is no empty word for you,
but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in
the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess."
[48]That very day the LORD spoke to Moses, [49]"Go up
this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the
land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of
Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a
possession. [50]And die on the mountain which you go up,
and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died
in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, [51]because
you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of
Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness
of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the
midst of the people of Israel. [52]For you shall see the
land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land
that I am giving to the people of Israel." (ESV)

records the song that Moses the prophet spoke in the ears of all the congregation of Israel. Judges 5Judges 5
[5:1]Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on
that day:
[2]"That the leaders took the lead in Israel,
that the people offered themselves willingly,
bless the LORD!
[3]"Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;
to the LORD I will sing;
I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.
[4]"LORD, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched from the region of Edom,
the earth trembled
and the heavens dropped,
yes, the clouds dropped water.
[5]The mountains quaked before the LORD,
even Sinai before the LORD, the God of Israel.
[6]"In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned,
and travelers kept to the byways.
[7]The villagers ceased in Israel;
they ceased to be until I arose;
I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.
[8]When new gods were chosen,
then war was in the gates.
Was shield or spear to be seen
among forty thousand in Israel?
[9]My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel
who offered themselves willingly among the people.
Bless the LORD.
[10]"Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,
you who sit on rich carpets
and you who walk by the way.
[11]To the sound of musicians at the watering places,
there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD,
the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.
"Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.
[12]"Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, break out in a song!
Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,
O son of Abinoam.
[13]Then down marched the remnant of the noble;
the people of the LORD marched down for me against the
mighty.
[14]From Ephraim their root they marched down into the
valley,
following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen;
from Machir marched down the commanders,
and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's staff;
[15]the princes of Issachar came with Deborah,
and Issachar faithful to Barak;
into the valley they rushed at his heels.
Among the clans of Reuben
there were great searchings of heart.
[16]Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds,
to hear the whistling for the flocks?
Among the clans of Reuben
there were great searchings of heart.
[17]Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;
and Dan, why did he stay with the ships?
Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,
staying by his landings.
[18]Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the
death;
Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
[19]"The kings came, they fought;
then fought the kings of Canaan,
at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;
they got no spoils of silver.
[20]From heaven the stars fought,
from their courses they fought against Sisera.
[21]The torrent Kishon swept them away,
the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.
March on, my soul, with might!
[22]"Then loud beat the horses' hoofs
with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.
[23]"Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD,
curse its inhabitants thoroughly,
because they did not come to the help of the LORD,
to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
[24]"Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
of tent-dwelling women most blessed.
[25]He asked water and she gave him milk;
she brought him curds in a noble's bowl.
[26]She sent her hand to the tent peg
and her right hand to the workmen's mallet;
she struck Sisera;
she crushed his head;
she shattered and pierced his temple.
[27]Between her feet
he sank, he fell, he lay still;
between her feet
he sank, he fell;
where he sank,
there he fell--dead.
[28]"Out of the window she peered,
the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice:
'Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?'
[29]Her wisest princesses answer,
indeed, she answers herself,
[30]'Have they not found and divided the spoil?--
A womb or two for every man;
spoil of dyed materials for Sisera,
spoil of dyed materials embroidered,
two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as
spoil?'
[31]"So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!
But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his
might."
And the land had rest for forty years. (ESV)

contains the song of Deborah, the prophetess. Mention is made of musical instruments in association with the company of the prophets in 1 Sam. 101 Samuel 10
[10:1]Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on
his head and kissed him and said, "Has not the LORD
anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you
shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save
them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this
shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to
be prince over his heritage. [2]When you depart from me
today, you will meet two men by Rachel's tomb in the
territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you,
'The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your
father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious
about you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"' [3]Then
you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of
Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you
there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying
three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.
[4]And they will greet you and give you two loaves of
bread, which you shall accept from their hand. [5]After
that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a
garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come
to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down
from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre
before them, prophesying. [6]Then the Spirit of the LORD
will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be
turned into another man. [7]Now when these signs meet you,
do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. [8]Then
go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming to you
to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings.
Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you
what you shall do."
[9]When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him
another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.
[10]When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets
met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he
prophesied among them. [11]And when all who knew him
previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the
people said to one another, "What has come over the son of
Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" [12]And a man of
the place answered, "And who is their father?" Therefore it
became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
[13]When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high
place.
[14]Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where
did you go?" And he said, "To seek the donkeys. And when we
saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel." [15]And
Saul's uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to
you." [16]And Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly
that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of
the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell
him anything.
[17]Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at
Mizpah. [18]And he said to the people of Israel, "Thus says
the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of
Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians
and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing
you.' [19]But today you have rejected your God, who saves
you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you
have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore
present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by
your thousands."
[20]Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near,
and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. [21]He brought
the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of
the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was
taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be
found. [22]So they inquired again of the LORD, "Is there a
man still to come?" and the LORD said, "Behold, he has
hidden himself among the baggage." [23]Then they ran and
took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he
was taller than any of the people from his shoulders
upward. [24]And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see
him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among
all the people." And all the people shouted, "Long live the
king!"
[25]Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of
the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up
before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each
one to his home. [26]Saul also went to his home at Gibeah,
and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had
touched. [27]But some worthless fellows said, "How can this
man save us?" And they despised him and brought him no
present. But he held his peace. (ESV)

. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, had the words of the Holy Ghost upon his tongue, 2 Sam. 23:22 Samuel 23:2
[2]"The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.

. Then, when David made preparations for the worship which was to be performed in the temple, he committed the song into the hands of Heman, “the king’s seer in the words of God,” 1 Chron. 25:5, 61 Chronicles 25:5
[5]All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer,
according to the promise of God to exalt him, for God had
given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. (ESV)

.

In the New Testament, Paul gives instructions concerning singing “with the spirit” and the bringing forward of “a psalm” ( 1 Cor. 14:15, 261 Corinthians 14:15
[15]What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I
will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my
spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. (ESV)

) in the context of regulating the use of the prophetic gift. In the disputed passages, Eph. 5:19Ephesians 5:19
[19]addressing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with
your heart, (ESV)

, Col. 3:16Colossians 3:16
[16]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. (ESV)

, the saints are to speak to themselves, to teach and admonish one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Again, a prophetic function. Finally, in the Apocalypse, the songs of the redeemed and of the heavenly host are prophetic, either foretelling God’s judgements to come, or revealing the nature of those judgements when they do come. Here, then, is the biblical criterion for examining the quality of a song which is to be used in congregational worship. Is it prophetic? If not, the composition does not come up to the standard of worship-song as revealed in the holy Scriptures. In both the Old and New Testaments the church was blessed with a prophetic hymnody. The church of subsequent ages should not settle for anything less! And as uninspired men cannot produce prophetic compositions, the church ought not to settle for their substandard songs.” (Winzer, “Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land”)

Thanks for stopping by.

A few thoughts. Charles Wesley, an Arminian, wrote many songs that contain clear, biblical truth. Error doesn’t affect every word we say or every sentence we write. Otherwise no one could pray or preach.

Singing a song that someone has written doesn’t mean you’re embracing their entire theological framework. But as I mentioned, we need to be more discerning when we sing songs by those we disagree with theologically.

Finally, and I think this is most important, the only assurance I have that God will accept any of my words is that they are in agreement with his Word and I am offering them in faith through the substitutionary sacrifice of the Savior. That would include hymns, praise choruses, or the various metrical versions of the Psalms.

Hope that’s helpful.

Thank you for your ministry to me personally. Your wisdom and insight on the questions you deal with on your post are very helpful and timely.

My concern (which I pray to present humbly) with your post has nothing to do with Catholic songwriters or songs, but rather with your 2nd paragraph addressing the Catholics as Christians question. You stated that one of the Catholic doctrines that differs from Scripture is “salvation by faith plus works.” To be sure, that is not a different doctrine, it is a different gospel.

I know this wasn’t the main point of your post, but to me it confused doctrine with gospel. “Salvation by faith plus works” in not a doctrine to be discussed like the doctrine of the church or one’s view on the millennium. On this truth the gospel of Jesus stands or falls: salvation is by faith alone.

I believe you reference this when you say that “Catholics who placed their trust completely…” Thank you for including the “completely,” and feel free to capitalize, underline, or bold that word next time! It is as Spurgeon said, the gospel really is “ALL of grace,” or as the Sovereign Grace song declares, “ONLY Jesus, ONLY Jesus, give us Jesus, we cry!”

Desiring to lift up God, Christ, grace, and faith with you,

Kent

The Hymn “Faith of Our Fathers” was written by a Catholic priest at a time when Catholics were being persecuted, but the song is a great song to sing in times of trouble and persecution for the Protestant as well. In fact, I chose this song on Reformation Sunday! But the congregation didn’t think, “Well, let’s not sing this Catholic hymn on a day when we recognize the Protestant Reformation” because the words of the hymn transend the fact that a Catholic wrote it and can be applied to the rest of the Body.

Bob, this is not the first time I heard about “It Came upon a midnight clear.” A few years back I actually gave a bit of history about some of the well known Christmas Carols. I found this one interesting and felt that once the congregation knew then some might be hesitent, so as I gave the history of the song I told them I thought it would be a shame if we never sang this again so to fix that problem I added a verse:

He came down from His heav’nly throne
into a world of death
And with His perfect sacrifice
the sinner now is blest
Though as a Child in manger lay
He still is Christ the King
“All glory be to God on high!”
The saints and angels sing

The congregation was very appriciative for the information and came away with a greater and deeper understanding of what it means to sing about Christ.

Great post!
Rich