Music | A People for His Name

Twelve Facts about the Biblical Importance of Music

March 18, 2017

Of the books of the Bible, Psalms is the longest book in several ways: it has the most chapters, verses, and words of any book, and it has the longest chapter in Scripture. Because the book of Psalms is entirely divinely inspired texts of songs that God’s people were to sing, the longest book in Scripture is entirely about music in that sense.
Of the 150 Psalms, at least 119 have some explicit reference to something that has to do with music.
Scripture provides us with the texts of at least 160 songs; besides Psalms, Song of Solomon is also a book of the Bible that is entirely inspired revelation about music because it is a song.
There are more than 500 verses in Scripture that speak about music explicitly and more than 3000 verses total on the subject.
At least 243 verses refer to singing, and 171 verses speak of musical instruments in some manner.

The NT highlights the importance of music in many additional ways:

The NT quotes the book of Psalms more than any other book of the OT.
The NT speaks of Christ’s singing when He was on the earth and of His singing someday in the future.
The NT teaches that believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, and the first listed result of that filling is believers’ ministering psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one another; such believers sing and make melody in their hearts to the Lord.
The NT teaches that believers who have the Word of Christ dwelling richly in them sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to the Lord; such believers teach and admonish one another, including through their singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one another.
The NT teaches that believers who are merry are commanded to sing Psalms.
The most important chapter on corporate worship in the Epistles speaks about musical instruments (1 Cor. 14:7-8), singing (1 Cor. 14:15-17), and the eagerness of every believer in the church at Corinth to minister a psalm (1 Cor. 14:26).
The book of Revelation reveals that corporate worship in heaven includes singing accompanied by musical instruments.

In Music

What The Music Used in Heavenly Corporate Worship Teaches Us

March 11, 2017

The only authentic information that we have about the worship in heaven is what God provides us with in Scripture. Every reference to singing in the worship of heaven is directly connected to the use of musical instruments:

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

We know that the worship of heaven is perfect in every way. We should learn from the music used in heavenly corporate worship that we should use instruments to accompany our singing when we worship God corporately.

In Discipleship, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Is God the Divine Instrumentalist?

March 4, 2017

Through the prophet Zechariah, God has provided vital revelation about the future of the nation Israel and of the world. Reading the book today, I was struck by a statement that appears to reveal a profound truth about God Himself:

Zechariah 9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

This statement informs us that God Himself will blow the trumpet on this future occasion!

God certainly did not learn to do this from any human beings; this verse, therefore, seems to reveal the stunning truth that God Himself will play this musical instrument! If this is the right understanding of this text, it puts a new light on many related texts:

Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Isa 18:3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

Isa 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Is God the divine Instrumentalist?

In Interpretation, Music, Theology

What God Wants All His People to Do on His Day

February 27, 2017

God has revealed what He wants all His people to do on His day:

Psa 92:1 <A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.> It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

Under inspiration, the Psalmist exclaims that it is good to sing praises to God’s name using stringed instruments both in the morning and in the night on the Sabbath Day. This is one of the clearest passages that teaches the importance of corporate worship both in the morning and in the evening on the one day of the week that God specifically set aside to be uniquely His.

For NT believers, the Lord’s Day is that day. Based on the teaching of this passage, believers all over the world need to accept the truth that worshiping God corporately both in the morning and in the evening on the Lord’s Day with the use of singing accompanied by musical instruments is a good thing that God wants us to do every week.

I think it is very disturbing and concerning that churches are discontinuing corporate worship services on the Lord’s Day, especially in the evenings. We should use passages such as this one to disciple believers all over the world about what God wants His people to do on His day.

We should also strongly encourage our brethren that developing skillfulness in instrumental musical ministry is an essential aspect of giving God the glory due His name.

In Discipleship, Interpretation, Ministry, Music, Theology

Beware This Misleading Teaching about Music

February 17, 2017

I was appalled to find recently an article in the Life Application Bible that asserts the following:

Music in Bible Times: Paul clearly puts forth the Christian view that things are not good or bad in and of themselves (see Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 14:7, 8, 26). The point should always be to worship the Lord or help others by means of the things of this world, including music. Music was created by God and can be returned to him in praise. Does the music you play or listen to have a negative or positive impact upon your relationship with God?

—LAB, 759.

These statements that probably represent what many Christians believe about music are misleading. The first sentence is patently false:

Paul clearly puts forth the Christian view that things are not good or bad in and of themselves (see Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 14:7, 8, 26).

No, Paul does not teach this! Paul teaches that anything that God has in fact made is good in and of itself: “For every creature of God is good” (1 Tim. 4:4).

Also, I do not find a single statement in the Bible that says that “music was created by God” in the sense that is implied in this article.

See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for much more biblical information about issues concerning what music God accepts in corporate worship.

In CCM, Quotes, Theology

A Review of “Contemporary Worship Music: A Biblical Defense”

February 11, 2017

Twenty years ago, John M. Frame produced a highly touted work that has been spoken of as a premier biblical defense of contemporary worship music (CWM). I recently finished reading this work and found it to be commendable in some ways but lacking in key respects.

Strengths

Frame is a skilled writer who writes with an engaging style. He generally maintains a very commendably irenic tone throughout this work.

He treats his subject with considerable thoroughness concerning biblical considerations about the lyrics and many other related aspects of CWM. For those who approve of CWM, he provides what should be helpful direction in the selection and use of such music.

Weaknesses

In spite of choosing “A Biblical Defense” as the subtitle of the book, Frame’s treatment of the Bible is lacking because he does not provide any detailed exegetical treatment of many specific passages in the Bible that speak about instrumental music (such as 1 Samuel 16:14-23). He may have done so because he believes that they do not provide pertinent information concerning a biblical assessment of CWM.

In support of that evaluation of his views is what he writes as a concluding point in his chapter on some basics of a theology of worship:

Music is an area in which we have little explicit scriptural direction, and in which, therefore, human creativity should be encouraged, within the limits of general biblical standards.

—Frame, 28.

In my opinion, it would have been helpful in his attempting to make his case had he spent the time discussing what those “general biblical standards” are and how specifically they determine what music is acceptable for use in worship.

Because Frame assesses the Scriptural data in this way, he provides very little discussion of the fitness of the instrumental musical styles used in CWM. Later in the book, interestingly, he does say that he personally does not find Christian words set to heavy metal music to be edifying:

I cannot hear this style of music, even performed by Christians, without being harassed by emotions of anger, contempt for others, justification for drugs, violence, perverted sex, and other forms of rebellion against God. Musically, it draws attention to the artists, as audiences marvel at the increasing outrageousness of each performance. This atmosphere may be acceptable as entertainment, but it is not easily reconcilable with the purposes of worship.

—Frame, 58

In spite of having such a corrupting personal response to this music, he yet holds out the possibility that “in time that may change” (58). Yet, he provides no biblical justification for holding such optimism.

The rest of the book is similarly lacking in any biblical treatment of the key issue of whether the instrumental musical styles used in CWM are acceptable to God.

Conclusion

Christians who are looking for a solidly biblical defense of the contemporary instrumental musical styles used in contemporary worship music will be disappointed with this book. Because this book has been highly touted as a key work in supporting CWM, I find that its lack of Scriptural attention to this key issue supports my view that it is in fact not possible to make such a biblical defense of using contemporary worship music that incorporates certain contemporary instrumental musical styles commonly used in CWM.

See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM

In CCM, Christian Books, Music

Preaching Four Messages about the Bible and Music!

January 28, 2017

Lord willing, I will be preaching a series of four messages about the Bible and music on March 26! I would appreciate prayers for Spirit-filled skillfulness in preparing for these messages and in preaching them. Thanks in advance to anyone whom God leads to pray for me concerning this preaching series.

In Music, Prayer, Preaching

A Key Truth about the Use of An Instrumental Number in Worship

January 16, 2017

First Corinthians 14 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible concerning divine worship. In that chapter, the apostle Paul provides teaching about musical instruments that reveals a truth that vitally pertains to the use of an instrumental number in worship.

1Co 14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸ For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

These verses explain that a musical instrument, such as a pipe (flute) or a harp, is a nonliving entity that produces sound. For the hearer to know what is played on that instrument, it must produce a distinction in the sounds that it makes.

Paul supports this teaching by giving the example of what was true about the use of a trumpet to alert people to prepare themselves for a battle. Through a question that demands a negative answer, he asserts that no one will prepare himself for a battle if a trumpet gives an indistinct sound.

From this teaching, we understand that a proper use of an instrument in an instrumental number in worship requires that the hearers know what is being played on it by paying attention to the distinct sounds that it makes. Unless, therefore, one is certain that every hearer of an instrumental number in a service will know exactly what the song is that is being played and what all the words of the song are, the words of the song must be provided to the hearers in some manner so that they know what is being played on the instrument.

In Discipleship, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Guitar Music and Audio for “Feliz, feliz, cumpleaños”

January 10, 2017

“Feliz, feliz, cumpleaños” is a very popular Spanish hymn that is widely used to wish God’s blessings on people on their birthdays. The hymn is played using 9 fairly basic chords: C, CM7, D, D7, Dm, Em, F, G, and G7.

This PDF provides the first line of the song, the guitar chords, and chord diagrams for each chord the first time that chord is played in the song. You can practice playing these chords with the following audio of the song:

In Guitar Music, Spanish

A People for His Name: Ministry Summary for 2016

December 31, 2016

My ministry this year was greatly blessed by my beginning this year by reading the entire Bible in 59 days! I also made it through the NT this year a second time and read much of the Bible in Spanish.

This year was an especially fruitful year for me in ministering the Bible because I had two new teaching opportunities. I also had many other opportunities to minister, especially in teaching, music ministry, and writing on my blog.

Preaching, Teaching, and Scripture Reading

I had two preaching opportunities this year: prayer meeting at my church, Mount Calvary Baptist in Greenville, SC, and a Sunday morning service in a church in Georgia. Although I had already preached both these messages before elsewhere, preaching them again allowed me to improve both messages substantially.

Two new opportunities to minister were given to me this year in teaching at my church: teaching a combined adult Sunday school class and teaching a 16-week adult Sunday school class in the fall. In addition, I taught Sunday school once at a church in Georgia.

I did the Scripture reading for two morning services at my church. For the first time, I also read Scripture for a morning service in my church’s Spanish ministry.

Music Ministry

I ministered with other instrumentalists in one opener for a service and in two offertories. I accompanied various people singing specials in our Spanish ministry four times this year.

Online, I was able to teach guitar to a developing guitarist overseas who has made encouraging progress in preparing himself for using the guitar for ministry. My teaching guitar this year also included instructing a few students personally.

I also sang with a group of men for a special in our Spanish ministry. I wrote one new Spanish hymn for children this year, “Dios es siempre bueno!”

Other Ministry

Regular participation in neighborhood evangelism this summer and in Spanish evangelism at various times throughout the year afforded me many opportunities to minister Scripture to both believers and unbelievers. I also worked in registration for our annual Neighborhood Bible School.

In our Spanish ministry, I prayed for and took the offering several times. For our Men’s Ministry, I wrote one article for the manual and attended all of our prayer breakfasts.

Tutoring a Seminary student in New Testament Greek for several months this summer provided me with a good opportunity to teach elementary Greek again. By regular participation in two discussion groups on Facebook, I was able to give God’s truths numerous times to lost people and saved people.

I gave a brief devotional at the beginning of the workday nearly every Tuesday this year. I also frequently shared Scriptural truths with my coworkers.

I posted on my blog 77 times in 2016, counting this post. The majority of my posts shared biblical truths that God has given me over the years in my own study of Scripture, which has been the major focus of my blog from the beginning.

I praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to me in allowing me to minister so abundantly in 2016!

In Ministry, Mount Calvary Baptist Music Ministry, Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit, Music, Preaching, Spanish, Sunday School

Archives For Music

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Strengths

Weaknesses

Conclusion

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Preaching, Teaching, and Scripture Reading

Music Ministry

Other Ministry

Share this: