The reservoir of music that I draw upon is primarily from the Trinity Hymnal and our church’s supplementary songbook (known as the “grey” songbook), which contains a mix of hymns and contemporary music.

By the way, I am in the process of updating the songbook, so if you have suggestions for additions, please let me know!

Blessings, Mark

P.S.  In regards to my post earlier in the month on listing your top 3 hymns/songs, many of you had a difficult time (since you love so many!), so I will post your responses for the time being. 

Listen and worship the Lord!

P.S.  Don’t forget to send me your top 3 hymns/songs.  I’ve only received a few responses thus far 

Mark

Also, feel free to explain why they are at the top of your list.

I will summarize the results in a follow-up post.

Mark

Quoting from Covenant Life Church’s website: “It is one of the world’s most loved hymns because of its timeless, beautiful melody and its visual language that exalts God above all other things. It was translated from ancient Irish into English by Mary Byrne in 1905 and put in hymn form by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Rather than referring to God in vague, general terms, the lyrics ascribe specific titles to God: Vision, Lord, Best Thought, Wisdom, Word, Great Father, High King, Inheritance, Treasure, Sun, Ruler, Heart. These clear images provide fresh motivation to honor God supremely in our hearts.”  AMEN!

Here is a wonderful rendition by Michael Card (ignore the slideshow and just listen to the words)!  We will be singing this God-exalting hymn this coming Lord’s Day at Grace Bible Church.

Text: Irish Hymn, 8th century Translated by Mary E. Byrne, 1905, versified by Eleanor H. Hull, 1912 Tune: SLANE, Ancient Irish

My point with this historical (or hysterical) story, is that next to the issue of contemporary vs. traditional music, expressionism in worship is a hotly debated subject in reformed circles.  What I mean by “expressionism” is the use of physical expression in worship such as lifting of hands, clapping, kneeling, etc., primarily during singing (prayer and preaching may also be opportunities).  I confess that this is an area that I have personally been challenged in, especially in light of what the Bible has to say about our corporate worship.

At the Worship God 09 Conference, I purposed to attend one of the seminars by Bob Kauflin, entitled, “Let the People be Glad:  Corporate Worship and Expressiveness”.   I very much appreciated Bob’s humble approach to such a divisive subject and I believe he did a good job approaching the subject from a biblical point of view.   His main point is captured in this part of his message where he quotes from John Calvin:

“The inward attitude certainly holds first place in prayer, but outward signs, kneeling, uncovered head, lifting up the hands, have a twofold use.  The first is that we may employ all our members for the glory and worship of God; secondly, that we are, so to speak, jolted out of our laziness by this help.  There is also a third use in solemn and public prayer, because the sons of God profess their piety, and they inflame each other with reverence of God.  But just as the lifting up of the hands is a symbol of confidence and longing, so in order to show our humility, we fall down on our knees.”  (John Calvin, commentary on Acts 20:36)

If your interested in listening to the message, here is the link.  Just scroll down about 2/3 of the way. The link also has the outline and notes.

I look forward to your comments!

Mark

Not only do we stand in awe of a great Savior because of who He is, but because of His saving, electing, grace.  “Why was I made to hear your voice?” and “Lord, why was I a guest?”   I deserve nothing but God’s judgement and wrath for my sins. But by the grace of God, He saved me and “sweetly drew me in”.  Quoting Bob Kauflin, “In light of our persistent, pervasive, and complete defiance of God’s commands, the question we should be asking is not, “Why aren’t some people saved?” but “How can anyone be saved?”  A true understanding of God’s sovereignty should produce a gratefulness, humility, and dependence in our lives.” 

For those who have never heard this hymn before, hear is a link from the Together For the Gospel 2008 Conference.

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May God be pleased to send forth His victorious Word this coming Lord’s Day and fill church buildings with souls who will sing the praise and glory of His name!

How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place

How sweet and awesome is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?

“Why was I made to hear thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”

‘Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing thy redeeming grace.

Here is an excerpt:

“Certainly as Christians we have much to rejoice over–loudly and joyfully and expectantly!  But is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the weightiness of our sinful selves before a holy God, the silence of conviction, even of sorrow?  Furthermore, is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the stunning weightiness of our forgiveness in Christ, the silence of marvel, and even the humility of some incomprehension?”

During our own worship services at Grace Bible Church, we have moments of silence (sometimes during the Lord’s Supper and prayer), but not to the extent that Mark emphasizes in his blog.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this from a Biblical perspective (i.e, the regulative principle); especially as it applies to the church gathered for corporate worship.

P.S.  The music sheet above is from Handel’s “Silent Worship”, which has nothing to do with corporate worship 

It was first published in 1787 in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, which was edited by London pastor John Rippon. The melody is an early American tune, and the author of the text in Rippon’s volume is only marked as “K.” There are a number of potential authors, including John Keene, who was the music director at Rippon’s church.

Much of the hymn is taken almost directly from scripture. Verse one sets the stage, encouraging believers to find refuge and a firm foundation in God’s word. Verse two comes from Isaiah 41:10; verses three and four come from Isaiah 43:2 and 2 Corinthians 12:9; and verse five points to Hebrews 13:5.

This hymn was sung at the fun­er­als of Amer­i­can pres­i­dents The­o­dore Roo­se­velt and Wood­row Wil­son. In ad­di­tion it was the fa­vo­rite of De­bo­rah Jack­­son [sic; her name was ac­tu­al­ly Ra­chel] Pre­si­dent An­drew Jack­son’s be­loved wife [he was Pre­si­dent-elect at the time], and on his death-bed the war­ri­or and states­man called for it. It was the fa­vo­rite of Gen. Ro­bert E. Lee, and was sung at his fun­er­al. The Amer­i­can love and fa­mil­iar pre­fer­ence for the re­mark­a­ble hymn was ne­ver more strik­ing­ly il­lus­trat­ed than when on Christ­mas Eve, 1898, a whole corps of the Unit­ed States Ar­my North­ern and South­ern, en­camped on the Que­ma­dos hills, near Ha­va­na [Cu­ba], took up the sa­cred tune and words. (from Cyberhymnal)

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said,
To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed,
For I am your God and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call you to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply;
The flame shall not hurt you; I only design
Your dross to consume, and your gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Text: “K” in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, ed. John Rippon, 1787
Tune: PROTECTION, Joseph Funk, from A Compilation of Genuine Church Music, 1832

This conference certainly had a major impact on me in two specific ways.  First, it was a joy to sing God’s praises with 1600 worshippers.  The songs were from Sovereign Grace Ministries, Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, as well as other notable songwriters such as Matt Redman.  There were many tears of joy and awe through most of the singing, as it seemed like a taste of heaven to be with so many in the worship of such an awesome God!  Second, the preaching was humbling as a came to realize that my own worship falls so short of magnifying our Savior.  Psalm 63 was especially convicting and has come to be a foundational psalm for what I believe God is looking for in true worshippers:

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” 

If you would like to listen to the keynote messages, click on this link: Worship God Conference Messages.

In subsequent posts, I will be looking at specific issues raised during the conference, such as David Ward’s “Reviving the Hymns” and Bob Kauflin’s “Let the People Be Glad: Corporate Worship and Expressiveness”.

Stay tuned………..

This article  “The Rise of the Modern Hymn Movement” by Bob Hayton, is probably one of the best at summarizing this more recent movement and will introduce you to the various songwriters and ministries.  Here is a short excerpt: 

“Behind the hymnwriting of Getty and Townend, and the hymn promotion of both Sovereign Grace Music and Indelible Grace, lies a common vision. Keith Getty expresses his concern that: “It’s been several hundred years since Christian worship was as shallow as it is today.” Sovereign Grace Music specifically aims to write and promote songs with “biblically based lyrics” with “a passionate, Cross-centered focus”. Indelible Grace aims to set older hymns to modern music in an effort to “enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace”.”

Next week, I will be at the Worship God 09 conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland where over 1600 people will gather to hear Keith Getty and others discuss issues such as the above.

Read the entire article and if you know of other ministries and hymnwriters, I would like to hear about them!