| ← Previous · 2008·02·07··19:23:33 · Next → |
| 8 Comments |
| Could You Worship without Music? |
Could you worship without music? Could you worship through the reading and preaching — or just the reading — of God’s Word? Would you feel the real presence of God without the sensory experience that music provides? If not, is it possible that the feelings that music provoke in you have nothing to do with worship, and only reflect your own narcissism?
Could you worship as the Israelites did in Nehemiah 8?
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. 13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: 15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. 16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Summary: the people listened to the reading and preaching of the Word — for eight days! — “and there was very great gladness” and “great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.”
Would you have been glad? Would there have been “great mirth”? Or would you have just been tired and bored?
That’s all I have to say. This post has just been an introduction to an article by Greg Gilbert that you ought to read: Against Music. I already linked to it in the sidebar, but it deserves special mention here; so go read it.
Update: Greg has added a follow-up post: Some More Thoughts on Music.
8 Comments:
donsands
"My sense is that "excellent music" has become something of an idol. No, we don't worship it. But alot of people need it to worship, and that may be just as bad. ... the dependence has become unhealthy." -Greg
Two very good posts, your's and his.
Good food for thought.
There's a lot to think about.
The main thing for me is the "words". Does the song we are singing declare truth. Does it glorify God. The melody should be well done as well. Music is good, but it can become a distraction from true worship.
That's an incredible portion of Scripture. The American Church is far from this kind of worship. But in other third world countries people love to worship Christ similarly.
The Church in America needs an overhaul.
One other Scripture came to mind: "And when they had laid many stripes upon them [Paul & Silas] they cast them into ... the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God." Acts 16:23-25
I pray God would work His grace into my heart, so that I can worship no matter where I may be. With a grand mucical arrangement, or alone by myself.
Don Fields
Music doesn't = worship, nor does worship = music. Music is one form of worship. We worship God through the form of music, but not music only.
David, Good thoughts.
Joe
Interesting thought by both you and Gilbert. Though the danger is in making unbiblical distinctions. Can you listen to an exposition of the grace of God in Jesus Christ and not have your emotions stirred?! If you can, there is something woefully wrong with your heart. Certainly song is the God given tool to magnify godly affections.
Take for example the passage you quote above in Nehemiah. The word for gladness and mirth is the same in the Hebrew. According to the Dictionary of OT Theology and Exegesis the word means "to lift up one's voice, singing, and singing praise. It often serves as part of a festive celebration that entails eating and drinking and the playing of various instruments." Was Nehemiah's worship song-less or instrument-less? I don't think so. At least the result of it wasn't.
To sing just to work up emotions is idolatry. To listen to preaching just be cognitively entertained is idolatry. We do both because our minds, hearts, and voices are tuned by grace to sing the praise of Jesus.
We sing because if did not the very rocks would cry out.
Do you really think one could or should worship God without song on a regular basis?
David
Do you really think one could or should worship God without song on a regular basis?
I think it's possible. In fact, I worship every day in complete silence. But I get your point. Singing is a natural expression of worship, and according to Scripture, God made it to be so.
The point here, though, is not how we express our worship, but how we are inspired to worship. If the Word alone does not inspire us to worship, if we need some sensory stimulus to jump-start us, we ought to question the genuineness of our worship.
By the way, I love music. I would hate to live without it. I just want to keep it in its place. I want my worship to be pure and true, and not just warm feelings masquerading as worship.
Joe
I agree. I just wanted to hear you hedge a little more. It sounded like we were in danger of confusing the baby with some very dirty bath water.
I wish we could frame this whole discussion more in terms of the CS Lewis-ism, "our problem is not that our affections are too strong it is that they are too weak."
I want deep, theological, affection-stirring, Christo-centric worship in preaching, singing, praying, and sacrament observing. We can say "no" to anemic-evangelical-musical-fluff and at the same time say "yes" to hearty, affective singing.
And, of course, I agree with you that the preaching of the word does not need any additive to make it "meet my emotional needs".
Christopher
Worship is our response to what God has done, is doing, and is going to do in our lives.
Thus being said, worship can be how we allow God to move in our lives. Worship can be tithing, or dying to self; ALLOWING God to change you and remove the icky stuff (the painful stuff). My favorite is to say that true worship is doing for the 'least of these'.
I like this discussion and the truths about what we are here to do that it brings out. Keep it up.
- a worship leader
Christopher
Worship is bringing pleasure to God, and there are many way to do this: by trusting, loving, obeying, praising, surrendering, using our talents for his glory, and developing a close friendship with him. - Unknown
richard
I think we can choose to worship. This past fall on a Friday afternoon I was preparing to take a couple van loads of teens on a retreat when my boss called me into his office. He informed me that I could not bring the music leader I had planned to bring with me for the weekend.
We quickly modified the weekend and literally had no music at all. Thing about this for a minute there were 30 or so High School students without a single note of music. I panicked at first but we ended up having the best retreat ever. I may even do it again on purpose.