This past Sunday at our church’s internship meeting we discussed various worship related issues. One of the questions that came up was what to do when you feel like you can’t sing the lyrics of a hymn/song during the corporate worship service.
Jim Newheiser, who was leading the meeting, helpfully suggested that you first ask whether your issue with the song is one of preference or doctrine. There’s a difference between simply not liking a hymn or worship song because of its tune, for example, and not liking the song because you believe it doesn’t teach sound doctrine. Jim encouraged us to put aside preferences when necessary. However, if we believe the song isn’t teaching correct doctrine then we must not violate our conscience.
What do you do when the lyrics of a hymn or song are so vague or unclear (but not clearly false) that you can’t sing with conviction? There are a few songs (though not many) we sing at our worship services that contain lyrics I can’t sing with conviction because I’m not sure what the words are communicating.
For example, do you think the following line is a proper/true description of Jesus Christ?
“You are the love song we’ll sing forever”.
I’m not asking whether that line makes you think of other things that are true of Christ, but whether the statement that Jesus is a “love song” is true on its own.
I’ve tried hard not to be a stick in the mud over this line, but I simply can’t bring myself to sing it. It’s not clear to me what it means for Jesus to be a love song and I haven’t come across anything in Scripture that would shed some light. I haven’t scoured the entire Bible over this lyric though so please let me know if I’m missing something!
What songs/lyrics do you have a hard time singing and why (keep it civil)?
Haha, I’m laughing b/c as if I don’t come up with enough things to take issue with on my own… I can’t say I know what that line means either… if it said “yours is the love song we’ll sing forever” that would be an improvement… instead of studying for my final exam this week, I decided to start doing word searches for song imagery… the best I’m finding is concepts like in Ex 15:2, Ps 118:14, Is 12:2 where the Lord is said to be “my song”. Then maybe you combine that with Song of Songs love imagery, or maybe even the glimpse of love song phrasing in Is 5 (yes, I know the context isn’t the most romantic, but still
So that all said, not really the firmest ground upon which I personally would write a song, but maybe those ideas would explain what the author of that song was thinking… Although sometimes song writers say some things that don’t make you think that they were thinking much at all, the emotion of the moment just sort of takes it all away.
Okay, that’s enough out of me, I’ll actually go study now.
Jason I think maybe as you said “yours is the love song we’ll sing forever” may be an improvement. The authors of the Trinity Hymnal have taken the liberty of changing some of Wesley’s songs to match our doctrine.Good for you for getting back to studying.
Ryan I agree with you on that song. I’m not too sure what that line means. It always leaves me wondering when I get to that part.
There aren’t a whole lot of songs that I can’t actually sing, but one in particular lately comes to mind. It’s the Resurrection hymn by Townsend. I had difficultly following the the line of thought it jumps around ideas without using full sentences. Kind of felt like I was reading a haiku. I never really knew where it was heading.
Those are my thoughts for what they are worth. I think it is a good challenge that we really put some thought into what we are singing and at the same time (like Jim said on Sunday) we shouldn’t judge other’s who are able to sing certain songs especially when they aren’t songs that doctrinally contradict the Bible.
Just found your blog, Ryan. Good discussion on an important subject!
I agree that the line in “Be Unto Your Name” is weak and unclear. I like Jason’s suggestion and unless someone comes up with something better, will use it the next time we update the songbook.
BTW: I’m thinking of establishing a worship blog (though I tremble at the thought of opening a possible pandora’s box)
I think a worship blog would be very helpful. As long as everyone interacts respectfully I think it would promote a lot of great discussion. Let me know if you decide to go forward with it.