What Are We Singing?

A few days ago while driving, I was listening to a few hymns I hadn’t listened to in quite some time.  I was singing along to the songs, trying to remember which words went with which verse.  My mind was drifting and I wasn’t really thinking about the music until I heard myself mess up the following lyric.

Jesus I am resting resting
In the joy of what Thou art
I am finding out the greatness
of Thy loving heart

This was the correct lyric.  I sang the following:

Jesus I am resting resting
in the joy of what Thou art
I am finding out the greatness
of MY loving heart

A simple mistake.  The words sound similar so it may be that I had originally misheard the song. But as I continued to reflect on this simple mistake, I realized that my instinct, in most Christian worship or praise songs, is to turn the lyrics back towards me.  And this instinct, I believe, is a result of worships songs chosen for their catchy tunes or like-ability rather than their theological content.  In the contemporary evangelical world, we’ve sacrificed depth for music that appeals to all.  We’ve appealed to the masses and lost songs that reflect and teach the many facets of God’s life as revealed in Christ.

I don’t think all Christian worship songs are abysmal.  I more so think that we need to be more discerning in the songs that we choose for corporate worship.  Corporate worship ought to be just that – corporate.  There is a place for music that speaks of the individual’s experience of Christ and sometimes that may be within corporate worship.  A quick look through the Psalms, Israel’s hymnbook, contain many Psalms of David or others where they transparently praise or lament through their own experience.  We need these intimate and personal prayers and songs.  But we also need songs that teach us and form us and shape our thoughts, not just give us an emotional release.

Now before you label me as some traditionalist who wants us the church to only sing hymns and to remove all guitars and drums from the sanctuary, hear me out.  I was born and raised on Contemporary Christian Music.  As an adolescent, I didn’t care about Britney Spears one lick.  My musical heroes were Sonicflood, Newsboys, and DC Talk.  I’m all for many of the musical changes that have happened with evangelicalism. But again, I think we need to be more discerning.

I think the reason I find myself coming back to hymns again and again is that many of today’s songs are lyrically shallow. When I sing a song, I want to re-enter into the dramatic story of what God has done in Christ.  I want to be reminded of the goodness of creation, the indiscriminate effects of sin on every aspect of society, the overwhelming magnitude of God’s redemption wrought in Christ, and the end to which everything is headed – the banquet supper of the lamb.  Hymns, with their numerous verses allow for a more thorough exploration of Christian themes.  Today’s music is much more about sing-a-bility than anything else.

I’m not saying that Christians should stop listening to contemporary worship and praise songs.  Again, I hope and pray that we become more discerning.  When I look at the top 40 Christian songs on Billboard, many of them are lyrically shallow and almost meaningless.  Just as we ought to seek to be mindful consumers in the products we buy and the food we eat, let us also be mindful consumers of the music we listen to.  Just because it’s labeled “Christian” doesn’t mean it’s good.