heard it said before – probably said it many times myself. I don’t know what made
it appear so evidently false this time around, but I’m happy to have considered it
when I did. The statement is usually preceded in the following fashion:
First, a song is led with which the majority of worshippers are unfamiliar. Like
most people delving into uncharted territory, timidity sets in. Next, naturally, the
fair portion of the worshippers being at best musical neophytes, the song suffers a
blow so fatal that even a requiem could put more people in a livelier mood! Then,
in an effort to be exonerated from said musical butchery, someone is seemingly
bound to say, “That’s o.k.; the music doesn’t matter; it’s the words that really
count!” – or something to that effect. Undoubtedly, similar statements have
resounded and echoed through the halls of many congregations of the Lord’s
church all over this great nation of ours – and abroad too.
Now it may or may not be because I am a musician, but when I witnessed
utterance being given to that theory, it really struck a theological nerve. While I
certainly do grant and promote what is generally meant by the aforesaid, I
nonetheless feel obliged to express that what is meant and what is so often said
are two different things.
What Is Meant
The prime objective in worshipping the Lord in song is to teach and admonish
one another, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord (Eph. 5.19; Col. 3.16).
The Lord does not require true worshipers to have perfect voices and an equally
perfect sense of musicianship. Indeed, “the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man
looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (I Sam.
16.7). People clamoring for great-sounding soloists and choirs to do their
“worshiping” by proxy could really learn a lot from what Samuel learned long ago.
The fact is that a “better” performance does not make the worshippers more
spiritual. And, on top of that, no Christian is exempt from singing God’s praises, in
spite of how awful you may think your singing voice is.
What Is Said
We may not realize it, we may not even aspire to promote it, but when we
express the opinion that the words are the only thing that matters in singing to
God, we are articulating a mendacious concept.
Implications
Doesn’t the music we offer to God matter? Suppose it didn’t. Suppose for a
moment that the only thing that really matters to God, as some are disposed to
affirm, is the words we utter, and, of course, our attitude in expressing them. This
statement produces a number of implications that demand our attention.
Instrumental Music. If the words alone mattered, and the music is merely
incidental, then what right would we have to suggest that it is wrong to employ an
organ, or piano and other artificially made instruments in worship? As long as we
have scriptural lyrics, it would not matter! If not, why not? But since our Lord has
specified that our worship to Him is to be a cappella music, we recognize that the
kind of music we offer in worship really does matter to God, and no one has any
right to add unto or take away from the commands of God (cf. Eph. 5.19; Col. 3.16-
17; Gal. 1.6-9).
Apathy. Not only does the statement in question implicitly promote the use of
instrumental music and other similar musical innovations, it also generates a
sense of apathy in our worship to God. If I operate under the notion that all I have
to do to acceptably worship God is to utter scriptural words, then what incentive
do I have to attempt to get better at singing? I’m afraid too many feel that because
they have never been a “good” singer, they “give up” trying ever to get better.
Solomon said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecc.
9.10). Even people of the world acknowledge the prudence in doing the best one
can do – and that means never settling with complacency. Hence, even though the
music doesn’t have to be perfect, God will never accept music that is offered by
people who don’t have any regard for the principle stated above.
Style of Music. If the music doesn’t matter, then it would be perfectly
permissible to sing any style of music our hearts desire – any style! Some have
suggested that as long as the lyrics are straight from the Bible, the song itself is
scriptural – provided it doesn’t involve mechanical instruments of music. What if
the Biblical lyrics were set to the tune of an R&B song, like “Getting Jiggy With It”
by Will Smith? Would that be permissible? Or how about Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice,
Baby”? The point is, while the lyrics must be scriptural, the style of the music
matters also. Attempts to casualize and secularize the worship of God have been
plenteous, even in the church of our Lord. But these are the futile efforts of men
who seek their own pleasure and entertainment, rather than the reverence and
adoration of God Almighty (cf. Heb. 12.28-29; Col. 2.20-23; Gal. 1.10; Jn. 6.2).
Conclusion
Some may think I am being overly critical. But it is important to say what we
mean, lest someone misunderstands us and begins down the wrong path. Paul
said, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer each one” (Col. 4.6). The next time you find your
performance in song to be less than par, promise yourself that you will do all can
to do better the next time – don’t minimize the music. Indeed, the lyrics
matter, but the music matters too!
