I guess I am old. I
have a great deal of difficulty identifying with and enjoying present day music…not
just the secular type, but also the worship music currently utilized in most
churches.
First of all, it is terribly repetitive. Sometimes phrases are repeated dozens of
times, verses are repeated over and over, and many of the songs have similar
lyrics. There is certainly a place for repetition, but when I compare modern
worship choruses with the rich doctrinal statements in many of the old hymns,
the difference is notable. An
understanding of the deeper concepts of our Christian faith was often derived
from phrases in hymns. Many old hymns are
mini-sermons.
Secondly, many of the modern songs aren’t very “sing-able.” The audience/congregation struggles to sing
along. They can’t find the melody line,
much less be able to figure out a way to sing harmony. The ability to fully participate is lost for
those of us who “read music,” when all we have is the words and no access to
the notes. The beauty of music is
obscured without a clear melody and harmony.
Thirdly, it is tempting to wonder if true heartfelt worship
is being replaced by the lifting of hands and other physical motions. If these are sincere, that’s great…but what
is happening inside the heart is more important. I feel that lifting my heart and voice is
more important than lifting my hands.
Every time I see familiar hymn lyrics on the projection
screen, I am tempted to get excited thinking we are about to sing an old
hymn. Then I discover the lyrics are
being sung with a different tune which has no interesting melody to reinforce
the meaning, and something else mundane has been stuck in between the verses.
Sigh….
In my entire life, the most intense worship I have felt in
singing took place in the 1960s while I was a student at Wheaton College. I don’t remember who was in charge of chapel
that day, but we were told that we would be singing the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy.” It is true that this hymn was very familiar
to me. I had probably sung is a hundred
times before. It does also utilize
repetition, although the repetitive portions are interspersed with statements
about the nature of God Himself. What
made this experience unique was that we were instructed to sing a cappella, and
the first verse was to be sung only by the sopranos. The altos were to join in on the second
verse, the tenors on the third and the basses on the fourth and final
verse. There were about 2000 young
adults present.
The sopranos only on the first verse created a light and ethereal
sound.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty.
Early in the morning our song shall rise to
Thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and Mighty
God in three persons, blessed trinity.
The altos
joining on the second produced a sweet harmony.
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee.
Casting down their golden crowns around the
glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before
Thee
Which wert and art and evermore shall be.
When the
tenors joined, the harmony was richer.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee.
Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not
see.
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside
Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, in purity.
But, when
the basses boomed in on the final verse, creating the full four-part harmony, I
felt as though a jolt of electricity passed down my spinal column. My spirit soared upward with my voice.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty.
All Thy works shall praise Thy
name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty.
God in three persons, blessed
trinity.
I suppose I will have to wait until heaven to experience this
again.
As one ages, there seem to be increasing reasons to look forward to
going there.