The Book of Psalms—part 4

The Book of Psalms—part 4  

            The argument over the Book of Psalms being one book or five books is basically "much ado about nothing" and does not in any way significantly affect the utilization of these great songs.  But it is generally accepted that the Book of Psalms is a collection of collections and that the final collection was made by Ezra around 450 B.C. well before the time of the Maccabees.

            The table and definitions of the names of God in the psalms have been provided to aid the student of the Psalter in understanding the God about whom the psalms are written.  Also, the church musician should be familiar with the figures of speech and parallelisms used in the Psalms.  Finally, this chapter has presented a lengthy discussion of the terms found in the Psalter.  Although some of these terms are obscure they are not all as difficult to understand as is generally believed by some non-musicians who have written extensively about them.  Probably the worst traditional interpretations of several of these terms have been to consider them as the words or tune names of ancient secular songs.  It seems credulous to believe that the chief musicians would have sung these great songs of the one true God to popular secular "ditties" when they had available to them the original melodies written by the psalmists who wrote the poems.  

Thought for the Day   

There are more New Testament references and quotations to the Book of Psalms than to any other Old Testament Book.

The Book of Psalms—part 3

The Book of Psalms—part 3

            Although it is sometimes astonishingly purported that David penned the entire Book of Psalms, it is known that he did not since the inscriptions of the psalms, which are a part of the original compositions, name several other authors.  Also, many of the psalms were written after David's death.  This is substantiated by the fact that they make reference to happenings that occurred after the psalmist David’s death.

            It is important that the church musician realizes the seriousness of regarding the inscriptions as either spurious or as later additions of the redactors of Scripture.  There is no conclusive evidence that any of the inscriptions were added at a later date.  On the contrary, they contain the te'amim and would have been chanted just like any other part of the Psalm text.   

Thought for the Day

Recent scholarship has brought to light that the psalm texts and their melodies were most likely written as a unit (a Melos) at the same time.

The Book of Psalms—part 2

The Book of Psalms—part 2

            We now have available to us the ancient poems and melodies that the Hebrew nation sang unto God centuries ago.  The Book of Psalms is really Sepher Tehillim or the Scroll of Praises unto God.  The Hebrew title is most appropriate since the central theme of these ancient songs is praise unto God.  The twenty-first century church musician should therefore make sure that the tenor of church music remains praise unto God.

            The Book of Psalms is the only divinely inspired book of songs available for use and should be respected and used in the light of the fact it is the word of God concerning musical praise.  There are several psalmists who contributed to the Psalter, but the church musician is reminded that the real author of the collection is the blessed Holy Spirit. 

Thought for the Day

Church musicians need to understand that many secular poetry scholars not only do not consider the Book of Psalms to be divinely inspired, they do not consider any of the Old or New Testament to be “God breathed”.

The Book of Psalms—part 1

The Book of Psalms—part 1

            There is an enormous amount of literature written about the Book of Psalms.  These sources include writings from ancient to modern times and range from technical to devotional.  The Book of Psalms is the most ancient complete collection of mono-theistic lyric and didactic poetry extant today.  It is probably the greatest ancient religious poetry ever written.  These songs written about God have had an unmeasurable influence on mankind from antiquity to present.  The Psalms is studied and respected by Christian and secular scholar’s alike.  The various psalms are studied as literature and the collection is studied as a unit. Certainly the Book of Psalms affords an excellent opportunity to communicate with literature and poetry scholars who are post postmoderns.   

Thought for the Day

Poetry scholars who do not respect the Book of Psalms as inspired Scripture do respect the Psalter for its historic and poetic value.

The United Ministry of Priests and the Levite Musicians

The United Ministry of Priests and the Levite Musicians

While I was reading the Book of 1 chronicles the other day I was reminded that the sons of Aaron and the sons of Levi were given distinct ministries in Old Testament Israel.  1Chronicles 6:31 “And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.  And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.”  Later in the same chapter “1Chonicles 6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.”           
            The Holy Writ makes no mention of which ministry was most important because that was not the chronicler’s point.  They were both very important, but they were distinctly different.  They are often both mentioned as working together in the various recorded accounts of Temple worship. The Levite music administration was set in order by King David and the Priests ministry was set in order by Moses. One of the greatest points of this post is to remind preachers and musicians that they both have anciently appointed ministries and that they need to work together in fulfilling their united ministry.

Thought for the Day

Musicians and preachers have different function in worship, but they both have the same purpose to fulfill.

Once In David’s Royal City

Once In David’s Royal City by Cecil Francis Humphreys Alexander

1. Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

2. He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

3. And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

4. For he is our childhood's pattern;¹
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

5. And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

6. Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

            Humphreys wrote this great Christmas carol for children and placed it in his Hymns for Little Children, which was published in1848.  By adding this carol to his publication he was able to use it to catechize children by presenting the accurate Christmas message.  His purpose was apropos in 1848 and is just as relevant in this century.  Although I am tempted to brag on this carol’s content, I will refrain from boring my readers and merely say that it is a strong catechism for children and adults who attend worship services at Christmas time but have little knowledge of the real story of Christmas and its significance to postmoderns ad now post postmoderns.  It is unfortunate that many worship fellowships skip this great and significant Christmas carol.

            Today is Sunday and it is Christmas.  Every Christian must fill this day with praise and worship.  The fifth and sixth verses are worthy of special mention.  So, please take time to include them in your daily devotions on this special day!  His first coming was very humble but He is sitting at the right hand of God the Father on this special day and He is praying for us.  As my former pastor R.E. Carrol used to say, “Practice the presence of God”.  Jesus is the King of Kings and is worthy of our worship.

Prayer for the Day

            O, Thou most Holy and worthy Savior, I give You praise and honor on this day that we celebrate your birth.  O, Thou most gracious and merciful Lord of Lords, I want to bow before You in humble adoration.  ou are my Savior and Lord and I acknowledge Your Kingship.  There is no one who deserves all the praise and honor that any of us can give except You Lord.  I want to thank You for coming to this world to save us from our sins and to purify our hearts as of by fire.  This I am praying in Your wonderful name.  Amen.

Silent Night by Joseph Mohr

Silent Night by Joseph Mohr 

Silent night, Holy night,
All is calm, All is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.                                             

Silent night, Holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia; 
Christ the Savior, is born! 
Christ the Savior, is born!  

Silent night, Holy night,
Son of God, Love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face, 
With the dawn of redeeming grace,  
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.  

            I am sitting in my little man cave in my favorite easy chair with my computer on my lap trying to imagine what it was like that wonderful night over 2,000 years ago.   Although I have a big imagination, I am still mystified by the thought of that starry night long ago was a “Holy night”. 

             Sometimes we chuckle when we sing  “Shepherds quake at the sight”.  Honestly, if I had been out there on those Judean hills, I would have been terrified when surrounded by the heavenly hosts who were proclaiming Christ’s birth.  Think of it, they were telling those shepherds that Jesus was the “Son of God, Love's pure light”. Through those “Radiant beams from thy holy face” the angels were telling these lowly shepherds they were going to be eye witness to “the dawn of redeeming grace”.  Thank God that He sent His only begotten son to live in in our hearts!  What wondrous grace is this!   

Christmas Eve Prayer    

Although this is everything but a silent night at our house, I want to thank You in the midst of the hustle and bustle of this wonderful Christmas season for coming to this earth on that silent night in Bethlehem.  Thank you for changing the world on that eventful night.  I want to thank You on this eve of Your birth for being the Savior of the world and for forgiving my sins and coming into my heart on that July evening in 1967.  This I pray with much thankfulness.  Amen

Why Should He Love Me So?

Why Should He Love Me So? By Crystal Lewis

Why should He love me so?

Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led;

Why should He love me so?

Nails pierced His hands and His feet for my sin;

Why should He love me so?

He suffered sore my salvation to win;

Why should He love me so?

O how He agonized there in my place;

Why should He love me so?

Nothing withholding my sin to efface;

Why should He love me so?

Why should He love me so?

Why should He love me so?

Why should my Savior to Calvary go?

Why should He love me so? 

            It may seem strange for me to include this gospel song among the Christmas selections that I have chosen for my Christmas blog.  However, I wanted to ask all the faithful /Christian musicians from around the world that read my blog to ponder on this question,  “Why Should He Love Me So?” 

            It is one thing to think of the whole human race, but it is totally another to narrow the question down to ME.  Why did He love ME?  Why did He love me enough to suffer and die for ME?  The answer is “He suffered sore my salvation to win.”  He came and agonized, suffered and died to pay the penalty for my awful sins!  Praise God Christ went to the cross to free ME.   

Thought for the Day 

Ask yourself throughout this day,  
Why should He love me so?
Why should He love me so?
Why should my Savior to Calvary go?
Why should He love me so?

I Wonder as I Wander

I Wonder as I Wander—Appalachian Carol   

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I;

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all

But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall

And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing

A star in the sky or a bird on the wing

Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing

He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I;

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

            This folk song is one of the most profound of the many Christmas songs of the last two centuries.  Surely when one glooks up into the winter sky God’s wonderful miracle sky makes me wonder “How Jesus the Savior did come forth to die” for a poor lost sinner like me.  I was born on an eighty acre farm in Kansas and I am a nothing and a nobody of nobodies.

             I am a Kansas farmer so I understand what it meant for Jesus to be born in a stable among poor simple farmers who were nobodies just like me. That is more of a miracle than we can imagine since we know that  If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing  like a star in the sky or a bird on the wing, He surely could have had it because He was most definitely the King of Kings.  

Prayer for the Day   

Dear wonderful and kind Jesus, I come to you this morning as I prepare to post these thoughts and this wonderful song with a grateful heart.  I confess to You that as I start this day that I do not know how to go out and come in before You.  Please help me to understand more and more about you and why You loved me so much.  Certainly w was an awful sinner and you loved me in spite of my rebellion against you.  Help me to let my light so shine before men and women today that they may see my good works and glorify you lord today.  This I am praying in your loving, forgiving and powerful name.  Amen

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark the Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley 

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled"

Joyful, all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem"

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

             Imagine having an angel appearing to you on a cold starry night telling you to listen tonight will mark peace coming to this earth to satisfy the need of the human heart.  God has come to earth tonight in order that God and sinners may be reconciled.  That is true peace for the human heart.  He furthermore proclaimed, “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see hail the incarnate Deity”.  The angel no doubt told those humble shepherds that Jesus was Emmanuel—God with us. 

            The wonderful words of this Christmas carol explain, “Born that man no more may die; Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth”.  Praise God Christ’s coming made possible the second birth. Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection made all of the following possible:  “Light and life to all He brings Risen with healing in His wings”.  So, we all should proclaim, as the angels did that night, "Glory to the newborn King!"   

Thought for the Day

Christ came to this earth to give us second birth.  We would be shocked if we knew just how many post postmoderns believe that this is a myth and a fantasy.  Yet we must remind non-believers the words of Jesus in Joh 3:7,” Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Joy to the World

Joy to the World by Isaac Watts   

1 Joy to the world! the Lord is come: let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare him room,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns: let all their songs employ,

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sin and sorrow grow nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow

far as the curse is found,

far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove

the glories of his righteousness

and wonders of his love,

and wonders of his love,

and wonders, wonders of his love.   

            I am amazed at the wonders of Christ’s love. When we see sin and trouble all around us, we may forget temporarily that “He rules the world with truth and grace.  When we hear the sometimes convincing arguments of those who do not love and serve Jesus our Savior we are prone to wonder just who is right.  Sinners tend to make us think that wrong is right and that right is wrong.

            The third verse of this song says, “No more let sin and sorrow grow…”  Satan is smart and his spurious arguments are clever.  Sadly, he has little henchmen who spread his false arguments.  We as Christian musicians need to remember that Christ came “to make his blessings flow “far as the curse is found”.   

Thought for the Day   

Every Christian musician must remember that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has already come.  He is truly God with us every day of our lives.

Gesu Bambino

Gesu Bambino by Pietro Yon 

When blossoms flower e'er 'mid the snows,

Upon a winter night,

Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose,

The King of Love and Light.

The angels sang, the shepherds sang,

The grateful earth rejoiced;

And at His blessed birth the stars

Their exultation voiced.

Chorus:

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

Christ the Lord.

Again the heart with rapture glows

To greet the holy night,

That gave the world its Christmas Rose,

Its King of Love and Light

Let ev'ry voice acclaim His name,

The grateful chorus swell

From paradise to earth He came

That we with Him might dwell.

Chorus:

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

The King of Love and Light.

            This Italian Christmas carol written by Pietro Yon has one of the most beautiful melodies of any of the Christmas carols that I know.  Surely Christ is “The King of Love and Light.”  Christ has been given many names and this carol identifies Him as the “King of Love and Light” and the “Christmas Rose” 

            Jesus life, death and resurrection are evidences that He was and is the King of Love and Light.  He loved much and brought light and hope into this sin-cursed world.  This Christmas Rose is capable to bring beauty into the lives of people who are steeped in darkness and despair.  We must not forget to take the advice of this famous carol which admonishes Christians, “O come let us adore Him the King of Love and Light.” 

Thought for the day

Notice that the Christmas carol written by Pietro Yon admonishes Christians, “O come let us adore Him.  God desires to be worshiped by people who want to worship.  So, let our “grateful chorus swell” and “Let every voice acclaim His name” during this Advent.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O Little Town of Bethlehem  by Philips Brooks 

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary

And gathered all above

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love

O morning stars together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King

And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem

Descend to us, we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

Be born to us today

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us

Our Lord Emmanuel.   

            The first stanza of this great Christmas hymn states, ”Yet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting Light.” As I read this hymn a few nights ago it occurred to me that Christ’s everlasting light is still shining brightly in this sin cursed world.  Lately, my wife and I have gone through some of the darkest trials of our married life.  However, Christ’s light was the only light at the end of the dark tunnel of trial.  The reason we could make it through the darkness was because God had imparted to our human hearts “The blessings of His heaven”.  Our prayer is,” O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” 

Prayer for the Day   

Precious Lord my prayer is “O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born to us today.”  Lord please don’t let any of us let our profession of faith stand in the way of letting You cast out any sin that you have located in our lives during this Christmas season.  Lord, I am praying, “O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel”.  This I am sincerely praying.  Amen.

O Come O Come Emmanuel

O Come O Come Emmanuel –Latin hymn

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

            “O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here”.  In November of this year my wife and I went through one of the darkest fierce trials we have ever gone through during the time we have been married.  I had an auto accident and when I called the insurance agent to get a tow truck they informed me that the car was not insured.  To make a long story short, after many days of trial the insurance company finally got the mess straightened out and we were insured after all!         

            After those dark days, after many prayers, after sleepless nights, God performed a modern day miracle in our lives.  So, during this advent season I want to praise God because He revealed to Sheila and me that He is Emmanuel “God with us”  He is our Day-Spring and our Lord of Light . 

Thought for the Day  

I am anxious for Emmanuel to return the second time and take us to be with Him.  1Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Celebrate Immanuel’s Name

Celebrate Immanuel’s Name

by Charles Wesley (1707-1788).  

Celebrate Immanuel’s Name, the Prince of life and peace.

God with us, our lips proclaim, our faithful hearts confess.

God is in our flesh revealed; Heav’n and earth in Jesus join.

Mortal with Immortal filled, and human with Divine. 

Fullness of the Deity in Jesus’ body dwells,

Dwells in all His saints and me when God His Son reveals.

Father, manifest Thy Son; breathe the true incarnate Word.

In our inmost souls make known the presence of the Lord. 

Let the Spirit of our Head through every member flow;

By our Lord inhabited, we then Immanuel know.

Then He doth His Name express; God in us we truly prove,

Find with all the life of grace and all the power of love. 

            Christian musicians have the wonderful privilege to lead others in celebration of Christ’s coming to this earth many years ago.  By coming to this earth as a human being He was truly God with us.  However, He is still with us today.  Every Christian has the privilege of having Christ with him or her every minute of every day. This is a reality because He “Dwells in all His saints and me when God His Son reveals”.  We must not forget to “Let the Spirit of our Head through every member flow” during this wonderful season. 

 Thought for the Day 

The third verse of the song we have selected for today says, “Let the Spirit of our Head through every member flow; By our Lord inhabited, we then Immanuel know.”  Christians must not let this post postmodern world cause us to fall silent about letting the Holy Spirit flow through us.  To them, the thought of the Spirit flowing in and through us is phanatical but it is not.  It is a reality for the Spirit filled Christian.

Dec.17

O Come O Come Emmanuel –Latin hymn

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

            “O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here”.  In November of this year my wife and I went through one of the darkest fierce trials we have ever gone through during the time we have been married.  I had an auto accident and when I called the insurance agent to get a tow truck they informed me that the car was not insured.  To make a long story short, after many days of trial the insurance company finally got the mess straightened out and we were insured after all!         

            After those dark days, after many prayers, after sleepless nights, God performed a modern day miracle in our lives.  So, during this advent season I want to praise God because He revealed to Sheila and me that He is Emmanuel “God with us”  He is our Day-Spring and our Lord of Light .

Thought for the Day

I am anxious for Emmanuel to return the second time and take us to be with Him.  1Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”