Music is Analogous to Language-part 2

 

Music is Analogous to Language-part 2

Since there are several ways in which music communicates  understandable meaning, I am drawn to the conclusion that instrumental music does often refer outside of itself.  It may refer by implication, association, emotional previous connection, by what the sounds mean in the context of community, and by the specific emotional states that the music part of the music arouses in the performer and listener.  When I refer to specific emotions, I mean that the complex emotions aroused have real life meaning—not that music’s “meaning is in a bubble” that does not have any real life meaning.  I reject the notion that musical meaning is part of a closed system unrelated to real life.

Music is Analogous to Language-part 1

 

Music is Analogous to Language-part 1

Although there is a host of music philosophers who believe that music is incapable of communicating any real life meaning, many musicians and music philosophers have been over the centuries and are currently so convinced that music communicates real life meaning that some of them consider music to be a “language”.  Others have considered it to be a language of emotions.  I consider music to be analogous to but not completely synonymous with spoken and written language.  Although what music communicates is somewhat like what a spoken or written language communicates, the theory that they are exactly alike breaks down when considered in its entirety.  The music part of music cannot say, “It is twenty degrees outside today, so wear a coat.”  So, one must concede that instrumental music performed alone is not capable of communicating real life meaning with the specificity of a written language.  However, that does not mean that the music part of music does not communicate understandable meaning that is relative to real life understanding.

Bringing God “Special Seed”

 

Bringing God “Special Seed”

Psalm 1:4, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”

 

I am a pigeon fancier, so, I often find myself at the feed store buying grain to feed them.

For several years I have been buying a type of mixed grain which the store calls special bird feed.  It is somewhat expensive but it has always contained lots of milo, millet, black sunflower seeds, and contained only a minimum amount of cracked corn.  Recently I purchased some of this mixed grain, and when I opened the sack it not only contained grain but also ground up bits of corn cobs and what appeared to be floor sweepings.  To say the least, I was very unhappy.

          As I thought it over, I began to think what it will be like when the Lord inspects the increase that I have laid before His precious feet.  I began to wonder; will he consider my musicing to mostly be ground up corn cobs and floor sweepings?  Will  my Lord and Savior consider what I have brought to Him to be “like the chaff which the wind driveth away”?

          I want to make sure that I bring before Him good seed.  Are my musical actions worthy seed to bring to my precious Lord?  Are my musical ambitions molded to his will?   Psalm 139:23 is my prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts…”  I know that what I think is important will guide the things that I set out to accomplish musically.  So, I am praying that I will not bring chaff before my Savior when I get to the end of my journey.  I want God to guide my musical ministry every day.  I want to lay before His feet seed which is truly “special seed”.  If they way that I have musiced pleases God, I will truly be a blessed Christian.

         

All Musical Roads Do Not Lead to Heaven

 

All Musical Roads Do Not Lead to Heaven

          Multitudes of Christian musicians are now so squeezed into the world’s mold that they do not seem to realize that the whole belief-system that music is amoral is the result of autonomous music philosophy.  It is no wonder that you can trust a humanist to conclude that all music endeavors begins and ends with man.  The philosophical bias of a humanist will always be that all meaning in life (if there is meaning in life) will be the result of self-actualization and the act of a person’s free will.  More and more Christian musicians are joining secular humanists in believing that the music part of music is incapable of saying, meaning, or representing anything and therefore is amoral.

          This musical mind believes wholeheartedly that in the beginning was “ameba” or worse yet in the beginning was “nothing”.  This musician believes within himself that man came from nowhere and is ultimately going nowhere.  It is not hard for him to believe that man exists in a purposeless universe and that he is “caught in the wheel of time”.  This musician also believes that music came from nowhere and is ultimately going nowhere.  To this humanistic musician the only thing that really matters is “me”.  This type of thinker concludes that music is amoral since man is god and god is man therefore god is in man because man created god.  So, man is god of his music.  Any music that he composes or performs is god’s music i.e. all man’s music is created in god’s image since god is created in man’s image.  Any music that pleases man will also please God and conversely no music that displeases man is pleasing to God.  So, if you can wade through all the previous mumbo-jumbo, you will be able to understand why a synthesis thinking religious humanist, who is autonomous, believes that all musical roads lead to heaven – why there is no profundity in music – why all music is appropriate for public worship and ultimately why music is all a matter of taste.

 

Reading (Singing) Distinctly Gave the "Sense" part 2

 

Reading (Singing) Distinctly Gave the "Sense"   part 2

 The word translated “read” in this verse is taken from the Hebrew word qara (7121) sometimes connotes reading the scrolls, and at other times it means to call out or to proclaim the Torah.  This proclaiming is commonly understood by Hebrew scholars to mean the intoning or singing of Scripture. 

            Note that the Bible does not say that the Levite musicians gave commentary (like the Halakhah and Haggadah from the Midrash) on the content of the scrolls, but merely about their type of “reading”, which I believe refers to the singing of the Law through the use of the te’amim.  We know with certainty that this rendering was performed so distinctly (parash 6567, i.e. to separate or to specify) that it gave so much specificity to the meaning of the text that the congregation “understood the reading" of the Torah.

So, you may legitimately ask, ”What should we learn from this text in the book of Nehemiah?” Christian musicians in the twenty first century need to be aware that proper musical rendering of the good news of the Bible can make it more understandable to the hearers.  The musician must perform sacred music in such a way that the modern-day worshiper will be aware of the “sense” of the message in order to understand distinctly.

Thought for the Day

 The intoning of the Scripture became a vehicle to aid memory in ancient Israel.  Likewise, singing is an aid to memory today.  Therefore, it behooves Christian musicians to sing songs that are worth remembering. 

Reading (Singing) Distinctly Gave the "Sense" part 1

 

Reading (Singing) Distinctly Gave the "Sense"   part 1

 

 Nehemiah 8:8 states, “So they read [qara7121] in the book in the law of God distinctly [parash 6567], and gave the sense [sekel 7922], and caused them to understand [biyn 995] the reading [miqra 4744 ].”  This passage of Scripture has troubled many Bible expositors for centuries.  They have often queried, “What made the reading of the scrolls of the Law “distinct”?  They have also wondered how the Levite musicians were able to “give the sense’ of the meaning of the Law?  It has also been a great mystery as to what type or rendering of the scrolls by the Levite musicians actually took place. We know from verse seven that the Levites were among those who “…caused the people to understand the law…”

            I have no doubt that this Bible reference, which over the many centuries has become an *esoteric reference to the Levite musicians intoning or singing of the Law by the use of the te’amim (the biblical musical notation) which is found above and below the text in some Hebrew Bibles.  This intoning, cantillating, or singing is what made the Levite rendering of the Law “distinct” i.e. more understandable to the people.

 Thought or the Day

 It seems strange that many Christian musicians struggle the concept that all of the OT was notated and was intended to be sung and at the same time sing scriptural songs.

 

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

 

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

           God’s ways are higher than the ways of the world.  We, as Christian musicians, should notice that the world sells everything from food to liquor with sex.  The world uses man’s depraved nature and man’s natural sexual appetite for that matter, to present a multiplicity of products.  Why can’t Christians take advantage of man’s depraved nature and his natural sexual appetite for that matter to present the good news of the gospel?  The reason is that as Galatians 5:17 states, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

           The Galatian writer makes it very clear that the flesh and the sprit are contrary one to the other when verse seventeen tells us that the flesh lusts against the spirit.  The Bible teaches that the flesh and the spirit are not compatible.  It is a mystery to me that so many Christian musicians are determined to try to work them side by side as a team.  Placing the flesh and the spirit side by side is like placing a lion and a lamb in the same harness.  If one does, there is no doubt about it; the lion will eat the lamb.

          There is another reason that Christian musicians should not sell sacred things with sex.  It is deceitful to get people’s attention with sexual innuendoes and then hit them with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

 Thought for the Day

As Christian musicians we sometimes erroneously believe the notion that, since we love and serve the Lord, we are exempt from being influenced by this present world system.  This happens to us because of the constant subtle ways that the various popular music styles influence our psyche.

 

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

 

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

          What many Christian musicians have forgotten is that direction determines destiny.  If you start west on I 70 from Indianapolis, you will not arrive in Columbus, Ohio, no matter how much you desire to go east to Columbus, Ohio.  Getting a crowd’s attention by emphasizing the flesh will by no means draw them to Christ.  If a performer maximizes the physical, by doing so he or she minimizes the spiritual.  If a performer sings religious music and at the same time draws attention to the flesh, he or she will get a message across to the audience, but this message will not be good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The reason one cannot successfully sell sacred things with the sensual is that the Bible states in Galatians 6:6-9 that it just will not work.

 

          Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 

Thought for the Day

Certainly, Christian Musicians should have discernment when it comes to musing unto God. However, a Christian musician’s perceived understandings of the proper way to music unto God should be firmly grounded in Bible principles of music and musicing.  Although the Bible is not an exhaustive source of musical truth, what it does teach is “true truth”. 

How Well Do You Take Instruction?

 

How Well Do You Take Instruction?

Proverbs 9:8-10, “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.  Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” 

          Perhaps a Christian worship leader could take the test presented in Proverbs 9:8-10.  Do you recoil when your pastor gives you instruction?  We are starting a new year and it would be a good idea to purpose in our hearts to develop the habit of listening.  It would also be an excellent idea to make sure that we listen with a good attitude.  Are you wiser because of the advice you have been given or are angry most of the time because no one understands you?  According to Solomon’s advice, the more knowledge one has of the Holy One the wiser that person will become.  Also, the wisest man that ever lived said that wise men get wiser because they listen.

Scripture Thoughts for the Day

Proverbs 3:12, “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

 Heb 12:6, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

THE SONG BOOK OF THE BIBLE part 2

 

THE SONG BOOK OF THE BIBLE part 2

               The inspired psalms are an interesting, exciting, and quite fascinating collection of ancient Hebrew poetry.  These Hebrew songs are the largest and oldest complete collection of mono-theistic religious poetry and melodies surviving in the world today.  This collection of lyric poetry is studied and respected by saints and scholars throughout the world.  Even those who do not respect the Bible as the inspired word of God, revere this book for the quality of its poetical verse.  The quality of this Hebrew lyric poetry gives credence to the belief that there was a high level of literary and musical development among the ancient Hebrew culture.  The recent deciphering of the "Biblical accents" or the te'amim by Suzanne Haik-Vantoura has produced what she believes are the actual melodies of the psalmody of the Bible.  In Chapter VIII of Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective the subject of the deciphering of the te'amim is treated thoroughly.

          Some writers believe that this book has had as profound an influence on Christendom as any other single book of the Bible.  "No single book of scripture, not even the New Testament has, perhaps, even taken such hold on the hearts of Christendom.  None, if we may dare judge, unless it be the Gospels, has had so large an influence in molding the affections, sustaining the hopes and purifying the faith of believers." The Book of Psalms.  Vol. 1 and 2. By J.J. Perone, p. 22.  The list of authors who similarly attest to the great value of this complete collection of sacred lyric poems goes on and on, so much so that it can be said this this is probably the greatest devotional book of the Bible.

 

 

Thought for the Day

 

The Book of Psalms is the oldest extant complete collection of lyric poetry to be found anywhere in the world.

 

 

THE SONG BOOK OF THE BIBLE part 1

 

THE SONG BOOK OF THE BIBLE part 1

          The Book of Psalms should be referred to as a "Song Book" instead of a "Hymn Book" since the psalms are not all etymologically considered to be hymns.  Many writers have referred to the Book of Psalms as the "Hymn Book" of the Bible and we take no occasion with such reference to the Book of Psalms.

          The Book of Psalms is not only "our" song book of the Bible, but it was the song book for the religious services of the Second Temple.  Although some of the psalms were sung in the First Temple it was not completed at the time that Solomon's Temple was built.  Since the time that the Old Testament Canon was finished, the Book of Psalms has served as perhaps the greatest Biblical source of materials for hymns, gospel songs, and praise choruses.

          This collection has served throughout the centuries as the main devotional source of the Bible.  The uses of the collection are many.  Here are just a few:

          1.       It is a song book intended to be sung.

          2.       It is a devotional book for both public and private worship.

          3.       It contains many Bible doctrines.

          4.       It is a fascinating poetical book.

          5.       It generally contains theology, history, prophesy, prayers and praises.

          6.       It expresses the deepest religious expressions.

          7.       It relates to saint and sinner.

          8.       Its message relates to the current needs of believers since its message is timeless.

 

Thought for the Day

As I have said so often in my writings, the Book of Psalms is a song book not a talk book.

Reading Good Books about Music

 

 Reading Good Books about Music

 

          All too many musicians' libraries consist of a host of volumes on music history, theory, literature, a few volumes of hymn stories, and their favorite hypnology text without a single concordance or lexicon to study the original Bible languages.  I hope that your word study appetite will be stimulated until you will at least invest in the standard works that are now keyed to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.

          Now that we are in the twenty-first century approaches, you will need to not only be prepared spiritually and musically, but also have a deep understanding of the significance of music in the Bible.  It is important that you be able to understand the music of the Bible in Christian perspective.  I Corinthians 2:12-13 states, "Now ye have received, not of the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that ye might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

          No book, journal article, or blog post written by man will be able to completely guide church musicians in the twenty-first century.  Only an understanding of what the Book of Books has to say about sacred music will serve as a completely trustworthy guide for Christian musicians in this century.  It is my prayer that my blog will serve as catalyst to stimulate you to study music in the Book of Books, and that you will read the excellent materials that has been written about music and Christian music philosophy in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. If you are not familiar with writings that can be trusted, check on my blog under Recommended Resources which is found directly under the Blog Face.

 

Though for the Day

 

When a Christian musicing is evaluating progress toward accomplishing professional goals, it is always a good idea to also consider what the materials on music that he or she has read recently.

 

 

          Musicing God’s Word

          Romans 10:17 teaches, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  In his comments on verse seventeen Adam Clarke wrote, “Preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation; faith in Christ is the result of hearing the word, the doctrine of God preached. Preaching, God sends; if heard attentively, faith will be produced; and if they believe the report, the arm of the Lord will be revealed in their salvation.”  Albert Barnes gave further explanation of this verse when he wrote, “When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard or believed. It cannot come otherwise than by such a message; in other words, unless there is something made known to be believed. And this shows us at once the importance of the message, and the fact that men are converted by the instrumentality of truth, and of truth only.”

          There is no doubt that the Bible teaches Christians in Hebrews 4:12 the importance of utilizing Scripture, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Therefore, Christian musicians must be sure to saturate their musicing with the Word of God.  Col 3:16, admonishes Christian musicians to “ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  What is on the inside comes out!  The Greek word plousious (4146) which was translated richly in the AV means copiously, abundantly, i.e., to be crammed full of God’s Word.

Thought for the Day

Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

God Must Be Lord of All

 

God Must Be Lord of All

A non-descript and fuzzy music philosophy derived from a misunderstanding of the significance of Gen 1:1 will give rise to a faulty musical ministry praxis which is one’s on purposeful way of using music as a secular art form or in one’s church music ministry.  This means that if God, by virtue of ownership, does not become Lord over all of a Christian’s musicing, as an art form and as a musical offering to God in that musician’s music ministry, it will not be very long until God will not be Lord at all over that Christian musician’s musicing.   Because of the causality resulting from faulty music praxis, it will not take very much time until a musician’s music ministry will all become anthropocentric rather than Christocentric.

 

When Christian musicians realize that they do not own, it is much easier to recognize that they are musical servants with responsibilities rather than rights.  Music was created because God willed that it should exist. Therefore, it is not farfetched to come to the logical hypothesis that He still has a will concerning music.  Again we should remember that God created the formal properties of music i.e. the nuts and bolts of music that make it what it is capable of being. However, what a musician does with the formal properties of music is a different matter. When we, as musicians, face Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire we will give a stewardship account of what we did with His musical building blocks.

 

Christian Musicing is like a Light

 

 

                                                 Christian Musicing is like a Light

Matthew 5:16 states, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

       Why do you suppose that Jesus has commanded Christian musicians to let their light shine?  I believe it is because our world is a very dark place to live in the twenty-first century.  Sin has made this world dark place with a very dark atmosphere at times.  Jesus knew that Christian musicians are prone to let Satan come by and cover it with a bushel basket.  So, Jesus reminded us all, in the Sermon on the Mount, to make sure that we keep our light shining very brightly.

       The light of Christ placed in us is so powerful that Satan needs a bushel basket to completely hide it from those who see it and will receive its light in their lives.  Satan knows that, without this light of Christ, people will continue to live in darkness.  Jesus instructed us to put our powerful light on a candle stick so that it will give the light of salvation to all people.

       One of the ways that a Christian can show the light of Christ is through his or her musicing.  Jesus explained, in this sermon, that “you” are the light of the world.  This means that there is much value in people seeing the Christian musician music unto God.  As I play exegetical gymnastics with this verse of Scripture, I have the notion that maybe Jesus includes our musicing unto Him as a part of what people need to “see”.  As I just said, it is just a notion, but I think it is a valuable notion.  If so, musicians need to let their musical light shine in such a way that all who are in the “house” will see it and glorify our Father who is in heaven.  Therefore, we need to be very careful of what people “see’ as well as what they hear when we music unto God.

 

                                                Thought for the day--Musicing is a Light

If musicing unto God is a part of our good works, and it is, then Christian musicians need to be sure that people see and hear good quality music when we sing and play in and out of church.

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 7

 

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 7

                 Those who believe that the scripturally accurate gospel songs  cannot relate to moderns, post-moderns, post-postmoderns, young people and seekers are testifying that they do not believe that the good news of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is still relevant and “quick and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). Nor do they believe as Psalm 100:5 declares, “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”  Also, those who believe that the demands of Scripture that are accurately taught in gospel songs are too offensive and too confrontational for the un-churched seeker are confessing that they are ashamed of the many truths taught in the Bible that are so succinctly presented in gospel music.

      One of the reasons that the New Testament church thrived spiritually was that, like St. Paul (Romans 1:16), they were not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The twenty-first century church should think long and hard about following a music praxis that denies the use of the gospel presented through well written, scripturally accurate gospel songs.

 

Thought for the Day

At the end of this short series of posts on gospel music, I would like to remind all Christian musicians that the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news.  God is alive and he is working with His people.  We do not have a “New Age” who is far, far away but rather, our god is alive and working on our behalf.   Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”