Favorites... in Context

My 16 month old son loves books. He can't read of course, but he likes the pictures and voices and sounds that his mother and I make when we read to him. Usually, though, he has a favorite page. Sometimes he'll pick up a book and turn right to his favorite. He wants to look at a particular page's drawing or hear my elephant impression. There's been times that we've been reading a book and once we've passed his favorite page, he'll turn back the page to "re-play" his favorite part. If I don't let him go back he'll wiggle out of my lap to find a different book or toy. If it's not his favorite, he doesn't want to hear or look at it!

I find that in many ways my son is like me. The saying goes, "like father, like son". I have my favorites. This can be especially true of Psalms. Looking back at my practices over the last few years, I tend to sing the same familiar selections during family worship. Perhaps I'm not the only one who does this. For a recent post I was looking up the lyrics to Chris Miner's "God be Merciful to Me (Psalm 51)". I was reminded as I compared it to the ESV translation that verses 16 to 19 were omitted. In a sense, I think this is understandable. Even at only 6 stanzas, its a long song. Perhaps the last four verses were meant to be sung as an accompanied selection. But there's the problem: where is it? If I didn't know better (and for a long time I didn't) I'd have thought that I knew all of Psalm 51 when in fact I was missing some of the larger picture; I was missing the rest of the story.

All this to say that the little book, Singing the Songs of Jesus has made me thirst a little bit to know the context. I think as my son grows up he'll learn more of the stories I read to him. That doesn't mean he won't still love that favorite drawing or laugh when Daddy does the elephant impression. Perhaps the drawing will take on more meaning as he realizes what it means to the plot. Perhaps he'll like the elephant impression because it helps him to feel like he's part of the story. Perhaps that what I want, too.

The Words Change Us

I'm gearing up to do a Psalter review soon: The ARP Psalter. Reading the preface by Rev. David Vance and Dr. Gabriel C. Statom, though, I was struck by the following words which contrast the Psalms of the bible with other songs.

When we sing other songs, we feel at times that the words should change. But something very different occurs when we sing the psalms. The words do not have to change. We have to change. The words change us.

Wow. I don't think I'd ever thought about that. It reminds me to a conversation I had in college. During my days at the University of Missouri - Columbia (go TIGERS!) I attended RUF (Reformed University Fellowship). It was through this ministry that I made my deepest friendships and learned much of how to be a Christian and college student. I remember one time after the RUF large group meeting one of my friends wrestling with something. We had just sang "God, Be Merciful To Me" during the time of praise. My friend was offended at what he took to be an error in the song. Particularly, he didn't like the first lines of the last stanza:

Sinners then shall learn from me,
And return, O God, to Thee ...

He said, 'that's arrogant, how can I sing about others as sinners needing to return to God when I'm a sinner?' It was a well meant question; my friend was truly aware of his sin. What I didn't realize at the time, though, was that the whole song is taken from a Psalm. The verse my friend wrestled with was first penned not by Christopher Miner but by King David. This Psalm of repentance gives us a look at David's sorrow over his sin with Bathsheba. But he, himself, says after crying out to be purged, regenerated, and restored, "Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you." (Psalm 51:13) Had I made this connection at the time I would have had something better to encourage my friend with.

1) David is right to ask for this. David is not merely crying out as a sinner. He is crying out as a mediatorial king who is a sinner. Not only will David suffer for his sins, but His people will also unless one more righteous than he stands in his place. This Psalm points us forward to Christ. Christ must be our King. When David asks that transgressors (sinners) be taught, He's referring to the teaching that comes from someone redeemed. Once he, David, receives the forgiveness that's found only through Christ, he desires that this example of God's forgiveness be granted to others who can then be enfolded in the flock (i.e. "sinners will return to you").

2) It is right for us to ask this. I think sometimes when I sin I am so conscious of my own sin and my own need of forgiveness that I forget that God has plans for people other than myself. God wants to forgive through Christ... but that is often so that His forgiveness is shown to others who have not yet experienced it. Looking at this Psalm in this way gives us an awareness of others that many hymn writers overlook. God forgave David not just for David's sake but also for ours. God may forgive us now not just for our sake but for the sake of His people He's not yet called to Himself. Again, it underscores the point of the ARP Psalter preface: "the words do not have to change. We have to change. The words change us". Vance and Statom continue, "The words enter our hearts, our very being, and they teach us how to be men and women after God's own heart. They are a perfect model of devotion and a mold which gives proper form to your Christian experience."

David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). As we sing the Psalms of David, the Psalms do not conform to us, but by God's grace our hearts are conformed to Christ, David's greater son.

Singing the Songs of Jesus - A Review

Book Review

Title: Singing the Songs of Jesus - Revisiting the Psalms
Author: Michael Lefebvre

Binding: Paperback

Pages: 160

Cost: $12

Review:

About two weeks ago I got a copy of this book. Even the title caught my attention. It's an easy read and is well written. Having read it I now find myself wanting more. Don't misunderstand me! There is nothing missing from Lefebvre's book. It actually has everything I could hope for in addressing how the Psalms are Jesus' and that they are meant to be sung in the Christian Church. The problem is that this book has opened my eyes to the fact that even though I've been singing the Psalms in worship for the last 4 years (and to some degree my whole life), there's so much more to them that I've missed. Here's just a short list of the more that this book, Singing the Songs of Jesus, has brought (and I expect will continue to bring) to Psalm singing in my life.

More of Christ's Kingship - In this little book, especially the latter half of chapter two and all of chapter three, I was exposed to a role of The King that I had never thought of: worship leader. Lefebvre rightly identifies the executive leaders of Israel as not just war heroes but leaders of the people into the worship of God. This isn't just for Israel, though. It is for the Christian Church. Christ is our King and as such He leads us into the worship of God the Father and He does so using His songs. As Christians sing the Psalms in worship, King Jesus sings to God the Father. King Jesus sings to His people and He leads them to sing with Him to The Father and to one another. I'd be putting it lightly to say that this is revolutionizing my understanding of corporate praise. Even this paragraph doesn't do justice Lefebvre's treatment in this little book.

More Union with Christ - Lefebvre anticipates some of the difficulties that those unfamiliar with the Psalms encounter. Among these are imprecatory, lament, and penitential Psalms. Can a Christian call for judgment on the wicked or moan about the state of the fallen world? Does Christ, who was without sin, confess His sins in penitential Psalms? Using vivid analogies and even working through tough exemplary Psalms, Lefebvre shows that the Psalms thrust us out of our comfort zone. We cannot sing them outside of having Christ lead us in singing them. They also show us the degree to which Christ identifies Himself with us as our sin-bearer.

More Meditation - In Singing the Songs of Jesus, Psalms are contrasted with non-inspired hymns as having the Spirit-inspired ability to bring the Christian worshiper to heart felt praise. Though Psalms can and do declare praise for God (as most hymns do exclusively) they have an added element which stirs the emotions of the soul. They do this by meeting the believer where they are: living in a fallen world, often suffering, wrestling with doubt, dealing with sins of others but also their own sins. The Psalms lead us to glory, but they follow the path God has prescribed. Ultimately they bring us to the meditations of Jesus. These truly are His songs.

So to wrap things up...

If you are a Christian, I recommend this book to you. It will show you how to better see Christ in your worship. It will help you to better understand the 150 Psalms of the bible. If your experience is anything like mine, it will excite you to worship God. Whether in personal devotion or as an 8 lesson group study (7 chapters + epilogue/closing), this book is well worth $12.

If you are a Psalm Singing Presbyterian, I recommend this book to you. If you feel you know everything you need to know to sing the Psalms, read this book. I truly believe there's something in here for everyone; whether a long time student of the Psalms or just a beginner. Michael Lefebvre is able to tackle deep topics but to do so in a way from which anyone with a basic understanding of the Bible can benefit.

Psalm Shaped Liturgy

This morning I worshiped with the saints at Grace Church in Gibsonia, PA. One of the things about the worship service that stood out to me was the congregational singing. We sang Psalm 104. We sang all of Psalm 104. If you're not familiar, this is a long Psalm. It is 35 verses in length; five separate selections from the Book of Psalms for Singing. It took the whole worship service to sing it. When I think about it, though, this is appropriate. Here are some thoughts:

Psalm 104, like the many wonders of Hebrew poetry, has a great structure to it.

1-4 - God is majestic, exercising dominion over the elements.

5-9 - God has appointed the foundations and boundaries of the earth that cannot be thwarted.

10-15 - God sustains his creation from necessities of food and water to extravagances of wine and oil.

16-18 - God has provided shelter particular to the needs of each of His creatures.

19-23 - God marks the time for seasons and days; setting the sun and moon in their orbits.

24-30 - God is praised for the variety of His creatures and their continual dependence upon Him.

31-35 - A declaration of praise to God; He is to be feared.

I recall interacting with a friend who was taking a ministry of worship class at a local Southern Baptist Seminary. He said that the professor was instructing them in what I will call "Psalm Shaped Liturgy". Basically in class they studied the structure of a Psalm. They looked to each part and tried to supply a corresponding worship element. For example, if the Psalmist is expressing repentance then a corporate confession of sin might be read in unison. If the Psalmist is expressing praise to God, then a sermon on that topic would be appropriate. These ideas that my friend experienced in his class impressed me. It really reminded me that the Psalms are tools God has given to meditate and ultimately to lead our hearts to worship. My friend made a good point, 'it's not just some arbitrary order of service; it's a reflection of how God wants us to worship Him. The worship leader is submitting to God's instruction through the Psalm.'

Anyway, this morning's worship service reminded me of this concept. As we returned to the same spot in our Psalters 5 times it really impressed me that the Psalms are each a literary whole. We gain more from them by seeing their progression, their structure. In Psalm 104 in particular, the Psalmist moves from point to point underlining again and again God's majesty as creator and sustainer of the world. By the end we can do little else than praise Him!

His Emotions

I'm just three chapters into Singing the Songs of Jesus, and I have to say that this book is amazing. This last chapter in particular, "Recognizing Christ in 'Praising Conversations'" has left me meditating upon a conversation I had a few months back with a friend.

My friend leads in a praise band in a local church. He was telling me the tension going on in their worship. The new worship director desires to see some new praise choruses while my friend has had a growing appreciation for historic hymns. He voiced one of his complaints with the contemporary worship songs similar to this, 'you sing the same phrase 10 times... how many times can you say that you're happy and how happy you're happy?' I remember my contribution to this conversation. I told my friend that the Psalms have great depth of emotion. They remind us that we have emotions (happy, sad, angry, doubtful) and that God intends for us to bring these emotions into His praise. John Calvin has called the Psalter "The Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul". (I forgot to mention that the closest thing the Psalter has to a repeated praise chorus is Psalm 136.)

Looking back on what I told my friend, there's something I feel I should have added. Seeing Michael Lefebvre's point, that the Psalms are conversations between Jesus, God the Father, and us, I feel that I was missing a huge point. The Psalms don't only tell us emotions we experience. The Psalms tell us the emotions He experienced. Jesus was full of emotion. He was fully human. In a way, the Psalms give us a deeper view into His emotions than the gospels do. I realized that I've been oblivious to this, but now I see so much of what I've been missing. By His grace, as today's Christians come to appreciate and use the Psalter we will better understand not just our own emotions, but also His.

A Window into Jesus' Humanity

While running some errands with my friend, Paul, he mentioned to me something I'd never thought about. He said, 'The gospels give you a view of Jesus' divinity; his miracles and so forth. The Psalms is where we turn to learn Jesus' humanity.'

I'd never really thought of it like that... and I think it's still worth pondering. I do know that there is a depth of Jesus' emotion that we find in the Psalms. More to follow...

The Songs of Jesus

I'm about to begin reading Singing the Songs of Jesus by Michael Lefebvre. Though I haven't read past the cover yet, something already stands out to me. Have you ever thought about the songs Jesus sang? What words comforted Him when He was sad? What poetry did He meditate on? The Psalms aren't just songs about doctrine, about theology, or even about Christ. They are more. They are also Christ's songs. He sang them. He meditated upon them. He lived them.

There are two passages that have made me think about this. One is Matthew 26:30.

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

What song did they sing after the first Lord's Supper? There can be little doubt that they sang from one (or more) of the Psalms. Many of the Psalm headings in the Septuagint use the word "hymn". And what would be better fitting for Jesus and his disciples to sing during the Passover season than the songs that feastgoers had sung for generations?

The second passage is Hebrews 2:11-12.

11 ... That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise."

The "he" in this passage is Jesus. The quotation is ascribed to Jesus. It is something Jesus is "saying". But notice the words... it is Psalm 22:22. The writer to the Hebrews is saying that Psalm 22:22 is Jesus' words. Now notice what Jesus says, "in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise". Jesus sings with the congregation! He sings the Psalms in the midst of His people. This is what excites me about "the songs of Jesus". They are His songs, but because we are His they are our songs, too.

Have you never read?

In my reading for my upcoming gospels class I came across the parable of the tenants. This parable of Jesus is recorded in parallel accounts in Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, and Luke 20:9-18. In the story a king is away and leaves his vineyard to tenants. He sends servants to gather the harvest from the tenants but they are beaten, dishonored, or killed. The landowner then sends his son whom the tenants kill. The part of these passages that struck me, though, was the passage Jesus ends with. He quotes from Psalm 118.

22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

It is obvious that the Pharisees and the chief priests were among those that heard these parables because they knew that it was them that Jesus was speaking against. These were the people who took pride in their study of the scriptures. Surely they had read this Psalm. Doubtless they had chanted or sung this Psalm as it is the last of the Psalms sung during Passover, the great Hallel. Notice how Jesus introduces it, "Have you never read...?" Notice the irony. Of course they've read it! They've sung it. They should know it. And yet what Jesus is pointing out is that they missed the point of it.

The point of Psalm 118:22 is that Jesus is the cornerstone, or the head of the corner. He defines where the boundary of the walls will be. He was rejected, though, by the Jewish leaders of his day and sent to death by them.

There were two things that struck me as I was reading this parable of Christ. First, this Psalm is about Him. It had always been about Him. It was about Him for the many years that the Psalm was sang during Passover. It is about Him as Christians sing it today. Second, we need to remind one another that this Psalm is about Him. Just as the Pharisees and chief priests may have read the words but failed to see the Christ standing before them, we can have hearts that are hardened to the true Christ who is revealed in the Psalms. But for those all who have hearts that have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, we can sing in this Psalm of Christ, the cornerstone, but also the rejected one; the sufferer.

For further study, see how the Apostlic writers continued to preach and write about Psalm 118:22. Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:7.