Category: Music

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Pentecost Hymn

Round the Lord in glory seated is a glorious Pentecost Hymn that we will be singing this Sunday at Providence to the familiar tune Ebenezer. You will recognize this tune if you have sung the beautiful hymn O, The Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus.

Round the Lord in glory seated,
Cherubim and seraphim
Filled His temple, and repeated
Each to each the alternate hymn:
“Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven,
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!”

Heav’n is still with glory ringing,
Earth takes up the angels’ cry,
“Holy, holy, holy,” singing,
“Lord of Hosts, the Lord most high.”
With His seraph train before Him,
With His holy church below,
Thus conspire we to adore him,
Bid we thus our anthem flow.

“Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven,
Earth is with its fullness stored;
Unto Thee be glory given,
Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Thus Thy glorious Name confessing,
We adopt thine angels’ cry,
“Holy, holy, holy,” blessing
Thee, the Lord of Hosts most high.

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Music as Art and Worship


Music has always enhanced worship. In fact, it is hard for anyone even to fathom what worshiping is without music. Music by its very nature is sacramental. It replenishes weary humanity with a touch of peace and sanity. Music calms the waves and changes the heart. But beyond and above all, music is prayer. It is spoken prayer. It is audible utterances of joy and terror. When fearful, music expresses what we cannot. When jubilant, music expresses what we cannot. The most miserable of all voices finds pleasure in music because though one cannot sing as eloquently, sounds crystallize what one feels. It makes of him a solitary choir with God in his audience.

Music is art; it is worshipful art. It takes on shapes and various forms. It combines harmony with melody; melody with harmony. All come together to form one sole voice of praise. Cursed is the one who finds little value in music. But blessed is he who walks in the tune of the Lord. Augustine writes, “Qui cantat, bis orat.” Fellow Christian, to sing once is to pray twice.

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Songs of Defeat

Peter Leithart comments on the role of hymnody in our churches. He argues that modern hymnody has embraced 19th century escapist mentality. No longer are we declaring the triumph of the church or that the gates of hell shall not prevail, rather we are exalting solely the world to come. Accordingly, some are denying the Christian responsibility given by God at creation to “have dominion over all things” (Genesis 1:28).

In fact, this attitude is so central to their worship that some have abandoned all hope of any victory here. Political and Cultural wars they say, are not to be fought. After all, this world belongs to the god of this age, not the Creator of the cosmos. For some, the first coming of our Lord was not sufficient to establish a growing dominion. Rather, we are to earnestly pray for a second coming to bring all things under His reign. This is a mishandling of the biblical data. God in all His glory has promised to give a people unto His Son and that all will be subdued under His righteous authority (I Corinthians 15:24-26). Echoing Leithart’s comments on hymnody, let us sing songs of victory in great faith that Christ will rule through His church to the glory of the Father.
See Peter Leithart’s article: Victory Songs

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I Repent by Derek Webb

I repent
(words and music by derek webb)

i repent, i repent of my pursuit of america’s dream
i repent, i repent of living like i deserve anything
of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
in our suburb where we’re safe and white
i am wrong and of these things i repent

i repent, i repent of parading my liberty
i repent. i repent of paying for what i get for free
and for the way i believe that i am living right
by trading sins for others that are easier to hide
i am wrong and of these things i repent

bridge
i repent judging by a law that even i can’t keep
of wearing righteousness like a disguise
to see through the planks in my own eyes

i repent, i repent of trading truth for false unity
i repent, i repent of confusing peace and idolatry
by caring more of what they think than what i know of what we need
by domesticating you until you look just like me
i am wrong and of these things i repent