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Singing
with the Understanding By
Randy Cavender Singing
is an important part of our worship services. However, too many do not
understand the songs that we sing. No, I am not talking about notes, note
values, measures, clefs, and staffs. I am speaking about the words that we sing.
Paul instructed the Corinthians, "What
is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with
the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the
understanding" (1 Cor. 14:15). 1 would like to pose the
question, what does it mean to sing with the understanding? The
term “understanding,” here, means: “The intellect, i.e., mind (divine or
human; in thought, feeling, or will)." Therefore to sing properly we must
use our intellect or our minds. I dare say that too many of us very rarely look
at the words of the songs we sing. We use our emotions to judge whether a song
might be spiritual or not. As Christians, we must look at the words and
understand what they mean to understand them. Several years ago, the preacher
where I grew up asked the question, "What does the word 'Ebenezer'
mean?" Hey, I didn't know. Most of the brethren present did not know.
However, in the song, "O Thou Fount of Every Blessing," we sing,
"Here I raise my Ebenezer." If I don't know what the word means, was I
singing with the understanding? (Do you know what "Ebenezer" means?)
Thus, I must use my intellect to sing with the understanding. Are
the songs we sing scriptural? We must decide if the words, phrases and thoughts
are according to what the Bible teaches. Many like to sing songs like "It
Won't Be Very Long" and "Jesus is Coming Soon." When
denominational preachers preach that Jesus is coming soon and that his coming is
near or not very long, I believe they are teaching the doctrine of
Premillennialism, a doctrine contrary to the scriptures. One might object and
say, "We don't know when Christ is coming." That is exactly right. The
reason we don't know is that the scriptures have not revealed it. We cannot say
that it won't be long or soon. We can't say that it will be many, many years
from now. The Scriptures teach: "But of
that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father
only" (Matt. 24:36). Again,
the danger is that we don’t look at the words of the songs we sing. I dare say
that as Christians we hardly look at any of the words. Sometimes we sing songs
that make liars out of us. We sing "Toiling On" while we do nothing.
We sing "I Surrender All" while not giving up a thing. We sing
"Onward, Christian Soldiers” as we turn and run at the first sign of
danger. Do
you see my point? I hope SO! The Lord taught that we must worship God "in
spirit and in truth." (John 4:24). Our spirits or minds must be
in our worship. We must understand the prayers being prayed, the sermons being
preached, we must understand the purpose of the Lord's Supper and, my brethren,
we must "sing with the spirit,
and…also sing with the understanding" (1 Cor. 14:15)
& We
Teach What We Sing By
Bob Myhan As
we look at this subject, we need to keep in mind that, since “it
is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer.
10:23), we would not know how to please God, in worship, unless He revealed such
to us (1 Cor. 2:11). Hence, we must look to that which God has revealed on the
subject of singing in order to know how to please Him in this area of our
worship. Some may think they can please God in a way God has not revealed, but
our thoughts are not God’s thoughts; nor our ways His ways (Isa. 55:8-9). Notice
Paul's charge to the saints at Notice
also Paul's charge to the Colossians on the subject of singing (Col.
3:16). We are to teach and admonish one another in the psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs. The ideas contained in the words do the teaching and
admonishing. The song is the vehicle by which the sentiments are conveyed to the
heart of those who hear and understand. We are to sing with grace in our hearts
to the Lord. That is, the melody of the lips must come from and fill the heart.
Also, the words sung must be the outgrowth of the word of Christ in the heart. Inasmuch
as we teach what we sing, we should be careful both of the songs we sing and of
the songs to which we listen. Consider, again, the point made in the previous
article. “Are
the songs we sing scriptural? We must decide if the words, phrases and thoughts
are according to what the Bible teaches.” The
fact that a song, hymn or spiritual song is pretty or easy to sing is not a
valid reason for singing it. We must consider whether or not the ideas conveyed
by its words of the song are scriptural. If the words of a song teach error,
then we teach error by singing it. However,
some songs may, by one person, seem to teach error and, by another, seem to
teach truth. The song, “Into My Heart,” may seem by one to be encouraging an
alien sinner to pray for salvation. Another may not think this. And, while one
person may associate “Jesus Is Coming Soon” and “It Won’t Be Very
Long” with Premillennialism, another may not. The terms, “soon” and
“long” are relative. Jesus’ coming is certainly sooner now that it was in
the first century. So it won’t be very long now as compared to then. If
one cannot sing a particular song “in faith,” he should not sing it (Rom.
14:23). But neither should he judge as a sinner his brother or sister who can
sing it! So long as that brother or sister does not hold to the error he
associates with that song. Nevertheless,
some songs do seem to contradict inspired statements. There are songs, for
example, which allege that Jesus “died in my place” or “died in my
stead.” But, since the Scriptures state that “it is appointed for men to die
once” (Heb. 9:27), Jesus did not die in my place; nor in anyone else’s. All
will die, except for those who are alive at His coming (1 Thess. 4:13–18). Those
who lead the congregation in singing have a solemn responsibility to choose
scriptural psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. And no one should be criticized
for having concerns about a particular song.
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