"I really am about to worship you. Really"
At Blogotional John Schroeder riffs on the absurdity of certain praise songs (in John's post you can read the lyrics of one of them). Here is John's take on one song whose lyrics are all about how the singers are going to praise God:
Update: There are a couple of good counter-points on this topic in the comments section.
Another update: John has expanded on his original post.
Praise is about God, not us. Note the words "I," and "my" and how they are repeated over and over. It seems to me that genuine praise might start there, but that those words would soon leave the lexicon of praise.Right. John also reminds us of the need, in the midst of songs proclaiming what we will give God, for giving him all we are.
Update: There are a couple of good counter-points on this topic in the comments section.
Another update: John has expanded on his original post.
posted by Milton Stanley at 5:45 AM
9 Comments:
Milton, I'm only half in agreement with you and John on this one. I think John is basically right in what he says about worship, but aren't the Psalms themselves chock full of the first-person pronoun. For example, Ps. 7:17 -- "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High."
I think there are lots of similar verses. We can't escape the I-word, and its presence is not in itself a sign of an overly self-centered perspective. When we sing "I will worship and praise the Lord" we are declaring his praiseworthiness, and committing ourselves to lives of praise. Is that so bad?
Bob stole my thunder on this one.
We can truly only worship from our own perspective, right? So the first person is going to be there. The songs which worry me are the ones which never make it past that point.
I see the same issue in my hymnal as well. "Nearer My God to Thee", "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", "My Faith Looks Up to Thee"...
Bob (and R-E), I'm glad you gave the other side on this issue, because your point is valid. Yes, the first-person pronoun is not necessarily a bad thing in worship, and as you point out the Psalms are full of them. So are the old hymnals, as R-E points out.
I think John's post does have some validity, though, in pointing out how me-centered worship can become. Another point about the song John quoted is that it talks all about what the worshippers are going to do ("I will worship")without actually coming out and praising God as King, redeemer, etc.
It's all too easy to snipe at how other Christians worship, and I may well be guilty of that in this post. I was really convicted yesterday by the "Me-Church" post and video at www.oldtruth.com> I'm convinced there's way too much me-ism in the church, but it's possible the criticism of this particular song is unfair.
MMR: "How Great Thou Art" is a good example of a song that uses first-person pronouns throughout yet keeps the emphasis firmly on God. Thanks for adding to the discussion. Milton
Dear Milton,
Yes, valid points all around. Where to go?
This all speaks to my many pet-peeves about worship. For example, rarely, if ever, is it noticed that the Doxology (Awake Oh My Soul To The Sun/Old 100th) is directed at every one but God. In fact, it is rife with command: it directs us to do something, namely, praise God (from whom all blessings flow). Similarly, I believe the Hebrew "Hallelujah" is not a praise word, but an exhortation to go and praise God - Praise ye the Lord. It tells us to do something other than say "Hallelujah."
When David writes in the Psalms "I will give thanks ... and sing praise...," those words themselves are not praise. They only tell us what David is going to do: he's going to do something other than say those words.
I don't walk up to my wife and say, "I praise you." No, I praise her by stating the truth about who she is; about what she does, what she means. Praise and truth are inseparable. And I don't worship my wife by saying, "I worship you." I worship my wife by living my life for her pleasure and in her will; losing myself in her needs, wants, desires. (I use this as an example; my wife is not an idol, though she is worthy of such adoration and devotion.)
Even the word "thanks" has lost its meaning: if I am to overflow with thanksgiving, as Paul exhorts, does that mean I overflow by saying "thanks?" Isn't "thanks" a noun labeling something I do and give? Is not thanks again merely the expression of truth, in this case, the truth about God in how He relates to us? Saying "thanks" to God for our bounty is not quite the same as saying, "Lord, I have nothing without you. Your gifts to me are undeserved, and I would be consumed by hell without them. I receive them, knowing that I am indebted to you forever for these mercies. You are indeed the good and wondrous God, and I am your son. My heart overflows with love for your love, your grace, your kindness. Help me to live a life that honors the image I bear on my soul."
There is an incredible amount of narcissism in much contemporary Christian lyricism; as there is the idolatry of certain emotional states. I am appalled by the hypnotic qualities of praise songs sung in gross repetition, apparently in an effort not so much to invoke God's presence, but to generate a certain "feeling." I swear, raise your hands up high for a long enough time and you will indeed feel something, namely, blood rushing from your arms and gathering in your chest, which might feel quite good. Egads, if I sing my own name over and over long enough I will surely feel something, perhaps even some sort of euphoria. (No, I don't want to do that.) I am convinced that worship is too often the thing that is being worshipped. Whether one adores the riffs (like a jazz improv led by the Holy Spirit) of the praise band, or one idolizes Rite C in the Book of Common Prayer, the temptation is to worship the medium and not the Mediator, nor the Father who sent Him.
Once, while singing praise choruses in church, I lost myself as I contemplated these simple words: "I am so happy, I am so happy ... I've got the love of Jesus in my heart." What does that mean? Does it mean that I've got Jesus' love of me (directed at me) in my heart? Does it mean that I have in my heart the love of Jesus, that love I direct at Him? Or does it mean that I have in my heart the love of Jesus which is directed at others in humble service and acts of kindness? Do I even think of these things? Am I even capable of meaning all three things simultaneously? Or do I not really care about what I am singing at all?
But I overwrite. Sorry.
Peace to you,
Gnade
PS. When I have thanked you for your kind words, I mean more than "thanks." I mean that you have built me up; that you have edified me; that you have made me stronger. That's what I mean. Please, forgive the abused and diminutive "thanks."
Good observations, Bill. I particularly liked the paragraph where you talk about blood rushing to the head and the idea of worshipping worship.
It's indeed the narcissism we need to rise above. One song like John describes is not a problem--but a whole service of songs about worship and ourselves, week after week, certainly is.
As a tangential thought, I appreciate your comments about the BCP. I was always a Rites A and C man myself (give me the extremes of traditional and free-form, not the corners-smoothed contemporaneity of Rite B) and may have idolized one or both in my early adulthood.
Peace.
I am so tired of some "self-proclaimed" leaders in the worship and music arena who feel the need to climb upon the high horse called "selfish worship" - or whatever name you choose for this absurdity.
Yes, a lot of songs use "I, Me, My." Some songs are BLATANT selfish expressions. Some are not. How do we decided which is which? WE DON'T! That's the beauty of it - GOD DOES.
I don't know if David was being "selfish" when he used the words "I, Me, My." Do you? No. But God does because God knows David's heart.
As you go about slamming contemporary songs for this heresy called "I, Me, My" I encourage you to do the same with some of our more valiant hymns - the "great ones" we sing over and over again... I can name a few off the top of my head, but I'd love to see what you come up with - you know, since we're discounting these great songs of faith that lovers of Christ have written...
By the way - just so you (and others) know - - I am in COMPLETE agreement that far too many of us today have fallen into the idolotrous trap of worshiping worship. But the ANSWER to that is NOT in the songs we sing... that's only the obvious tip of the iceberg - - there are far deeper issues to concern ourselves with related to the idolotry of worship.
Thanks for adding to the discussion, Dan. All the best for your work at Common Saints.
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