IS MUSIC JUST A TRANSITION?

I’ve heard some suggest this idea that the praise music on Sundays is really just preparation for the sermon. It’s simply a transition from one thing to the next. There is a sense, at times, that the music is just extra, or optional. And there may be some who don’t mind coming in a bit late on Sunday mornings because the music portion seems less important.

Well, my hope is that this doesn’t describe your attitude towards singing together, but at times I think we can all lose sight of just how important this time of worship really is. However, we see the importance of singing joyfully to the Lord displayed throughout the Scriptures.

King David sang with all Israel, in celebration, when the ark of the covenant was brought back to Israel (2 Sam 6:5). In fact, David set apart gifted men to lead the music in the temple of the Lord (1 Chron. 6:31). It was important enough for God to command us to “Come before Him with joyful singing (Ps 100:2).” Jesus took time to sing a hymn with his disciples on the night he was betrayed and arrested (Mat 26:30). In prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns together before the listening ears of the other prisoners (Acts 16:25). And in the future, we see a glimpse into heaven where all creatures sing in the presence of God (Rev 5:12-13).

From beginning to end, singing to the Lord has always been part of God’s design for humanity. It is an expression of praise for all that God is, and all that He has done. It is also something that we can do together as the body of Christ. Together, in one Spirit, we can praise the Lord.

So my encouragement for us all this coming Sunday is to pray about, look forward to, and fully engage in our time of worship through song.

SUNDAY SONGS

Below are the songs we’ll be singing together this Sunday. You can listen to them on Spotify or Youtube throughout the week and sing along. You can also download the lyrics to these songs here.

Listen on YOUTUBE
Listen on SPOTIFY

Songs for Sunday, May 21:

1. God So Loved
2. God Is For Us
3. His Mercy Is More
4. O Praise The Name
5. Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery

HIS MERCY IS MORE

This song was written by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa in 2016. The inspiration of this song was from one of John Newton’s sermons from 1767. Here is an excerpt of that message:

“Are not you amazed sometimes that you should have so much as a hope, that, poor and needy as you are, the Lord thinketh of you? But let not all you feel discourage you. For if our Physician is almighty, our disease cannot be desperate and if He casts none out that come to Him, why should you fear? Our sins are many, but His mercies are more: our sins are great, but His righteousness is greater: we are weak, but He is power.”

Below are the lyrics for this song, and you can click here for a full article on the song’s history.

Verse 1
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Verse 2
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Verse 3
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Chorus
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

This hymn reminds us of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Romans, “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Rom. 5:20) What incredible truth! I don’t know about you, but this is a necessary reminder for me. I need to hear about God’s grace and mercy that is greater than my sin. And I need to hear about it often. Let us praise the Lord with awe and gratitude as we praise Him who has forgiven; to the one who has paid it all; to the one who continues to pour out his grace upon us.

Can’t wait for Sunday!