For the last several years I have tried to improve my worship in song by paying special attention to the words of the songs. While the musical notes are important and participating in four-part harmony singing is so rewarding, the focus in the Bible is on the relationship of my soul and my words.
Singing is described as “…singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). It is not that we are giving grace to Him, but we who have received His grace, sing with hearts filled with grace to Him.
A picture of this attitude toward Jesus is shown in Revelation chapter five. It describes how there is no creature in heaven or on earth worthy to open the book in God’s hand. Then, the Lamb of God appears to take the sealed book and starts to open it.
At that moment the heaven of heavens is filled with anthems of praise to the Lord. The twenty-four elders get off their thrones and bow down in worshiping the Lord. They have bowls filled the prayers of His saints, and they ascend as incense to the Lamb. They begin to sing, “You are worthy…”
But it doesn’t stop at this point. Suddenly a host of angels joins in singing the same song. How many angels were there in this choir? “The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands” (5:12). The very words of the song they sing are given. “Worthy is the Lamb to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessings.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Immediately every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and under the sea, and all that is in heaven and earth become part of this chorus of praise to the Lord. “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
But it doesn’t stop there. In 1930, Tillit S. Teddlie, a faithful brother in Christ and author of over 100 songs, penned the words to a song we used to sing more often, Worthy Art Thou. It captures the events of this heavenly scene in the first two verses. He then added these words in the last verse. “Lord, may we come before Thee with singing, Filled with Thy Spirit, wisdom and pow’r, May we ascribe Thee glory and honor, Worthy art Thou, Worthy art Thou.”
It is not the musical notes that really matter. The early Christians may have sung this with singing characterized by chanting. We sing it in four-part harmony. It is not the music.
Let me ask you, what is your favorite song? Is it your favorite because of the musical arrangement or because of the spiritual depth and grace it creates in your heart as you sing to the Lord? Think about this.