I was reminded of this recently as I listened to a 2013 sermon from pastor , theologian , author Timothy Keller ( 1950-2023 ). You can find the whole sermon “ God of the Nations ” ( posted on 20th Nov 2024 as an episode of the “ Gospel in Life ” podcast ) here . After you ’ ve finished reading this article , I encourage you to click that link and listen . Great stuff ! Especially for those of us who could use a good reminder of why we lead sung worship .
Keller preaches from Psalm 96 . This is a very popular Psalm and ( unlike many others ) is very positive and upbeat throughout . You may know it well . It ’ s the Psalm that starts with :
Sing to the Lord a new song ; sing to the Lord , all the earth .
Sing to the Lord , praise his name ; proclaim his salvation day after day .
( I ’ ll include the whole of Psalm 96 at the end of this article . Please read it at least once . Meditate on it . Be encouraged ).
The “ Gospel in Life ” sermon is about much more than just singing , but at a midpoint of the message - and referring directly to Psalm 96 - Tim Keller tells us to …
“ Sing ! Over and over this Psalm calls us to sing . … You might say ‘ Yes , that ’ s wonderful but this is just a metaphor ’… No , I actually think … you are being told here , you are being commanded here , you are being directed here to literally sing God ’ s praises with your voice .”
( If you want to catch just that moment of the sermon for yourself , listen from 16 minutes 15 seconds for about a minute ).
More than just accepting the reality of God ’ s glory , Keller teaches that true worshippers will “ relish ” the glory of God and take God ’ s glory into the middle of our hearts . Keller believes ( and I agree with him ) that …
“ One of the main ways of doing that is to literally sing .”
Keller also shares a wonderful quote from early Church theologian and philosopher Saint Augustine ( aka Augustine of Hippo ) that I ’ ll now share with you too . Even though many sincere followers of Jesus today do not often give much thought to the Early Church “ Saints ”, some of their writings from long ago can still carry great weight . This one from Augustine does for me and maybe it will for you too :
“ I perceive that our minds are more devoutly and earnestly elevated into a flame of piety by the holy words themselves when they are thus sung , than when they are not ; and that all affections of our spirit , by their own diversity , have their appropriate measures in the voice and singing .”
~ Saint Augustine ( 354 – 430 AD )
If you ’ re like me , some of Saint Augustine ’ s old style of language might make his meaning a little unclear . This was written a long time ago and originally in Latin after all ! So , with that in mind ( and with only a little help from Timothy Keller ) please accept my best effort to bring Saint Augustine ’ s words into today ’ s vernacular . ( I only hope I am not trying to make him say what I want him to say ).
So here ’ s my , admittedly , a little loose , and amplified translation
I don ’ t fully understand how or why , but it seems to me that when we actually sing words of worship - rather than just saying , hearing or reading them - the words light a holy fire within us . As we wholeheartedly sing worshipful words , we become more sincere , more devoted , more passionate and more loving than if we just hear or say them . The words of worship that we use - our poetry that attempts to ascribe worth to Almighty God - come closer to the true worth of God when we sing them than if we just speak them . When we sing , we are more likely to be set ablaze for the glory of God ! Our spirits ’ yearnings are elevated and reach more closely to The Almighty .
I find it encouraging to know that a guy who lived just a few hundred years after Jesus was walking the earth in human form , felt the same - or at least similar things - about sung worship as I do today . I hope and pray that you ’ re encouraged too .
Psalm 96 ( NIV )
Sing to the Lord a new song ; sing to the Lord , all the earth .
Sing to the Lord , praise his name ; proclaim his salvation day after day .
Declare his glory among the nations , his marvelous deeds among all peoples .
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise ; he is to be feared above all gods .
For all the gods of the nations are idols , but the Lord made the heavens .
Splendor and majesty are before him ; strength and glory are in his sanctuary . Ascribe to the Lord , all you families of nations , ascribe to the Lord glory and strength .
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name ; bring an offering and come into his courts .
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness ; tremble before him , all the earth . Say among the nations , “ The Lord reigns .” The world is firmly established , it cannot be moved ; he will judge the peoples with equity . Let the heavens rejoice , let the earth be glad ; let the sea resound , and all that is in it .
Let the fields be jubilant , and everything in them ; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy . Let all creation rejoice before the Lord , for he comes , he comes to judge the earth . He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness .
Grant Norsworthy Grant is the founder of More Than Music Mentor - providing online & onsite training for the heart & the art of worshipping singers , instrumentalists & technicians . Grant ’ a passion is to IMPROVE musicality , INCREASE participation , INSTILL unity & INSPIRE worship in The Church worldwide . An Aussie who also lived in Nashville , TN , USA for 17 years as a pro CCM muso , today Grant lives and works from his Nelson New Zealand home base .
MoreThanMusicMentor . com Facebook . com / GrantNorsworthy
January 2025 Subscribe for Free ... 41