Category: Singing

SING FOR JOY!

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Shelby G. Floyd

The Scriptures teach that when the New Testament church comes together to worship, it is to speak reciprocally to one another, “…in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…” (Ephesians 5:18-19 NKJV). Many of the songs that we sing are written to teach and admonish each other of our duties to live the Christian life and to serve God with all of our being.

Teach and Admonish in Singing

For example, the apostle Paul wrote a neighboring congregation of the Ephesian church concerning their worship in song:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:16-17).

This is good lest we forget our duties to live the Christian life. We are to teach and admonish one another to do the very best that we can, but to do so in the name or by the authority of the Lord Jesus. In many churches what is going on in worship has no biblical authority of the Lord and his apostles. 

Sing in Praise and Thanksgiving

But there is also another aspect to our worship in song and that is to praise Almighty God and exalt his son Jesus Christ. King David is our best example in the Old Testament of continually praising God for all his wonderful attributes. As an example, I have taken note of several Psalms in my daily Bible reading that verifies praise and thanksgiving in our worship singing service. God is good and worthy to be exalted with all of our voices!

Sing and Shout Joyfully

For example, in Psalms 95 David pleads for God’s people to come before the Lord with joy, thanksgiving and even shouting with joy because God is so great and worthy of all our praise:

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods. (Psalms 95:1-3).

Sing To the Lord a New Song!

And in the next Psalm, David continues to plead with the people to, “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim good tidings of his salvation from day to day, tell of his glory among the nations, his wonderful deeds among all the people.” (Psalms 96:1-3).

We do not want our singing to be despondent and discouraging to those who come to worship the God of heaven and earth. We want our singing to be uplifting and encouraging to every worshiper of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every old song was a new song when the people starting singing it after it was published. Everyone like some new things and both the Old and New Testaments encourages us to sing some new songs!

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory (Psalms 98:1).

We look forward in anticipation to singing with joy in the congregational worship each Lord’s day.

Copyright © 2022 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

BIBLICAL MUSIC IN CHURCH WORSHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

 

The word “music” is a generic term and includes vocal and instrumental music. It occurs only one time in the New Testament. When the prodigal son returned home he heard “music (Grk-sumphonia), and dancing” (Luke 15:25). “Music” is generic and includes all kinds of musical sounds. This has no reference to a worship service, but to social activities in the home. If this one use of the word music authorizes instrumental music in worship to God, then it follows that dancing, killing the fatted calf, etc., would be included also. Since this is the only New Testament passage which uses the generic term music, and since it does not authorize instrumental music in worship, then instrumental music in worship is not to be found in this passage. And therefore instrumental music in worship is not to be found in the New Testament! Continue reading “BIBLICAL MUSIC IN CHURCH WORSHIP” →

COME BEFORE GOD WITH JOYFUL SONGS

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Shelby G. Floyd

 

One of the Psalms of David helps prepare God’s people to worship him with joy and gladness of heart:

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs.”
Psalms 100:1-2

This congregation enjoys singing many of the old songs and many of the new songs. We are continually learning some new songs to add to the old songs we have sung for years. This is a good thing for our worship. Continue reading “COME BEFORE GOD WITH JOYFUL SONGS” →

THE SINGING IN THE WORSHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

“The Singing in the Worship,” is the topic of our lesson. In the worship of the Heartland congregation our singing is outstanding. Everyone is encouraged to continue to sing praises to God with all of your heart. It has been said,

“One of the advantages of pure congregational singing
Is that you can join in whether you have a voice or not.
The disadvantage is that your neighbor can do the same.”
–Charles Dudley Warner

All Christians are commanded to sing whether we have a great voice or not. Everyone can “sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). This is good and acceptable and pleasing in God’s sight. Continue reading “THE SINGING IN THE WORSHIP” →

SINGING PRAISE IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH

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Shelby G. Floyd

Hebrews 2:10-13
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again:
“I will put My trust in Him.”
And again:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
NKJV

Continue reading “SINGING PRAISE IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH” →

THE MUSIC IN CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

Sing and sing

The word “music” is a generic term and includes vocal and instrumental music. It occurs only one time in the New Testament. When the prodigal son returned home there was “music (sumphonia–ςυμφωνια), and dancing” (Luke 15:25). “Music” is generic and includes all kinds of musical sounds. This has no reference to a worship service, but to social activities in the home. If this one use of the word music authorizes instrumental music in worship to God, then it follows that dancing, killing the fatted calf, etc., would be included also. Since this is the only New Testament passage which uses the generic term music, and since it does not authorize instrumental music in worship, then instrumental music in worship is not to be found in this passage. Continue reading “THE MUSIC IN CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP” →

Let Us Sing Joyful Songs

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Shelby G. Floyd

psalm-100-vs-1-2
Credit: Google Images

One of the Psalms of David helps prepare God’s people to worship him with joy and gladness of heart:

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Psalms 100:1-2
NKJV

This congregation enjoys singing many of the old songs and many of the new songs. We are continually learning some new songs to add to the old songs we have sung for years. This is a good thing for our worship.

When we learn new songs someone must teach them to us. We’re grateful to the talented men who can do this so effectively. And we must listen to the new songs to learn the words, the rhythm, and the melody. With practice and repetition we can learn any new song and sing it effectively in our worship.

HE HAS PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH

David declared that “He has put a new song in my mouth,” in on one of his Psalms:

And he hath put a new song in my mouth,
even praise unto our God: many shall see it,
and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Psalms 40:3

Has God put a new song in your mouth? Has God put a new song in your heart? When we praise God, the songs should not only be in our mouth, but also in our heart! “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5: 19).

Let us notice where David spoke of how much he enjoyed singing a new song to the Lord. He also exhorted the people of his day to sing a new song in worship to God: “Sing unto him a new song” (Psalms 33:3). “O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth” (Psalms 96:1).

God wants the whole earth to sing new songs and joyful songs in praise and worship to him.

Shelby Preaching

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana

Copyright © 2008 2016 Shelby Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Worship in Singing Songs

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Shelby G. Floyd

singing_hymns

Jesus taught that in the new economy, God would seek true worshippers who would worship in spirit and truth: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The purpose of worship is to drive out the worldly and to think of the “other world.” Hence, worship must be driven by faith, and faith is founded in the truth of God’s word (John 17:17).

Someone wrote these words recounting the great value of the congregation worshipping God in an uplifting song service: Continue reading “Worship in Singing Songs” →