I've been slacking on what are to be weekly posts about music. Totally meant to post yesterday but the holiday threw me off. So here's another Music Monday on a Tuesday. For the next few weeks, I'll just be sharing music I'm listening to right now along with some short commentary. I've featured this group plenty on this blog, and their newest album was a recent iTunes purchase of mine. This particular song has been haunting me a little ever since I first heard it on the radio. It's title and chorus seem to be some strong declaration. And then you get to the verses and realize it's lamenting false confidence and false belief in you having a corner on the Truth. At least, that's how I'm hearing it.
It's a song worth meditating on, especially for me as a pastor.
Psalm 23 is one of the most loved and cherished passages in the entire Bible. I remember memorizing it as a kid at church and being fascinated with the imagery it portrays.
I have little doubt that it's popularity is due to the wide range of circumstances to which it applies.
Feeling blessed? Be thankful that the Lord leads us to "lie down in green pastures".
Struggling with despair? Seek the Lord who is the only one who can truly "restore my soul".
Unsure about a decision? Seek the Lord who "leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
Facing a fearful situation, even death? Cling to the hope that even in the "valley of the shadow of death" "You are with me".
Wary of the future? Know that if you follow the Good Shepherd, the Lord's "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life".
Few passages so succinctly cover such a wide gamut of the human experience. No wonder we love it so much. It offers us timely wisdom for whatever time we find ourselves in.
It is a very long text. 176 verses - longer than 21 (!) books of the Bible. It's overriding theme is it's admiration of God's Word. I don't have time (nor the desire) to get into issues of Inspiration, Inerrancy, Canonization, Preservation, or any other related subject (see Millard Erickson's classic Christian Theology if you want to dive into the deep end of that pool). What I do have time and desire for - emulating Ps. 119 by exulting the wonderful Word of God. Quick rabbit trail: It's not about the words on a page. It's about connecting with our Creator. God's Word is the vehicle by which we communicate, listen to, learn from, and commune with our Lord. We enjoy so much in the West. Freedoms, resources, riches, opportunities...our most underrated privilege is our access to this transforming Word. Let's not take it for granted, let's hide it in our heart, and incorporate it into our entire lives. It is life.
I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I would be skipping a Music Monday as we studied a Lament Psalm - Ps. 13 - yesterday. Finding a family-friendly music selection seemed unlikely. Nothing on Christian radio (or pop radio for that matter) would fit the category of "Lament". After all, who wants to listen to music that reminds you of funerals, famines, or frustrations? Well, thanks to this blog post, I discovered there are some options available. One in particular stands out to me - probably due to the fact that I think I have heard it on Christian radio. And it turns out, lots of people wanted to listen to music that was lamenting. So here is Gungor, with "Beautiful Things":
