Flowing Worship – (Psalm 95:1-7)

Psalm 95:1-7

At the end of the twentieth century a vast revolution in praise swept through the churches all over the world. Pastors, worship leaders, and ordinary believers had to come face to face with the powerful force of change — a force that for some brought renewal and joy, and in others produced fear and discontent. Either way, no one could escape the debate over “hymns or choruses.” There were some churches that entirely threw hymns out of their services. Others, more conservative, kept the hymns while allowing in a few choruses as well. What is the answer to this debate? I believe it is called “blended worship” — neither the hymns nor the choruses are to be discarded, because both have their strengths and weaknesses, and both make their own distinctive contribution to the richness and variety of our worship. And so, instead of falling into extremes, it is better to seek the happy balance between the two styles.

WHY SHOULD WE GO ON SINGING HYMNS?

Choruses are like fireworks. They suddenly flash across the sky, but then quickly fade and have to be replaced with others. Hymns, by contrast, shine steadily, like stars. Even though the stars are light-years away from us, their light still pierces the earth’s atmosphere and lights up the night sky. Hymns are full of theological truths, presented poetically and melodically in such a way that they can be understood and remembered easily. Hymns have stood the test of time. They offer a far richer variety of themes and content than most choruses. There is a fitting hymn for almost every sermon, occasion, doctrine, and experience. There is a hymn for every human condition. Are you sad and downcast? There are hymns to cheer and encourage you. Are you glad? There are hymns with which to express your joy. This is so because many of the hymns reflect the struggles of soul their authors went through.

For example, the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” was written by Horatio Spafford after three great tragedies in his life. The first was the death of his only son. The second was the loss of all his property during the great Chicago fire of October 1871. He had been a rather wealthy businessman. The fire, however, took everything from him. Shortly after this, he sent his wife and daughters to rest in Great Britain, where they were to join the evangelist D. L. Moody. Some urgent business kept him from boarding the same ship. Sadly, on November 22, 1873, their ship, the “Ville du Havre,” collided with another vessel and sank within twelve minutes. Spafford’s four daughters perished. So while he was preparing to join his family, he received a telegram from his wife Anna, which read: “Saved alone.” Distraught and broken, Spafford boarded the first available ship to go to his wife. As the ship passed near the place where his daughters had died, the Holy Spirit inspired him to write the words of the song:

When sweet peace like a river refreshes my soul,
Or sorrow like a wave breaks over me,
Christ, You teach me to say humbly:
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Notice how vivid and graphic the words “sorrow like a wave breaks over me” are. They speak of the eternal hope that believers have, no matter what pain and suffering befall them on earth. Even after so many tragedies, the Holy Spirit gave Spafford the strength to write: “Whatever my lot, all things work together for my good, because I love God.”

Studying the circumstances in which a given hymn was written is truly moving. Knowing the stories that lie behind the hymns helps us to love and treasure them even more. They are our heritage.

Hymns are part of New Testament worship. In Matthew 26:30 we read that Christ sang a hymn:

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:30)

In Acts 16:25 we read that Paul and Silas prayed to God with hymns. In the letter to the Ephesians 5:19 and to the Colossians 3:16, there is talk of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are instruments through which the Word of Christ “dwells” in us.

What are the criteria for a good hymn:

1. A faith-building character
2. Doctrinal soundness
3. Faithfulness to the Scriptures
4. An expression of real experience — songs are strong when they are grounded in strong experience
5. An easily memorable opening
6. Singability — easy to sing
7. Unity of theme
8. Timelessness — it does not go out of fashion
9. It directs the thoughts toward God

WHY SHOULD WE NOT STOP SINGING CHORUSES?

After we have said so many good things about the hymns, does this mean we should reject the choruses? No. Because just as the hymns do some things better, so the choruses in turn do other things better. Both are needed; both enrich us.

HYMNS AND CHORUSES EDIFY US DIFFERENTLY

Choruses surpass hymns in their “verticality.” With them the attention of the people is directed almost the whole time toward God.

THE PHASES OF FLOWING WORSHIP

To worship means to begin to become aware of the holiness of God, to fill our mind with the truth of God, to purify our imagination with the beauty of God, to open our heart to the love of God, and to surrender our will to the fulfilling of the purposes of God.

Flowing worship has six phases, which follow the development of Psalm 95:1-7. In English this type of worship is called “flowing” or “free-flowing worship.” I call this worship “flowing,” first, because in it a person is prepared for a deeper experience with God. To reach intimate communion with God, one passes through several other phases. Second, in this kind of worship there are no pauses or interruptions between the individual songs. They simply flow one into another, so that everything becomes truly seamless.

1. Invitation, a call to praise (v.1)

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)

The idea of flowing worship is that a person cannot suddenly plunge into deep worship. He needs preparation in order to experience a genuine encounter with God. That is why flowing worship begins simply with a call, an invitation to “sing” and to “shout aloud” and to glorify God. People join the worship in whatever state they are in, and gradually they begin to tune themselves for a deeper and deeper praise and worship. People cannot come to a service and immediately “plug into” intimate communion with God. They need time and preparation before they can express their worship before God.

This first phase of flowing worship is festive and lively. Here the songs may be accompanied with clapping. The distinctive feature of this first phase of worship is that here the words of the songs carry a message that is directed more toward the people and less toward God. The words of the songs in fact tell us what we are about to do. In this way they direct our focus toward God gradually and smoothly — without this having to happen by force or through verbal exhortation, scolding, and rebuke. Such songs are:

• I Will Sing of Your Love;
• Lift Up Your Hands;
• Sing with a Joyful Heart;
• This Is the Day;
• Praise the Lord, O My Soul;
• We Come to You with Song;
• Our King Is Lifted High;
• Let Us Praise God;

This phase should continue until the worship leader senses that he has already made good contact with the people and that everyone is beginning to concentrate for their encounter with God.

2. Engagement, joining in the praise (vv.2-3)

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. (Psalm 95:2)

In this phase people begin to draw near to God, and the words of the songs now begin to be addressed to God, and not to the people. Such songs are:

• We Bring You a Sacrifice of Praise;
• I Will Enter Your Gates with Thanksgiving;
• I Will Sing a New Song;
• I Will Praise Your Holy Name;

Espinosa likens this stage of worship to an engagement — the period before marriage in which the two young people already have serious intentions toward one another. In this phase the people are already attentive, serious, and begin to sing with feeling and with understanding of God.

3. Praise, extolling, glorifying God for what He has done (vv.3-5)

3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. (Psalm 95:3-5)

In this phase the people are already singing to God with strength. The words that are characteristic of this phase are: “worthy,” “great,” “reigns.” The melodies soar and, with their wide melodic range, create a sense of God’s majesty. Such songs are:

• Jesus, Savior;
• Let Jesus Be Exalted;
• I Was All Alone;
• God Works Wonders;
• God Made a Way;
• The Lord Reigns;

4. Worship, bowing before God, adoring God for who He is (v.6)

6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; (Psalm 95:6)

In this phase we already feel close to God, and the words of the songs become more personal: “You,” “mine,” “Christ.” Characteristic words are “honor,” “holy,” “wonderful,” and others. Songs in this category might be:

• I Exalt You;
• You Are My King;
• Jesus, How Wonderful You Are;
• Glory to Christ;
• My Soul Lifts You Up;
• We Give You Honor;

If in praise the emphasis is upon God’s greatness and transcendence (upon how much greater He is than man), then in worship the emphasis is upon God’s nearness to man and His desire to commune with us. If in the phases of engagement and praise we sing about God, in the phases of worship and intimate communion we sing to God.

5. Intimate communion, tenderness, closeness with God because of the covenant relationship we have with Him (v.7)

7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. (Psalm 95:7)

This is the quietest and most personal phase of flowing worship. One of the meanings of the Greek word for worship, “proskuneo,” is a kiss — like that repentant sinful woman who kissed the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Here we turn to God with the words: “Abba, Father.” Here the plural of the pronouns is often exchanged for the singular — “I” is more personal than “we.” Here there are usually no drums and percussion, but rather a classical guitar and a quiet organ. In order to reach this phase of truly deep worship, we need preparation. And that is exactly why flowing worship has its place in our services. Songs from this phase are:

• God, You Are Holy;
• Quiet in This Hour Now;
• I Want to Be with You Always;
• I Give All the Glory to You;
• Gently You Pass by Me;
• I Cannot Live Without You;

In this phase it is fitting even to have a certain time of silence in which each person may remain “alone” with God and simply delight in His presence.

6. Conclusion, the exit — this phase is not based on Psalm 95, but on the natural logic and course of flowing worship.

It is natural, after you have drawn so close to God through your spirit, to take a few steps back in order to come out. This phase helps us to come out of the state of intimate communion in which we have been and to tune ourselves for the next event in the service, whether that be testimonies, prayer, or the sermon. Songs in this phase might be:

• Every Day God Cares for Me;
• Hated and Judged;

Fitting here are songs of praise that are not too fast but relatively fast, and also hymns that are thematically connected to the sermon. You see that everything in “flowing” worship happens smoothly. It is like moving up against the current of a waterfall. Where the waterfall is, the water is fastest; farther up it is swirling; and still farther up it is almost calm and still. If we had to portray in some way the tempo of the songs in the different phases, it would be as follows:

• Invitation, engagement — a sprint (a gallop)
• Praise — a light run (a trot)
• Worship — walking
• Intimate communion — standing still, gazing into the distance

Flowing worship requires much greater and more thorough preparation than the singing of a few hymns. Moreover, in it all of us — both the worship leaders and the people in the congregation — must be far more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

A JOURNEY TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES

Flowing worship is like a journey to the Holy of Holies. It begins with personal testimonies in the camp, then we enter through the gates with thanksgiving, pass through the courts with praise, enter the Holy Place with worship, and reach the Most Holy Place, where we can have this intimate communion with God. And when we have finished, we turn and go out again through the courts with praise.