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KEEPING HOUSE FOR THE LORD
Written by H. Frank Fort

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"KEEPING HOUSE FOR THE LORD"

LESSON #20

"Singing" No.1

 Today we begin the study of the fifth, of the formal acts of worship that of singing in the House of God. Like all the other forms, which we have studied, that of singing may not be supported, nor prompted by a worshipping spirit. Only the redeemed are able to sing as an act of worship, but the acceptableness of their singing, as worship, depends on the spirit of the singer in the light of the truth. The "form of godliness" may exist without the "power of godliness", but "the power" does not exist without "the form". The "form" merely tells us how to do what God works in us "both to will and to do" Phil. 2:13. If this, "in working" is effectual, then "the power" corresponds to "the form " and the Father has found one to "worship in spirit (power) and in truth" (form) Jn. 4:23,24. Wherever men can say in truth:

·        "God is my salvation" Isa. 12:2, and say experimentally:

·        "The Lord Jehovah is my strength" Isa. 12:2 , they will also obey the commandment to

·         "sing unto the Lord" Isa. 12:5, in acknowledgment that "he hath done excellent things"

This order of truth leads to praise, and praise must be the vanguard of the Lord's people on the march.

·        This was true in the type, "In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah" Num. 10:14. When Israel was on the move, Judah, which name means "praise", went first, or led the way

·        This is true today. “Ye are…a holy nation…that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" 1 Pet. 2:9.

Notice in the type the tribes of Israel were to "assemble themselves…at the door of the tabernacle" Num. 10:3 before they were to "go to war" Num. 10:9. So must we, as "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" 2 Tim. 2:3. "Offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God" 1 Pet. 2:5 before we wield "the sword" Eph. 6:17, "the weapons of our warfare" 2 Cor. 10:4 in shewing "forth the praises of him" 1 Pet. 2:9, in whose name we proceed. In order to "shew forth the praises of him" with the spirit the truth requires, it is necessary that we first "offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God." Praises follow acceptable sacrifices. We have two outstanding examples of this in the Old Testament as related to our present study.

·        David had sinned against the Lord and out of his miserable state he cried, "blot out all mine iniquities, create in me a clean heart, O Lord; and renew a right spirit within me" Ps. 51: 9,10. This, David knew would be seen only of the Lord, while the effect of it would be observable to others. He said in vs. 6, "Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts." In view of sin in the lives of God's people, then, "The sacrifices of God are broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" Ps. 51:17. When God's people, because of their sins, approach God in this spirit, "he is faithful and just to forgive" 1 Jn. 1:9, and when he forgives. The result will be as in the case of David, "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners will be converted unto thee…my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness…and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise ". Ps. 51: 13,14,15.

·        Another example of the truth, that in order to "go to war" effectively, one must first assemble himself at the door of the Tabernacle in an acceptable way, is found in Num.14:41‑45. Israel had sinned against God and had not received forgiveness, yet presumed to go against her enemies. Moses said, "Go not up for the Lord is not among you…But they presumed to go up…Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them" Num. 14:42,44,45. None is qualified "to shew forth the praises of him" who is unable to "offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God". Judah goes forth in "praise" only after Israel has "assembled" in acceptable worship. So is it today. One does not sing himself into favor with God as an act of worship. He sings because he is in favor with God. The loss of fellowship is always due to sin, and sin furnishes no inspiration for "praise" in the heart of a Christian. The songs of Zion are not inspired on the devil's territory. Notice what David wrote in this respect. He anticipated the Babylonian captivity and wrote regarding a principle involved in the singing of the Lord's song.

·        Viewing Judah as captive in Babylon, her captors are represented as follows: "they (Babylon) required of us a song…saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion" Ps. 137:3.

Notice, "one of the songs of Zion". The songs of Zion were inspired by the deliverance of Israel, and sung in praise to God who had effected her deliverance. Thus Moses said, "I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously…The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name" Ex. 15:1,3. Miriam said, "Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously" Ex. 15:21. Singing thus stood connected with what God accomplished in behalf of His people. David said, "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory" Ps. 98:1. It was in view of the occasion of Israel's singing that the requirement of Babylon was so shameful to Judah in Ps. 137:3,4. In other words, Babylon is saying, you have always sung by reason of your God's triumphing over your enemies, now let us hear you sing. Judah knew that her enemy had triumphed, not because of Babylon's strength, but because of Judah's sins, thus Judah responded: "how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? Ps. 137:4. Judah thus confesses that to sing the Lord's song, one must be in the Lord's land. God did not give songs to his people who were in the enemies’ power by reason of their sins. During the tenure of the Mosaic system, neither does he give songs to his people today, who have "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" Eph. 5:11, but he does give "songs in the night" Job 35:10 to those who endure hardship for the truth's sake. The Psalmist said, "in the night his song shall be with me" Ps. 42:8. Paul and Silas demonstrated this in a Philippian jail with lacerated backs. They "sang praises unto God" Acts 16:25.

 Singing, therefore, is to be done by God's people in recognition of his glory and power, by which he "always causeth us to triumph" 2 Cor. 2:14. When singing is done, however, as an act of worship by the Church, two things are to be kept in mind

·        God is to be praised

·        The Church is to be edified

One can see therefore, that the singing of a lie cannot accomplish these things. The truth is to be sung, as well as preached, if God is to be praised, or the Church is to be edified. Paul said, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" 1 Cor. 14:15. Unless this is done, "the other is not edified" 1 Cor. 14:17, yet God commands that in singing, we are to be found, "teaching and admonishing one another…singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" Col. 3:16. Singing is not merely to be entertaining, it is to be worship, as to God, and edifying as to the children of God; if it fails in this respect it is sinful. If the song declares falsehood, it is not "teaching" Col. 3:16 the truth, God is not Honored, and his people are not blessed. The worship is vain. This is a serious matter. Many like a song because of the melody, and yet they would crucify a preacher if he proclaimed from the pulpit what the words of the song declare. Is a falsehood any less false because it is sung? Singing a lie doesn't transform it into truth, neither does God overlook it simply because they who sing get stirred up over the melody. Usually the spiritual comprehension of a Church can be measured by its singing of songs with a scriptural message, and by this standard most Churches should have been buried long ago.

 Now we have learned in the lessons on the other forms of worship in the Church, that through

·        Preaching , we get "under standing" 2 Tim. 2:7

·        Prayer, we "with Thanksgiving let (our) requests be made known unto God" Phil. 4:6

·        "Thanksgiving" because of what God is to us, and for blessings received, and

·        "Requests" because of what we are and because of what we "need" 1 Jn. 2:1,2

Heb. 4:15,16

·        Through "The Lord's Supper" we constantly remember and declare the sacrifice of Christ, thus keep before us the proof of God's love for us, 1 Jon. 3:16

·        In giving we are constantly reminded of God's ownership of all things, and now in

·        Singing, we are permitted to give expression to our enjoyment of the good things of the Lord in a way that is understood by all.

The human race has always told of its experiences in song, and its story is pretty well told out in the dolorous terms of frustration, loneliness, lost love and suffering. The Christian, however, is to sing on a triumphant note of victory through Christ. If he cannot thus sing, he does not sing at all as an act of worship. 

Next week we shall consider the New Testament references to singing as well as the scriptural right to use instrumental accompaniment in the worship.

Prepared by:

H. Frank Fort, Minister, 
Berean Baptist Church,
Houston, TX
Dec. 19 1956.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"