Pastor John joined as lead Pastor at Concordia in Late 2021, relocating from Southern California. He nrings with him his wife Angela and two daughters.
A couple of months ago, my wife and I rented the movie, Conclave. It was a fascinating drama about the process the Roman Catholic Church goes through to elect a new pope. It gives imaginative insight into a mysterious process. Shortly thereafter, Pope Francis died. I...
“My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” Psalm 121:2 The phrase above is so short and simple, you probably have just memorized it by reading it. That’s good. It’s not “Jesus wept” good, but almost. The short phrases of Scripture can still have a...
Easter is just around the corner. I’ve always liked Easter. The gift baskets, bright and cheerful colors, and brunch with the family after church (hopefully, at the “all-you-can-eat” buffet!). It’s also one of two days of the year that everyone shows up to...
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Have you ever walked into a store or market and heard a song that stuck in your mind even after you left? It might have been a song you like. It might have been a song that drives you crazy, and you wish you hadn’t heard it. I guess that’s why the kids nowadays put those AirPods in their ears. They prefer the playlist they create to one that is forced on them by the store.
At any rate, music seems to be all around us. We have even put tunes on our phones as ring tones. I guess people like music.
They always have. Even way back to the time of King David of Israel (and way before his time, too), people enjoyed music. It connects with our humanity in a totally unique way. Educators use music to teach concepts. How many of you remember “School House Rock” from the 70’s? “I’m just a bill, yes, I’m only a bill and I’m sitting here on ___________.” You finished it, didn’t you?
That’s because music is linked to the memory. It does it better than rote memorization. I remember the tune to the Lord’s Prayer from the Catholic Masses I attended as a child. Note for note.
I suppose that is why it isn’t surprising that the Psalms were written to known folk tunes. In fact, the book of Psalms is known as, “The Hymnbook of the Old Testament”.
Here are the opening notes to Psalm 4, for example: “To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.” Or Psalm 7, which reads, “A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.” Or Psalm 22, “To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.”
Unfortunately for us, we don’t have the melodies for these Psalms, or any Psalms for that matter. They have been lost to history. You can find an example, however of how Numbers 6:22-27 might have sounded here:
The opening notes tell us that these were meant for liturgical worship. The fact that they were written in many cases, “To the Choirmaster” tells us so.
The Psalms became part of corporate worship, but they were also a gift that they would take with them throughout their work week. They sang them to themselves (either out loud or in their hearts) as they were working in vineyards, in workshops, at home or herding sheep. Certain Psalms had more meaning than others to individuals who could relate to the struggles of the Psalmist.
Notice, too, that many Psalms started out with the self, or “I”, but ended up praising God and acknowledging Him.
There are Psalms which call for God’s deliverance. Others thank Him for His deliverance. Still others express a range of emotions expressed to God directly. In this, the Psalms are also a prayerbook.
The gospel is contained in the pages. In other words, singing the Psalms was a way to preach the Gospel to oneself. To comfort oneself, and to remind oneself that God is your deliverer.
They were always intended for this purpose. Because the word of God, in all its forms, is the word of life for the people of God.
To His glory alone,
Amen