Imagine, if you will, that you are in the midst of a large congregation that included friends, neighbors, members and visitors, young and old, good people, along with the tares and carnal-minded, who had assembled together to worship Yahweh in singing unified praises to Him and hearing His Word spoken from the pulpit.
During the singing of one of the songs that Sunday, there was a lyric that conveyed something that was untrue about God,
The music, the singing, and the waving of the hands over “He’s never failed me yet” never missed a beat. When I got to “Yet,” it hit me like a rock! I could not sing it. I immediately thought of the irony of the situation. Here were a people with good intentions, generally speaking, singing praises to Yahweh but at the same time insulting His person – “yet,” suggesting the possibility He could fail in the future!
This didn’t catch God by surprise because of His attribute of omniscience or being all-knowing, but I was caught off guard being finite. I felt righteous indignation but sadness flooded my soul simultaneously. I was sick to my gut. Somebody failed to scrutinize the lyrics of that song, and now virtually, everyone, not all, was singing that which was not right about God.
Do you know how painful and challenging it is to even write about this? Do I think that some reading this will think of me as some nitpicking, self-righteous person being overly critical? Yeah, I do. I was troubled that so many were singing to God these words as if everything was copasetic. I knew it wasn’t; it couldn’t be for it was cutting against the grain of Scripture.
What was being sung was not true of God at all; it was misleading and encouraged possible doubt concerning the future. I had asked God if I was being overly critical? I was here to worship, not find fault with the service! I didn’t receive an answer from God right away. Then something very strange happened. It had God all over it.
What was being sung was not true of God at all; it was misleading and encouraged possible doubt concerning the future. I had asked God if I was being overly critical? I was here to worship, not find fault with the service! I didn’t receive an answer from God right away. Then something very strange happened. It had God all over it.
I had a friend visiting our church who was sitting right next to me. After the song was over and we sat down, he leaned into me and said, “They have to do something with that word, “Yet!” My jaw dropped! I felt as if God was speaking through my friend. How did he know I was troubled over that word “yet?”
Well, apparently, he was disturbed by it, too, and relayed his feelings to me, or was God relaying His feelings, too, through my friend? I perceived that God was answering my prayer through my friend. I took this to mean that I was not being overly critical and should be concerned.
Well, apparently, he was disturbed by it, too, and relayed his feelings to me, or was God relaying His feelings, too, through my friend? I perceived that God was answering my prayer through my friend. I took this to mean that I was not being overly critical and should be concerned.
“Thank you! Thank you for noticing,” I whispered to my friend, “You are spiritually perceptive.” It was a sad situation for believers to be singing something obviously untrue about God, but I was elated that the Lord answered my prayer over my concern of being what some might characterize as being holier than thou! Perhaps an article about this might be of some help to others to remind them of their responsibility to God in worship.
I rarely include my church in my articles, perhaps one other time that I can recall. Such articles tend not to make you very popular. Since our services are televised after editing and streamed live on its website and broadcasted on the radio, I felt there would be no conflict with what others already knew. I was not opening the closet door or letting the cat out of the bag; the church staff did that all on their own.
Those words of “He’s not failed me yet” were misleading and created an untrue hypothetical – He could still fail me in the future, though He has never failed me in the past. Is this not the meaning of this adverb, “thus far?” “He has never failed me yet or thus far suggested He might in the future. It created doubt or uncertainty about Yahweh’s character.
It was actually a counter-intuitive song in light of the sermon “to go all in for God!” Why should we go all in for a God who might fail us in the future? He hadn’t in the past but who knows what the future may hold? If there was an intentional strategy to choose songs that support the message, it failed here.
It was actually a counter-intuitive song in light of the sermon “to go all in for God!” Why should we go all in for a God who might fail us in the future? He hadn’t in the past but who knows what the future may hold? If there was an intentional strategy to choose songs that support the message, it failed here.
Words matter (cf. Lk 6:45), particularly in worship to God because God knows the heart (Jer 17:9, 10). The truth of the matter is that God has never failed anyone, anywhere, anytime. The writer of the song was theologically incorrect, and so were all those singing those words in a meaningful way or not, “He’s never failed me yet.” We can’t go existential and say well God knows my heart and you don't! I say, “Yes,” to both.
But let me ask you, “Do you think God is pleased with any of us singing praises to Him of something that is not right about Him at all?” Is He pleased by the praises of willful ignorance of Him revealed in corporate worship? The reality is that God does not receive glory from songs of praise that misrepresent His Person! This is treading on dangerous grounds. Let me illustrate the perilous path of saying things that are not right about God.
Though not involving a church service, Yahweh’s words to Job’s friends remind me of the serious nature of saying wrong things about God, whether in the midst of crisis or calm,
(Job 42:7, NAS) It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has [emphasis mine].
(Job 42:8 NAS) Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has [emphasis mine].
When we come to a Bible-believing church that proclaims the Gospel message, we expect for the preacher to say the right things about God because the church recognizes and acknowledges that the Bible is the supreme and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. Should this not be the same standard for the songs selected for worship?
The church that I attend preaches a unified message, but it is divided by musical preferences: traditional, contemporary, and blended, a combination of the two; I wonder if there will be three groups around the throne in glory representing traditional, contemporary, and blended styles…? God certainly wants His people not to be offended and to hang around the throne, doesn’t He! I think you know the answer to my facetiousness.
We can debate and segregate over music styles down here on terra firma until the cows come home or the rapture, probably the latter, but regardless of which one is preferred, it is vital that the lyrics are in lockstep with the Scriptures; no matter who the writer or style of the music may be.
If the lyrics, in part or whole, go against the teaching of Scripture, it must be rejected for a worship service. We should not acquiesce that the song is good and worship-worthy, except for some phrase or clause. It must be rejected, in toto, if it violates some essential element of the faith or impugns the character of God, directly or indirectly.
If the lyrics, in part or whole, go against the teaching of Scripture, it must be rejected for a worship service. We should not acquiesce that the song is good and worship-worthy, except for some phrase or clause. It must be rejected, in toto, if it violates some essential element of the faith or impugns the character of God, directly or indirectly.
Personally, I am opened-minded when it comes to music styles, but when it comes to the lyrics, there is no poetic license allowed. Both the songs and sermons need to be in accord with the principles of Scripture or true worship has failed on a corporate level (cf. Jn 4:4). On the individual’s part, a believer must be in fellowship with God. We can have the songs and sermons dovetailed to Scripture, and our heart is somewhere else. We don’t need to hear God saying to us,
(Mt 15:8) THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
No preacher is going to say everything right before God; no singer is going to sing every song right before God; and no writer, including yours truly, is going to write everything right before God because no one is perfect. We all have blind spots. What we can do when we mess up is grab a hold of 1 Jn 1:9 and take it before the throne and move forward for God, bound and determined to get it right in every which way with Holy Spirit enablement!
Read of this powerful testimony about John the Baptist, who, by the way, was also a sinner just like you and me, told to Jesus,
Read of this powerful testimony about John the Baptist, who, by the way, was also a sinner just like you and me, told to Jesus,
(Jn 10:41) Then many came to Him and said, John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true [emphasis mine].
Our songs to God must always be according to the truth of Scripture and purity of heart if He is to receive glory from us. He is not going to be pleased with any of us singing spiritual songs out of ignorance (intentionally or unintentionally) that say things that are not right concerning Him. Songs of worship in spirit and in truth will glorify the Lord; songs of worry are those that are misleading and say or suggest wrong things about God. “He’s not failed me yet,” is one of those songs of worry.
Has it ever occurred to you that the devil wants for us to think that it is possible for God to be out of character? Well, that’s not going to ever happen because of His immutability (cf. Mal 3:6), and the devil is never going to tell anyone the truth (Jn 8:44).
“Go all in for God” and “He’s not failed me [you] yet” [but He might in the future] are two incompatible statements. Satan is grooving on anything that takes glory away from God. Songs of worry do that very thing. When a crisis hits the fan, be assured the devil will put emphasis on the “yet” with you during the struggle. Based upon the Word of God, I am persuaded that you and I can go all in for God because He will never fail us, never (cf. Prov 3:5-6; Rom 8:28; Heb 13:5)! <><
(Psa 19:14) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
(Psa 66:18) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
%20MG%20t-bkgrd%2060x44.png)
%20sunflower%20makeover%2045x63.png)
(Psa 66:18) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
%20MG%20t-bkgrd%2060x44.png){kind=small}
%20sunflower%20makeover%2045x63.png){kind=small}
