Selah
I have been reading the third and fourth Psalms lately. I haven't been singing them much, although in times past, I have engaged in singing random melodies to Psalm texts. I wish I heard more of that in our churches. Or better yet, through composed melodies to complete Psalm texts, maybe with congregational refrains. It may feel too "liturgical" for our comfort level, but I would argue that it's perfectly biblical.
There are many puzzles in the Bible, but one of the puzzles I enjoy musing about is the meaning of the word Selah. It is unlikely we will ever find out its precise meaning in this life, but it is fun to speculate. I was reading a commentary recently (Peter Craigie, WBC) where the author summarized principal hypotheses of the meaning of selah as 1) a pause, an instrumental interlude or to sing louder 2) for ever 3) Musico-Liturgical instruction (e.g. to bow or prostrate oneself). I have been taught that the meaning is likely a pause, although I believe it is more probably musico-liturgical instruction, from a stylistic or genre perspective, or even the instrumental interlude sounds very plausible to me.
We know so very little of the actual performance practice of the Psalms c. 9th century b.c. -- the actual practice from that era is virtually unknowable. We must examine the performance practice of Catholic and Jewish traditions if we want to find out how these songs were sung originally. And I think it makes sense to incorporate some aspects of those styles in our musical worship. It doesn't all have to be bass, drums and Hammond B-3.
Selah.
Does it matter? Ann mused in a recent post that music matters, but does historical practice of the Psalms matter? And if not, why not?
I, of course, would say that it does matter as we seek to determine what biblical worship really means. I am not saying that we should go back to singing in Hebrew and Greek… (Although it would interest me to do so, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from a congregational perspective – we do expect to provide an atmosphere where people can worship, and people singing in foreign languages is a bit too far outside most of our saints’ comfort fields.) But as we seek to define and practice a truly Apostolic worship, we should give pause to consider Apostolic liturgy.
Selah.
posted by everettg at
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
5 Comments:
Everett,
I always enjoy your thoughts. I've thought about this a lot before. Having gone to various denominational services during my college years as course requirements, I found that, shockingly, I really didn't need a B-3 to feel God, or express my worship to Him.
Do you think we are a bit "narrow-minded" musically? Maybe that's not the best way to put it. I understand the whole emotional component, the outward demonstration to which we gravitate, and thus, we choose the music style we have. No, Psalm singing doesn't exactly make one want to run the aisles - or does it? David danced, according to scripture. SOmetimes I think that if we changed up our musical style/focus that we would be forced to examine our motives for our responses. Not that we'd have to do it in corporate worship settings. We could very well do it alone in our private prayer time. I, too, enjoy puttin random melody to the Psalms. I can't help but think God delights in this.
Just my rambling thoughts....
Ann
Ann,
You just wrote a column here. You and Everett have both made me think this through. And I'm not finished.
-R
I don't think saying we're "narrow-minded" misses the mark. Not by a long shot, and not just musically. I also don't think being narrow-minded is necessarily a bad thing. God tells us we should be simple concerning evil... if that makes us narrow-minded in any sense, at least we're following God's direction. But I digress. Speaking strictly musically, I think everyone grows up with their own comfort zone around music and everyone strains to adjust to music outside their comfort zone.
I think we are narrow-minded in our music. Maybe because we read the Psalms in English, so it doesn't necessarily rhyme in the way we are taught to rhyme or measure syllables - so it doesn't sound lyrical in that way. Did that make sense on paper like it does in my head? Anyways, just reading some of the Psalms out loud does bring a peace to my soul when I can't think of my own words to pray.
Didn't David command to use the organ in our praise? Better not eliminate that B-3!!
In the last year and a half, I've discovered the meditative prowess of Gregorian (and other modes of) chant. Although anything the slightest bit "Catholic-y" will cause most Apostolics to shudder, we should keep in mind that most of our holiday observances and most of our history is a result of the Roman Catholic Church. It's reported that Constantine the Great was even baptised in Jesus' Name. So why couldn't we take a cue from their modes of worship?
Aside from being a source of civic pride and boasting, the great cathedrals and monastaries of Europe were built to reach into heaven and touch God. Their architecture always works to draw the eyes upwards towards Christ.
Their hymns, although they often include worship of the saints, mary, and the Trinity, contemplate the essence of a Holy God and revere that awesome holiness. A lot of our modern worship music lacks that reverent somthingness.
As a worship leader, sometimes it's hard to not add a grace note here or there. Sometimes it's hard to just shut up and let God speak.
Our pastor preached just before New Years about hearing the voice of God. Even though we can be following God's direction and working according to his will, the only way to truly hear the Voice of God is to "shut up and listen."
"Be STILL and know that I am God."
Or as the stand-up philosopher Broderick Rice says, "Keep playing medicrationally."
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