Psalm 22: Is Praise Worship?
Speaking where the Bible speaks demands speaking or singing what the Bible speaks. Junky, distorted sentiment is not praising God but mocking Him. We can fulfill the absolute command that we "all speak the same things" and Christ provided a way: we can come together as the synagogue did, read the word "as it has been written" and "preaching" was simply explaining anything within the text which someone did not understand.Praise and music was OUTLAWED in the Synagogue or church in the wilderness.
There was no praise service in the Monarchy temple worship. Only "muster age" men came to the temple by command. Even later after David and then Solomon had daily sacrifices at the temple, the "people's congregation" was represented by the princes or "stationary men" and if individuals incidentially happened to be around the temple, they were put outside of the gates (outside the Camp) when the noise (not music) began with the horrors of animal sacrifice which was never spiritual worship.
Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 2 Chr 5:12KJV
The word is not MUSICIANS but singers:
Shiyr (h7891) sheer; or (the orig. form) 7788 (1 Sam. 18:6), shoor; a prim. root [rather ident. with 7788 through the idea of strolling minstrelsy]; to sing: - behold [by mistake for 7788], sing (-er, - ing man, -ing woman).
Shuwr (h7788) shoor; a prim. root; prop. to turn, i. e. travel about (as a harlot or a merchant): - go, sing. See also 7891.
Josephus notes that the Levites performing priestly services (hard bondage, Abad) caused the fall of the nation ONCE and that their political campaign to wear linen garments and perform would cause their fall again: and it did.
There was no praise service in the synagogue. What we would see in the later, more institutionalized synagogue, would be people memorizing the Words of God by reciting and having others respond much like the "sing-song" method still used. In time, everyone could recite or chant the entire Psalm and the "president" would have cleared up any misunderstanding.
So what we call singing, they called reciting as Paul uses the word "speak" or preach in the "singing" passages.
"Some of the singing which seems to be often, at the conscious or mental level at least,
low-level glossolalia with instrumental accompaniment." (Bruner, Fredrick, p. 300, The Holy Spirit)
Are we to praise God? Certainly. Each time we tell others what God has done in His words we honor Him. Saying "Lord, Lord" is not praising God.
However, there is not a shred of Biblical evidence -- command, example, inference -- that the early church ever came together to praise God as a group by singing their own sentimental, usually effeminate, poetry.
Praise in a ritualistic sense has always been people superstitiously beliving that they can manipulate God with gifts or threaten Him if necessary in order to get things for self. Modern charismatic singing is strongly influenced by Voodoo where the spirit was "the little man (spirit) inside of the big man (me)."
Of those who were singing or speaking their own compositions, Paul said:.
"Your Assemblies Do More Harm Than Good" 1 Corinthians 11:17f, because the songs came out of their own "spirit" and were just speaking into the air.
Thought I was hallucinating Sunday. We began with a song modified to end with "God in three persons, bluusedde trunuteee." That is clearly out of a modern Catholic definition of the trinity and is not remotely similar to the trinity understood by all of the early Catholic writers. Paul Tillich notes that it would have been blasphemous to call God a "person" before the liberal 19th century.
At times we worship the name of the Father, then the name of Jesus and we worship the name of the Holy Spirit. There is only one name under heaven... Remember that one? "Holy" is not the first name of a third god named "Holy Spirit." Paul understood His name to be Jesus Whom you persecute and the Spirit or Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2).
Paul Tillich "There is much gnostic Marcionism in them, that is, a dualistic blasphemy of the Creator God. They put the Savior God in such opposition to the Creator God that, although they never fall into any real heresy, they implicitly blaspheme the divine creation by identifying it with the sinful state of reality.
"Against this tendency Irenaeus said that God is one; there is no duality in him. Law and gospel, creation and salvation, are derived from the same God." (Tillich, Paul, A History of Christian Thought, p. 42)
"This God is never called a person. The word person was never applied to God in the Middle ages. The reason for this is that the three members of the trinity were called personae (faces or countenances): The Father is persona, the Son is persona, and the Spirit is persona. Persona here means a special characteristic of the divine ground, expressing itself in an independent hypostasis.
"Thus, we can say that it was the nineteenth century which made God into a person, with the result that the greatness of the classical idea of God was destroyed by this way of speaking... but to speak of God as a person would have been heretical for the Middle Ages; it would have been to them a Unitarian heresy, because it would have conflicted with the statement that God has three personae, three expressions of his being. (Tillich, Paul, A History of Christian Thought, p. 190)
"In his letter To Alabius: That there are not Three Gods, Gregory of Nyssa outlined his important doctrine of the inseparability or coinherence of the three divine persons or hypostases. One should not think of God splitting himself up into three parts; that was a grotesque and indeed blasphemous idea. God expressed himself wholly and totally in each one of these three manifestations when he wished to reveal himself to the world... the Divine Nature is equally present in each phase of the operation... The three persons do not exist side by side in the divine world." (Armstrong, Karen, History of God, 116-117) Click For More
God is pure or Holy Spirit and He is not three "people standing side by side and face to face holding a business meeting." Nor do we worship the Name of Father, Jesus and Spirit: Father and Spirit are not names.
If you remember what Paul said about "singing" now meaning speaking to one another with Biblical resources, you know that truth fails when we turn to our own words to "praise" God and just mock Him
> As a pattern, Jesus taught only what He heard from the Father.
> As a faithful apostle, Paul taught only what He had heard from Christ (he ceased preaching human phylosophy)
> As a faithful preacher Paul demanded that the competent teach only that which has been revealed by the Spirit.
> > Those who sing the words of human composers are repudiating Christ (God) and violating the direct command of Paul.
There is a way that we can all speak the same things: just speak what Christ and His only agents have taught without trying to reformulate it into human creeds and practices which all are divisive to all who disagree.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and
to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up,
and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified. Ac.20:32
Hagizo (g37) hag-ee-ad'-zo; from 40; to make holy, i.e. (cer.) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: - hallow, be holy, sanctify.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Ep.5:26
Hagios (g40) hag'-ee-os; from hagos , (an awful thing) [comp. 53, 2282]; sacred (phys. pure, mor. blameless or religious, cer. consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ac.2:38
Here are some examples:
> The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Lu.16:16
Biazo (g971) bee-ad'-zo; from 970; to force, i.e. (reflex.) to crowd oneself (into), or (pass.) to be seized: - press, suffer violence.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Mt.11:12
Bia (g970) bee'-ah; prob. akin to 979 (through the idea of vital activity); force: - violence.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. Ac.5:26
> Neither shall they say, Lo here or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Lu.17:21
> Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? John 18:35
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. John 18:37
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. John 18:38
> For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom 14:17
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Rom 14:18
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Rom 14:19
The conflict in Romas 14 does not give authority for the use of "praise rituals" any more than it authorizes "love God" rituals.Rather, the conflict in Rome was between the influence of Orpheus and Phythagoras as the "vegetarian" musical ritual sect and,
The Dionyus-influenced "meat eaters" were also a musical ritual sect where music stirred them up to the point that they ate their meat still on the hoof as women tore the animal limb from limb. This was the influence of the Jerusalem clergy who fulfilled the prophecy of trying to triumph over Jesus with music with Judas as the primary agent of Satan.
This was the preamble to Paul's demand for teaching rather than pagan forms of music (Music always implied dancing)
> For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Rom 15:3
He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. John 3:33
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God:
for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. John 3:34
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev 19:10
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself;
but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things (words taught by the Spirit). John 8:28
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36
I know that ye are Abrahams seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word (logos) hath no place in you. John 8:37
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. John 12:50
What if we do not do that?
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44
Isaiah shows the connection between instrumental music at religious festivals, the loss of the Word or Spirit of God and the "without measure" concept:
Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Isaiah 5: 14
You either speak Christ's Spirit words or you speak on your own: that makes you a devil according to Jesus.
> For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4
The SCRIPTURES were inspired by the Spirit of Christ. There is only ONE God and He is pure or holy Spirit.
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter 1:11
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15:6
> And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, (words taught by the Spirit)
able also to admonish one another. Rom 15:14
> This is what we speak,
not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit,
expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:13
> And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Eph 5:18
Speaking (preaching) to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (words taught by the Spirit) singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:19
In the EXTERNAL SENSE melody was related to Apollo, Abaddon or Apollyon. His TEAM was the MUSES sent back into Sheol and listed in Revelation 18:
I. a limb, Hom., etc.; meleôn entosthe within my bodily frame, Aesch.; kata melea limb by limb, like meleïsti, Hdt.
II. a song, strain, Hhymn., etc.:--esp. of lyric poetry, en meleï poieein to write in lyric strain, Hdt.; melê, ta, lyric poetry, the choral songs, opposed to the dialogue, Plat.
melôid-ia , hê, singing, chanting, E.Rh.923, etc.
II. chant, choral song, melôidias poiêtês Pl.Lg.935e , cf. 812d; lullaby, ib.790e: generally, music, Phld.Mus.p.12 K.
kata Downward
* Perseus. down, downwards, with gen. or acc.prep. with gen. or acc. Radical sense down, downwards.
# 3. euchesthai or omosai kata tinos to vow or swear by a thing (because one calls down the vengeance of the gods upon it), Thuc., Dem.:--also to make a vow towards something, i. e. make a vow of offering it, Ar.
# IV. according to, kata thumon Hom.; kath' hêmeteron noon after our liking, Il.; kata moiran as is meet and right, Hom.; so, kat' aisan, kata kosmon id=Hom.; kath' hêdonên so as to please, Aesch.; kata dunamin to the best of one's power, et.
# II. an ornament, decoration, embellishment, dress, Il., etc.; esp. of women, Lat. mundus muliebris, id=Il., Hes., etc.:--in pl. ornaments, Aesch., etc.
# 2. metaph. honour, credit, Hdt., Soph., etc.
# III. a regulator, title of the chief magistrate in Crete, Arist.
# IV. the world or universe, from its perfect order, Lat. mundus, Plat., etc.
> Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Col 1:25
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: Col 1:26
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Col 1:27
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Col 1:28
> But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Col 3:8
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; Col 3:9
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Col 3:10
> Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (words taught by the Spirit), singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16
> But let us, who are of the day, be sober (to abstain from wine) putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thess 5:8
For God hath not appointed us to wrath [desire as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind, (3712) stretching out the arms orge], but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thess 5:9
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thess 5:10
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thess 5:11
Orge (g3709) or-gay'; from 3713; prop. desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by anal) violent passion (ire, or [justifiable] abhorence); by impl. punishment: - anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ep.5:6
The only way to guard the Word:
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:19
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Col.3:8
The only way to guard the Word:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16
Both Paul and Peter defined a way to keep Satan's change agents out: Paul insisted that the elders "teach that which had been taught." Peter outlawed private interpretation or further expounding. Why? Because God in Christ had confirmed the words He wanted taught.
> Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb.10:25
Episunagoge (g1997) ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay'; from 1996; a complete collection; spec. a Chr. meeting (for worship): - assembling (gathering) together.
Parakaleo (g3870) par-ak-al-eh'-o; from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): - beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray.
Well, we have assigned "greeters" but I am waiting for us to hire a Minister of Kissing.
In our ritual, we were sitting while claiming to be standing on 'holy ground' surrounded by angels! No one took off their shoes so this was just a sly game of "let's pretend."
But maybe not: in the next song we just hope someday to be in the midst of angels.
Then, God have mercy, next song:
- Take joy my King in what you hear
- May it be a sweet, sweet song in your ear.
Doubt that He was anywhere to be found!
"In Greek ritual the sacrifice was accompanied by the invocatory cries of women.
Their purpose was to call the good gods so that they cound enjoy the sacrifice.
Music had the same character of epiclesis. It was understood to "call down" the good gods.
"Menander attests to the attribution of this significance to music. According to Plutarch,
the inhabiants of Argos blew trumpets on the feast of Dionysos
so as to call the god up from the depths of the river Lerne for the sacrifice.
"Because song and music increased the efficacy of the epiclesis the words of epiclesis were nearly always sung to instrumental accompaniment.
Thus the Dionysian fellowship used the ritual of women in order to obtain the appearance of their god.
Arnobius alludes to such songs of the pagans performed to flute accompaniment, and he mockingly asks whether the sleeping deities will be awakened by them." (Quasten, Johannes, Music and Worship in Pagan and Christian Antiquity, p. 17)
DEFINITION of Epiclesis derived from Dionysus Worship: Why the words of Epiclesis are pronounced after the consecration of bread and wine. Are the words of Epiclesis an element of consecration? What's the moment when the bread and the wine are the Body and Blood of Christ? Before or after Epiclesis? If the priest doesn't pronounce the words of Epiclesis, there is no consecration?
The Bishop Answers - Dear Friend: The Greek word for Sacraments in our Eastern tradition is "Mysteria", i.e. "Mysteries". A sacrament is a mysterious action which makes God's beneficial presence felt and real. We should not bind God to a single word or gesture, as through a magic formula. The whole action constitutes the "Mystery." In the Roman Canon (which we call "Anaphore") the Epiclesis is said before the words of "Consecration." In the Eastern tradition, we have the Epiclesis after the same words which we call "words of Institution." In our belief, the action is not complete until God the Father "in the good pleasure of (His) bounty, makes (His) Holy Spirit come down upon us and upon the present gifts here offered and bless and sanctify them and reveal this bread to be truly the precious body of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, etc." (Liturgy of St. Basil) There is no magic moment or formula or word or syllable, which effects the presence of God and makes it complete; but the whole action makes God's presence effective and real.
The Greek shows why Paul commanded SPEAKING rather than CHORAL SINGING or external making melody:
I. a limb, Hom., etc.; meleôn entosthe within my bodily frame, Aesch.; kata melea limb by limb, like meleïsti, Hdt.
II. a song, strain, Hhymn., etc.:--esp. of lyric poetry, en meleï poieein to write in lyric strain, Hdt.; melê, ta, lyric poetry,
the choral songs,
opposed to the dialogue, Plat.
Paul said to SPEAK or TEACH or ADMONISH or EDIFY. Even his preaching was DIALOG. Therefore, Paul outlaws CHORAL SONGS which was the MUSIC of the pagans.
melôid-ia , hê, singing, chanting, E.Rh.923, etc.
II. chant, choral song, melôidias poiêtês Pl.Lg.935e , cf. 812d; lullaby, ib.790e: generally, music, Phld.Mus.p.12 K.
Not in the vilest pagan temples did singers or musicians enter into the holy spaces where they planned to meet and worship their Gods. The Levitical singers were in the COURT where they sacrificed tens of thousands of TYPES of Lord Jesus Christ trying to pay for their own sins.
"Each of the important deities had, in one or more of the Babylonian cities, a large temple in which he or she was worshiped. Temple services were generally conducted in open courts containing fountains for ablution and altars for sacrifices.
Only the high priest and other privileged members of the clergy and court were permitted to enter the cella, or inner part of the temple,
which held the special statue of the deity.
The needs of the deity were provided for in accordance with impressive ceremonies carried out by a vast institutionalized clergy that included
priests, musicians, magicians, soothsayers, dream interpreters, astrologers, and hierodules (temple slaves or prostitutes). Sacrifices of food, drink, or incense were offered daily. Numerous festivals were held, the most important of which was the celebration of the new year at the spring equinox. [Encarta Encyclopedia]
Clearly the Psalms are as much authority for praising God with lifeless (carnal) instruments as for junky "praise" poetry.
However, musical Psalms were personal songs and were never sung in the "congregation" but by the Temple personnel related to the civil like the nations state, worshiping like the nations. Many Psalms are not appropriate and others are poetic records of the history of the Jews. Therefore singing Psalms is reciting the recorded history.
It comes as no surprise that those who fall for the belief that the "worship" service is a praise God with my own words, rapidly move into needing instruments -- unless they are successfully put down by some elementary teaching.
Spirit is not some charismatic little 1/3 god who rattles around inside of you when the drum beats:
AND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isa 11:1
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; Isa 11: 2
And shall make him of quick understanding (spiritual) in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: Isa 11: 3
If we are not teaching His words then they are devoid of "spirit." In the New Testament A holy spirit is a gift when we are baptized FOR the remission of sins intentionally becoming a DISCIPLE of Christ. Worship of a HOLY or WHOLLY Spirit God can not take place with BODY WORSHIP. Therefore, Jesus said that God is worshipped in the human SPIRIT as the new PLACE replacing temples and houses. The RESOURCE of communication with God is to GIVE HEED to the Word or Spirit of Truth and our personal communion or speaking to God out of our spirit. That CANNOT happen if people bring the SACRIFICIAL MUSIC into the church as the ANTI-type or INSTEAD OF the physical holy place.
It is not surprising that literate Paul demanded:
Statement: Let the word of Christ dwell (inhabit) in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another
Parallelism: in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
Well, we have Paul's clear statement that we fill up with the WORD OF CHRIST. Then we are to teach with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. This is a parallelism: the word of Christ is whatever He revealed as Holy Spirit. Of the prophets, Paul wrote:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. I Peter 1:11
Now, Paul apparently disqualified childish, empty truth-sucked sentimental poetry. Perhaps he remembered what Jesus said:
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Do you suppose that is why Paul absolutely demanded:
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians 5:18
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord Ephesians 5:19 ;
Not a word about "praise" with your own empty sentiment and no harmony. None! Melody is not harmony and is not related to it.
Therefore, when you fall for the heresy that the seekers can be sucked in with a "bait and switch" scheme of children ruling over you, you are directly violating many explicit commands of Scripture.
You are violating the demand to teach Biblical truth.
You are disrespecting Christ by teaching error.
The congregation "disguised as empty pews" will continue to grow until the next phase of musical praise teams and then instrumental instruments are both the cause and symptom that God has abandoned you beyond redemption.
It wasn't until in the 17th century that the first step away was to versify psalms to fit a simple metere which did not destroy the nerves of the congregation nor the words of God. Then, only revealed Biblical text was considered as appropriate and many faithful churches still believe Scripture. For instance, the proof-text for "praise" instead of teaching the Word and restated in Hebrews 2:12 is Psalm 22 which can be sung:
Psalm 22 Words: The Scottish Psalter 1 My God, my God, why hast thou me forsaken? why so far Art thou from helping me, and from my words that roaring are? 2 All day, my God, to thee I cry, yet am not heard by thee; And in the season of the night I cannot silent be. 3 But thou art holy, thou that dost inhabit Isr'el's praise. 4 Our fathers hop'd in thee, they hop'd and thou didst them release. 5 When unto thee they sent their cry, to them deliv'rance came: Because they put their trust in thee, they were not put to shame. 6 But as for me, a worm I am, and as no man am priz'd: Reproach of men I am, and by the people am despis'd. 7 All that me see laugh me to scorn; shoot out the lip do they; They nod and shake their heads at me, and, mocking, thus do say, 8 This man did trust in God, that he would free him by his might: Let him deliver him, sith he had in him such delight. 9 But thou art he out of the womb that didst me safely take; When I was on my mother's breasts thou me to hope didst make. 10 And I was cast upon thy care, ev'n from the womb till now; And from my mother's belly, Lord, my God and guide art thou. 11 Be not far off, for grief is near, and none to help is found. 12 Bulls many compass me, strong bulls of Bashan me surround. 13 Their mouths they open'd wide on me, upon me gape did they, Like to a lion ravening and roaring for his prey. 14 Like water I'm pour'd out, my bones all out of joint do part: Amidst my bowels, as the wax, so melted is my heart. 15 My strength is like a potsherd dry'd; my tongue it cleaveth fast Unto my jaws; and to the dust of death thou brought me hast. 16 For dogs have compass'd me about: the wicked, that did meet In their assembly, me inclos'd; they pierc'd my hands and feet. 17 I all my bones may tell; they do upon me look and stare. 18 Upon my vesture lots they cast, and clothes among them share. 19 But be not far, O Lord, my strength; haste to give help to me. 20 From sword my soul, from pow'r of dogs my darling set thou free. 21 Out of the roaring lion's mouth do thou me shield and save: For from the horns of unicorns an ear to me thou gave. 22 I will shew forth thy name unto those that my brethren are; Amidst the congregation thy praise I will declare. 23 Praise ye the Lord, who do him fear; him glorify all ye The seed of Jacob: fear him all that Isr'el's children be. 24 For he despis'd not nor abhorr'd th' afflicted's misery; Nor from him hid his face, but heard when he to him did cry. 25 Within the congregation great my praise shall be of thee; My vows before them that him fear shall be perform'd by me. 26 The meek shall eat, and shall be fill'd; they also praise shall give Unto the Lord that do him seek: your heart shall ever live. 27 All ends of th' earth remember shall, and turn the Lord unto; All kindreds of the nations to him shall homage do: 28 Because the kingdom to the Lord doth appertain as his; Likewise among the nations the Governor he is. 29 Earth's fat ones eat, and worship shall: all who to dust descend Shall bow to him; none of them can his soul from death defend. 30 A seed shall service do to him; unto the Lord it shall Be for a generation reckon'd in ages all. 31 They shall come, and they shall declare his truth and righteousness Unto a people yet unborn, and that he hath done this. Copyright 1999, Music for the Church of GodPraise, here and everywhere, is telling others what God hath done: it is not remotely associated with our sentimental poetry.
See The Dead Sea Scrolls translation of Psalm 41 to see the musical effort to "stand in the gap" to get Jesus with instruments as an act of warfare. This Psalm connects many other Old Testament passages which prove that musical worship is an attempt to defeat Jesus and allow "musical worship teams" or theatrical preachers to "stand in the holy place" claiming to be God's mediators.
You may want to read how "A Cappella" means more about choirs than congregational singing.