It’s the Same Old Song

A few years ago I spent the weekend at a Christian retreat center in central Minnesota. In the sanctuary, Terry MacAlmon’s “Precious Lamb of God” was repeatedly heard on a CD player in between meetings. This is one of my favorite songs by Terry. However, I chose to stay away from the sanctuary as much as possible.

It’s happened before when I got tired of a song because the pastor, worship leader, or person in charge overplayed it. One minister I know habitually plays the same song over and over on his iPod at the end of his meetings. A favorite of his is Roy Fields’ “In the Presence of Angels.” I liked that song when first heard at the Lakeland Outpouring meetings in 2008. Now I cringe whenever hearing it. That’s unfortunate since it’s really an anointed song.

Another tune that’s become annoying to me is the David Ingles composition “Lord We Magnify You.” There’s a church I’ve attended for many years that (in my opinion) still sings that hymn too much. At one recent worship service, the piano player announced “let’s sing this just once” but then went through it several times before moving on to the next song.

One might argue we will sing the same song over and over in heaven. Revelation 4:8 says, “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’” But it later says in Revelation 5:9 and 14:3 they “sing a new song” in heaven. Many verses in Psalms command us to do the same thing.

Jesus told us in Matthew 6:7 to avoid vain repetitions in our prayers. I believe this can also apply to music used in worship. Perhaps the Lord would be more pleased if we occasionally waited on Him and then sang spontaneous songs downloaded to us from heaven. 

Our God likes variety and freshness.

“Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.” - Psalm 149:1

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