THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN

As you know, I have said before that I am very selective about the music to which I listen; and in particular, I am very particular / discriminating / picky about the sacred music with which I surround myself. I have always found a drawing near to G-d in much of the liturgical classical music, as in Bach's many chorales and in his oratorio. And although I grew up in the Broadman Hymnal and could play and sing everything in the book something there was always lacking.

Of course, as a musician and church soloist, I frequently sang in many of the local churches; and whenever I sang in the church of a different denomination from the one in which I usually sang, I enjoyed singing the hymns from all those other churches, so rich in their history and liturgy. That way, I found several other hymns that I found meant so much to me. But still, something was missing in the music ministry.

And then, several years ago, I found what I had always missed: music taken completely from the scripture. Oh yes, there are many of the great hymns which draw much of their words or phrases directly from the Bible; but they were the grand hymns of the great hymn writers of Christianity and so often contained so many ideas and so much scripture that it was often difficult to take from them one specific scriptural idea.

But some time in the 70's I found a series of albums called Scripture in Song; and in them I found what I had been looking for, songs in which one specific scriptural idea was expressed, songs that a non-singing congregation could easily sing and remember, songs they could take home in their hearts and souls and sing in the car and in the kitchen. I'm sure that by now you have heard some of them and either you liked the use of a simple scripture song from time to time or you felt that such music was too simple, not really musical enough.

Nevertheless, in the church which I attended in those days, these songs were used from time to time; and it seemed to me, used in exactly the right way. At communion, the choir might sing "Oh Sacred Head now wounded / With grief and shame weighed down / Now scornfully surrounded / With thorns Thy only crown," one of my very favorite hymns, followed by "When I survey the wondrous cross / On which the Prince of Glory died / My richest gain I count but loss / And pour contempt on all my pride." 


And then they would begin a simple song with words taken directly from the Psalms, words of simple praise that were sung straight from the heart of the worshippers. "Oh, magnify the L-rd with me / Let us exhalt His name together," words that expressed their response to the true meaning of communion, words that allowed the people to pour out their response to G-d, a simple song of praise which they could carry in their hearts and sing to themselves and to G-d. I had found the music that I had missed during all those years.

And it all blended so beautifully and made so much sense liturgically and spiritually. It was so right. That is what I had always missed in the church hymns, a simple melody, easy to sing and a lyric from the scripture itself that we could remember whenever we needed the assurance of our faith and sing to ourselves, part prayer, part affirmation, part ministry. Here were the songs that would come to me when I needed G-d, needed to pray, needed prayer. Here were songs to which I could remember all the words as I drove down the long highway toward a doctor's office or sat waiting for anticipated results, songs I could sing alone in the kitchen as I celebrated success or anticipated a terrific afternoon. Scripture I could sing. For me, it was the most beautiful music this side of Heaven.

And if that sounds like some radio advertisement, well, it is the description of the music to which I listen while on the computer, a radio station on the computer at PBNRadio.com. There, the most beautiful music being written today plays 24 hours a day, praise and worship music that lifts up the weary soul and brings the worshipping believer near to the Throne of G-d. Now, not every song is a direct quotation from scripture, but every song does come directly from the Word of G-d and every song does give the listener scripture he can sing back to G-d in praise. I know. I listen and I am a happier person for having that sound go deep within to become a real part of me. And I invite you to come there and listen with me. You will be blessed beyond your belief.