How Worship Songs are Born

Worship is not music, but music can be worship. God must love music, because the Bible says there’s a lot of it in heaven and invites us to come before His presence with singing (Psalm 100:2.) If we use music as an expression of our love to the Lord, He is pleased, and we’re refreshed. God made us that way. 

Music feeds the soul as food feeds the body. Combining the power of the Word, the Holy Spirit and music is like a three-fold cord that is not easily broken. That’s why the worship movement today is so explosive.  It feeds both spirit and soul. It fills a longing many of us didn’t even realize we had. 

The Mystery of Music 

To most people music is a mysterious thing and so are musicians. If you’re serious about your ministry as a musician, serious to the point that you sometimes space out or forget to eat, you’ve probably discovered that your friends and folks worry about you.  They don’t understand exactly what it is you do. As a Christian songwriter, especially a worship songwriter, what you do is lead people in expressing their love and worship to the Lord—honoring, adoring and venerating Him. You have the holy privilege of putting words into the mouths of God’s people, wonderful words that they might not have thought of saying to the Lord before. Or perhaps saying ancient words in a new way. It’s a precious privilege, to be valued and taken seriously. A songwriter can be a soul doctor, a healer. We’re handling nuclear, life-impacting material. So let’s handle it with awe, with reverence, with care, with thankfulness, with humility, and with joy. 

As we write, let’s hope among other things that our songs will: 

Magnify the worth of God and bring Him pleasure. 

Teach the doctrinal truths of scripture. 

Evoke a whole-hearted response to the revelation of God’s love and character. 

Inspire others to live their lives for the glory of God. 

Motivate others to know Him and enjoy Him. 

Help others become more aware of His presence in their lives. 

If we’re going to suggest that the church, with its rich heritage of great music, should use our songs in its holy mission, we had better make sure ours are as empowered as those we would have them replace. 

 Lord make us a holy people 

Turn our hearts to righteousness again 

Take away our sin 

Fill our thirsty souls again 

Visit us with the Holy Spirit 

In the beauty of holiness descend 

Like a mighty wind 

Fill our thirsty souls again 

Come like fire 

Or come like the gentle rain 

But fill our thirsty souls again 

As we wait in the stillness 

Come, Holy Spirit 

Oh come 

And fill our thirsty souls again 

Fill our thirsty souls again