On Rick Warren's use of Psalm 40:3 to endorse "rock worship."(Original article published 08-28-2006 available at the Franklin Road Baptist Church Website )
Saddleback Church is known as, "The flock that likes to rock!" On his "pastors.com" website Rick Warren addresses the controversial subject of church music as he shares "three thoughts about music in worship," which are: "Music is powerful"; "You can't please everyone"; and, "It's the message, not the music."[1]
In developing his first thought, Pastor Warren employs Psalm 40:3 to be a biblical endorsement for contemporary Christian music (CCM). He writes: "In Psalm 40:3 (NCV) David says, 'He put a NEW song in my mouth. . . . Many people will see this and worship him. Then they will trust the Lord.' Notice the clear connection between music and evangelism: 'Then they will trust the Lord'."[2] Warren infers that David's "new song" can refer to rock-'n'-roll music and that such a contemporary and culturally relevant music possesses an ability to evangelize people's hearts in a way that traditional hymns and sermons (i.e., the preached word) cannot. But really, is that the message of Psalm 40? As opposed to singing traditional hymns, did David mean to endorse for the worship of God any "new" musical expression that our culture might invent? Among the many other styles of music in western culture, do rock, reggae, rap or other cultural varieties, equate to David's "new song"? Let's look at the Psalm. Psalm 40 is divided into two parts, the first (vv. 1-10) being David's praise for a past deliverance from a life threatening situation, and the second, his petition for protection amidst any future trials. At the beginning of the praise section (vv. 1-3), David announces that when he was in trouble he "waited patiently (i.e., intently) for the Lord," a wait that the Lord eventually rewarded. It's difficult to be patient amidst trials, but in the end God proved faithful to David as He will to other of his children when they find themselves in difficult circumstances beyond their control. As Paul wrote, "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint" (Rom. 5:3-4a). Through tribulation God builds our character and strengthens our faith. In picturesque language, David describes how God delivered him in verses 1-3. He recounts that first, the Lord "inclined to me, and heard my cry" (v. 1b.); second, that the Lord, "brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay" (v. 2a); third, David announced, "He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm" (v. 2b); and fourth he testified, the Lord "put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God" (v. 3a). In summary, the Lord regarded David's prayer for help, rescued him from destruction, repositioned his feet upon solid ground, and renewed David's spirit by putting a new song in his mouth. It is important to note that God's gift of song to David was in conjunction with the three other things He did to affect David's deliverance. The lesson of Psalm 40:1-3 is: "After hearing David's cry for help, observing his patient waiting for the Lord's rescue, and listening to him celebrate God's deliverance by singing a "new song," onlookers could be led by David's example to trust God amidst similar trials." But what did David mean when he stated that the Lord gave him a "new song"? The adjective "new" (Heb. chadash) can also mean "fresh." As a verb it can mean "renewed" (1 Sam. 11:14; Ps. 51:10; 103:5). Of the song sung by David, Willem VanGemeren comments that, "the song was not necessarily a new composition. The newness lies in the event of salvation history. The recent victory is one additional chapter in a long series of God's involvements with his people. An older hymn of praise [a traditional hymn?] could well have been used . . ."[3] By his mention of the "new song"--we'll call it a grace song because God put it in his mouth--David meant to state that his deliverance provided him with a renewed and fresh perspective of God's providential care for him. After a time during which his trial distracted him from singing, God rekindled David's desire and renewed his spirit to sing and testify about the Lord's deliverance. By mentioning God's gifting him with a "new song," David did not mean to provide a pretext by which succeeding generations of Christians might worship God with any music a worldly culture might produce. To believe that would require that acid rock, heavy metal, punk, or whatever, be accepted as God's gift to the church. Not in David's wildest dreams should we presume that he had some of this culture's debased music in mind when he wrote about his "new song." Rick Warren's understanding of Psalm 40 is interpretively inaccurate, anachronically misapplied and therefore irrelevant to the debate over which style of music Christians should employ to worship God. David's mention of the "new song" that God gave him provides today's believers with an example for singing choruses, songs and hymns with a rekindled spirit of praise because in Christ, God has saved and delivered them. Ironic isn't it, that Psalm 40:3, the verse Rick Warren twists as a proof text for validating the use of rock music in the worship of a local church, more appropriately supports the singing of traditional hymns, only singing them with renewed appreciation for God's providential care for us! Pastor Larry DeBruyn ________________ [1] Pastors.com, MinistryToolBox, Issue #190, 1/19/2005 http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/?id=190&artid=2924&expand=1 [2] Ibid. [3] Italics mine, Willem A. VanGemeren, "Psalms," The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor (Grand Rapids: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1991) 318. |
