Music Ministry - August 2026
PRAYER, PROCLAMATION, and PRAISE
Music that Worships a Holy God in a Wholly Biblical Way
What is worship music? “Praise” is a word that comes to mind. In today’s American evangelical Church culture, this word is often associated almost exclusively with music, and thereby the function of the music of worship is likewise associated nearly exclusively with this word – praise. And the idea is good; we certainly ought to praise the Lord in song! My goodness, the Psalms alone are replete with exhortations for us to do just that. But is this good thing – to praise our great God – the singular function of our music in worship? I think there is more…
What are the Psalms? They are the Biblical collection of music for worship in the early church. They are songs that were sung as part of worship in the temple, in synagogues, and in the early Christian Church. So it is right that we look to them both as Holy and inspired Scripture, and also as models for songs and hymns that we bring to sing in worship alongside the Psalms (Eph 5:18-20, Col 3:16-17).
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you; You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. ~Psalm 86:1-4
This Psalm is a prayer. It is even given a special title in Scripture to show that it is, “A prayer of David.” We can come to the Lord in prayer, not only with our words, but with our music as well. As we sing “Lord I need you, oh I need you. Every hour I need you. My one defense, my righteousness, O God how I need you,” and “Spirit of God, descend upon my heart, wean it from earth – through all its pulses move. Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art, and make me love Thee as I ought to love,” may these words be a prayer from within our hearts to God on high!
Sometimes we pray for deliverance, sometimes for strength, other times for faith, and still other times we come earnestly to plead Christ’s intercession on our behalf, because we cannot stand before God without Him. Whatever our circumstance, we should be always willing to take it to the Lord in prayer, even in our songs.
To be clear, words matter. In worship of God, engagement of the mind matters as much as emotion (Mark 12:30, Rom 10:12). Yet God gave us music to touch a part of our human experience where words alone cannot venture. To God alone be the glory!
In the coming weeks and months, as we come into His presence with singing each Sunday, consider what might be the purpose of the music we are singing together. Is it to praise God? Is it to proclaim the Word of the Lord? Or is it, perhaps, to pray together? Allow that determination to affect the mindset you bring to your singing as we worship our great God together in Spirit and in truth. May our songs rise to Him as a pleasant offering before His throne on high.
In service to Christ and His Church,
Dan Byerly Director of Music Ministry music@saxonburg.org