Psalm 57 - Be Exalted, O Lord

Psalm 57 was the bases for this beautiful chorus by Brent Chambers.It was written way back when praise choruses were something new - 1977! Yes, all you youngsters, "praise and worship" music isn't something that was invented this century.

Praise and worship music has a "shelf life" so to speak. Styles come and go. What sounds current and new one year can sound very dated the next. It's been awhile since we've sung this beautiful setting of Psalm 57, but maybe we should bring it back out.



While I'm thinking about it - and this is definitely side note - churches who only sing music by a small number of writers and only things written in the last decade are missing out on a wealth of wonderful music. How sad to think that there are many in today's churches who will never have these wonderful texts found in great songs from the past in their hearts:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
It Is Well with My Soul

Or won't know the grandeur of singing these great hymns:
Holy, Holy, Holy
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

But it is also sad that some churches cling so tightly to the past that their people don't have the opportunity to sing fantastic songs of faith like:
10,000 Reasons
All to Us
Your Name

Hmmmmm.... it wasn't my intent as I began posting today about Psalm 57 to write about music in the church. but since I've started I'll finish up with this.

I'm so thankful to be a part of a church that appreciates music of all styles, all not just decades, but centuries! We've talked about how blessed we are that the "worship wars" are something we put aside years ago. It's part of living out Philippians 2

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Because we love each other and look out for each others' interests we sing music that every generation will enjoy. Ha! And it ends up we've found that we like it all!