Written by Lilly Fischer

 “Worship is our innermost being responding with praise for all that God is, through our attitudes, actions, thoughts, and words, based on the truth of God as He has revealed Himself” (Dr. John MacArthur).

The first hymn book was published in Massachusetts in 1640, a book of Psalms set to music so the congregation could sing the Scriptures. In the decades following, devout worshippers and talented writers including Martin Luther, Charles Wesley, John Newton, Fanny Crosby, and Philip Bliss contributed thousands of hymns to corporate worship. Why were these hymns sung in churches? Why are many of them still sung today? Let’s take a look at just one:

“To God be the Glory” by Fanny Crosby

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

So loved He the world that He gave us His son,

who yielded His life and atonement for sin

and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

In just the first stanza, Crosby’s beloved hymn tells the entire gospel message, and then the chorus praises God for all that He is—for giving us His Son. She begins by introducing God as the One worthy of glory. She writes of His love for sinful humanity, the sacrifice of His Son that provided atonement for sin, and the resulting reward offered to all who receive such a sacrifice; she leaves no room to mistake that this song is about God’s saving work and that its sole purpose is to thank, praise, and rejoice in Him for it.

There exists today a strong contrast between rich worship music grounded on Biblical truth and the theologically weak lyrics seeping into most contemporary churches. What is the difference between these hymns and so many of the “worship songs” written today?

Sadly, they are all about us. Let’s look at just one contemporary “worship” song to illustrate the difference in messages between the 1870s and the 2000s.

“Touch the Sky” by Hillsong United

What fortune lies beyond the stars

Those dazzling heights too vast to climb

I got so high to fall so far

But I found heaven as love swept low

Chorus

My heart beating My soul breathing

I found my life When I laid it down

Upward falling

Spirit soaring

I touch the sky

When my knees hit the ground

What treasure waits within Your scars

The gift of freedom gold can’t buy

I bought the world and sold my heart

You traded heaven to have me again

The first verse addresses the pursuit of material wealth for one’s own gain and the resulting downfall of such a pursuit while the last line of verse one attempts to reference Jesus’ rescue, but leaves the message unclear. Notice that the chorus uses first person pronouns seven times while neglecting to mention or reference the name of God even once. Even while the lyrics attempt to express humility with the lines, “I laid it down” and “my knees hit the ground,” pride inevitably shines through because they focus on my choices and actions, rather than on God’s saving work. Finally, in verse two, we see the same problem repeated: “I bought the world and sold my heart.” This line insinuates again that we play an active part in our salvation. Not only does it claim credit belonging to God, but the line is simply untrue.

Pastor John MacArthur makes the distinction that true worship refers to something we give to God, but modern Christianity seems committed instead to the idea that God should be giving to us. Touch the Sky is only one of hundreds of songs available today that claim to be worship songs. But are they really? God cares that we worship Him in the way that He instructs in His Word. He alone is worthy to be worshiped. It is our responsibility as His church to take this calling seriously and make sure to sing songs, not because the world says they are “Christian,” but because they truly do worship God for who He is and what He has done.