Singers Prophesy
What if our singers’ primary role is to prophesy, to declare the emotion and heart of God?
I was reading 1 Chronicles 25, and the heading in my bible for that chapter is “The Singers.” A directive struck me. We read:
“David... set apart some... for the ministry of prophesying accompanied by (the band).” Hmmm...so how would my singers sing if they realize they are to be prophesying?
First, before you get uptight, overwhelmed, or theological about folks prophesying, here’s what I mean. I may be prophesying if “I sound like I’ve been with God” because I know who God is and what He’s like. I prophesy when I say and do things revealed in scripture. If I have a growing relationship with Him, He will be revealing Himself to me more and more, and that will spill out.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary says this: “To prophesy, in this place, means praising God with great earnestness and devout affections, under the influences of the Holy Spirit.”
So, what are the differences between a singer who sings and one who prophesies?
To prophesy, I have to hear God. To sing, I have to hear myself.
To prophesy, I have to be clear. To sing, I can just…watermelon.
To prophesy, I have to walk in fearless obedience. To sing, I can just show up because I was on the schedule this week.
To prophesy, I have to realize I’m only a conduit. To sing, I can be the singer in the spotlight.
So let’s sing hearing God, being clear, walking in fearless obedience, and remembering that we’re a conduit. How can we be more intentional?
Hear God
If I’m going to hear God (like the “Shepherd’s-voice-hearing-sheep” He says I am), I need to do at least three things:
Get to know the God revealed in scripture
Be in a growing relationship with Him through prayer and worship behind closed doors, with no applause of man
Ask Him for specific revelation
Be Clear
There’s a message when I prophesy. In fact, it’s all about the message. (How many prophets checked their outfits or tried to look cool?) This reminder may help you sing with more precise diction and emotion. But let the subtext and poetry inspire you and sing with deep meaning.
Walk in Fearless Obedience
No matter what we feel prompted to do, we must obey. Obedience is a posture of your heart, not defined by your track record. If you didn’t obey last time, obey this time. And don’t get paralyzed in “worst-case scenario” thinking because you don’t have the grace for the future. Walk in grace today. And do what He says.
Realize I’m only a Conduit
You can tell a story about something that happened to you in two ways. In one, it’s about you. In the other, it’s about the shared experience, the truth you gleaned, the humor, the point. In other words, you’re not the point. Tell the story (read: sing) so He is the point, not you.
Here are some tweets on singing from @adlib247...
“I prophesy over my own life because I can’t afford to think things about myself that He’s not thinking.” @BillJohnsonBJM
Call them the “Songregation” instead of the “Congregation” - ’cause they sing so much! #prophesy don’t #criticize!
We’re in a shift from song leaders to psalmists: it’s not enough to play songs well, but we sing the very heart of God! HT @seanfeucht
Am I a singer of rescue? Does simple love and pure devotion mark me?
I believe we are coming into a day where we, as worshipers, will actually mean every word we sing. @seanfeucht
Congregation: The call to sing to the Lord is not the same as “sound good when you sing” - just open your mouth and sing your heart out!
Q: What is the opposite of worship? A: “complaining, selfishness, or singing with pride or unthankfulness.”
There is great power to overcome heaviness when we open our mouths and praise in song. The Isaiah 61:3 garments of “praise” means to sing.
Singing the songs of Zion takes people somewhere. All of a sudden, tuning your guitar takes on another meaning. @danwilt
Worship singers: you are the loose-makers, the stiff-breakers, the passion-quakers! Inspire the congregation you lead by modeling the freedom you desire to see.
We’re helping people sing their way through the journey. @danwilt
Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. (Psalm 100:2 NASB) Interestingly, these two lines are together.
They might be going through the motions, but Truth is still getting in them. @danwilt on people singing songs in worship
Clad in vineyards that wilderness shall be...and there she will sing as in the days of her youth. Hosea 2:15 -songs reorient and reclaim!
Singing is speech with Glory. - Luke Le Duc
At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused...victory! (2 Chronicles 20:22 NLT) //gives new meaning to a #fightsong
Songs are a place that we go (think of a single mom laboring over a sink of dirty dishes, gaining Hope by singing a worship song) @danwilt
-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)
Singers Prophesy (Nº 35)
