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Daly: That Scripture in Psalms that talks about God being close to the brokenhearted and saving those crushed in spirit—does that mean something to you?

Bono: First of all, David's a musician, so I'm gonna like him. ... And what's so powerful about the Psalms are, as well as their being Gospel and songs of praise, they are also the Blues. It's very important for Christians to be honest with God, which often, you know, God is much more interested in who you are than who you want to be.

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Originally posted by Horseman Bree:
Is it valid to call the Psalms "The Blues without guitars"?

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88 Domine, Deus

1 O LORD, my God, my Savior, *
by day and night I cry to you.

2 Let my prayer enter into your presence; *
incline your ear to my lamentation.

3 For I am full of trouble; *
my life is at the brink of the grave.

4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; *
I have become like one who has no strength;

5 Lost among the dead, *
like the slain who lie in the grave,

6 Whom you remember no more, *
for they are cut off from your hand.

7 You have laid me in the depths of the Pit, *
in dark places, and in the abyss.

8 Your anger weighs upon me heavily, *
and all your great waves overwhelm me.

9 You have put my friends far from me;
you have made me to be abhorred by them; *
I am in prison and cannot get free.

10 My sight has failed me because of trouble; *
LORD, I have called upon you daily;
I have stretched out my hands to you.

11 Do you work wonders for the dead? *
will those who have died stand up and give you thanks?

12 Will your loving-kindness be declared in the grave? *
your faithfulness in the land of destruction?

13 Will your wonders be known in the dark? *
or your righteousness in the country where all
is forgotten?

14 But as for me, O LORD, I cry to you for help; *
in the morning my prayer comes before you.

15 LORD, why have you rejected me? *
why have you hidden your face from me?

16 Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the
point of death; *
I have borne your terrors with a troubled mind.

17 Your blazing anger has swept over me; *
your terrors have destroyed me;

18 They surround me all day long like a flood; *
they encompass me on every side.

19 My friend and my neighbor you have put away from me, *
and darkness is my only companion.

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Originally posted by Horseman Bree:
Reading snippets of an interview of Bono for Christianity Today, I noticed this interesting comparison:

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Daly: That Scripture in Psalms that talks about God being close to the brokenhearted and saving those crushed in spirit—does that mean something to you?

Bono: First of all, David's a musician, so I'm gonna like him. ... And what's so powerful about the Psalms are, as well as their being Gospel and songs of praise, they are also the Blues. It's very important for Christians to be honest with God, which often, you know, God is much more interested in who you are than who you want to be.

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Is it valid to call the Psalms "The Blues without guitars"? (This may be old hat to some, but it is a new way of seeing it/them to me)

The last line in the quote seems to be pretty close to Luke 18:9-14 , so it may not need much comment here.

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Originally posted by Horseman Bree:
I doubt that Bono was making a rigorous theological connection between the Psalms and the Blues. ISTM he is more likely to be making the point that the Psalms do contain the complaints, the yearnings, the angst that are audible in the Blues. This may help the present generation interpret some of the Bible helpfully.

Christianity Today is a bit unreliable for theological insight, and a passing interview is not the best place for Deep Thought anyway.

(BTW, what word did you mean for "planhs"?)

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I meant "planhs".

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"The Eucharist is not a play, and you're not Jesus."

--Sr Theresa Koernke, IHM

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Originally posted by The Midge:
I find it strange that contemporary church song books contain so few of the themes found in the psalms or much of the Biblical cannon. Not even in churches that call themselves 'Bible believing'.

I'll shut up before this canters off to join the crappy choruses threads.

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Originally posted by Martin PC not & Ship's Biohazard:
Is having your heart ripped out a class issue SvitlanaV2?

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Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:

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Originally posted by The Midge:
I find it strange that contemporary church song books contain so few of the themes found in the psalms or much of the Biblical cannon. Not even in churches that call themselves 'Bible believing'.

I'll shut up before this canters off to join the crappy choruses threads.

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To be serious, I think this is probably a cultural issue. Charismatic Christians in Britain's modern suburbs simply don't face the same trials and tribulations that faced the people who sang the blues.

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In short, do the blues really resonate in a relatively very comfortable environment?

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Originally posted by The Midge:


I'll admit I'm no in fear for my life, have a bit of middle aged spread rather than starving but shit still happens. This seems to be foreign to a lot of contemporary hymnody which seems to float a few inches above the floor.

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Yes God, God don't never change
He's God, always will be God

God in the middle of the ocean
God in the middle of the sea
By the help of the great creator
Truly been a God to me
Hey God, God don't never change
God, always will be God

God in creation
God when Adam fell
God way up in heaven
God way down in hell
He's God, God don't never change
God, always will be God

Spoke to the mountain
Said how great I am
Want you to get up this mornin'
Skip around like a lamb
Well he's God, God don't never change
God, always will be God

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Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes
When my heart's full of sorrow and my eyes are filled with tears
Lord, I just can't keep from crying sometimes

My mother often told me, angels bonded your life away
She said I would accomplish, but trust in God and pray
I'm on the King's Highway, I'm travelin' everyday

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Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:

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Originally posted by The Midge:


I'll admit I'm no in fear for my life, have a bit of middle aged spread rather than starving but shit still happens. This seems to be foreign to a lot of contemporary hymnody which seems to float a few inches above the floor.

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I don't know how mainstream charismatic churches work, but don't members of the congregation ever stand up to 'raise songs' that speak to their needs? Don't you have times of testimony that are sometimes used for the sharing of personal and communal pain? Some people use these times for the sharing of songs that are meaningful to them.

There's no shortage of songs, but if everything is always decided in advance then you'll obviously be limited to the repertoire that's chosen by the preacher or the worship team.

If being spontaneous is too daring then you could plan or suggest having a 'Songs of Praise' service, where people are encouraged to recommend hymns or songs in advance that might speak to their needs. At my old church little bits of paper were left on the seats and people made notes of the hymns they'd like. The papers were collected up and the repertoire was taken from the suggestions made.

Alternatively, maybe you and a few others could start a small singing group to encourage the singing of a wider repertoire. Some of the older more plaintive songs work well with guitars and drums. You could choose to sing some spirituals sometimes.

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I'm not going to comment on Charismatic Services per se, but what I read in Songs of Fellowship or hear on UCB and Premier Radio if I had a mind to, and perhaps the increasing number of Christian TV channels that are now Atlantic hopping. And I have been to Spring Harvest a few years back when we had
the money.

I have rarely, if ever seen a song of complaint or lament used worship except at a funeral or possibly as a backing track to one of those awful charity adverts designed to emotionally black mail donations.

My point is that truly biblical worship needs to use the full range of images and feelings expressed in the psalms. It is really important for those who struggle with the shit that happens and depression and the like. Happy, clappy praise and love songs don't cut it when you are in the depths of darkness wrestling with God.

I hope those who's call or ministry is to lead worship take note of the psalms. BTW You don't want to hear me sing down a mike! If I led worship it would probably be with art or prose. (unfortunately my whole town does not seem to be into anything alt worship) Maybe it is not allowed because it would put everone on a real downer and most people don't like that.

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Some days you are the fly.
On other days you are the windscreen.