In Psalm 34.3, David gives us the essence of worship, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” We magnify the Lord by exalting Him, praising Him, making Him great in our hearts and minds, and then responding to His greatness in word, deed, and song. That last one - song - is particularly important in worship.
Music has a rich biblical foundation as a primary vehicle for praise. It glorifies God (Psalm 150.3-6), proclaims His truth (Colossians 3.16), unites believers (2 Chronicles 5.13), and expresses deep emotion (2 Samuel 6.5). At its best, music has a unique ability to touch our soul by aligning our thoughts and feelings with Gospel truth, creating moments of Spirit-breathed worship.
This Sunday, December 22 at 7pm, we will have the opportunity to experience music at its best as the choir sings the “Christmas” portion of Handel’s Messiah in the Christmas concert. You know Messiah because we sing its most famous chorus every Easter. But did you know there is much, much more to Messiah than “Hallelujah!”? Consider for instance:
- The entire text of Messiah consists of biblical quotations and shows a remarkable grasp of Scripture. It is a survey of all of salvation’s plan, and perhaps the first time in history that the whole drama of human redemption is set to music.
- Handel was so inspired by the text that he completed the entire composition, 2 ½ hours of music, in only 24 days. (And no, our choir isn’t singing all 2 ½ hours in the concert.) When finished, Handel said: “I did think I did see Heaven before me and the great God Himself!”
- While successful in its premiere in Dublin in 1742, it was decidedly not successful when Handel attempted to present it in London. In fact, there was so much opposition that Handel shelved it until 1749. At that time, it finally found a receptive audience and has remained the composer’s signature piece ever since.
There’s a reason Handel is best known for Messiah. He composed fine music, but nothing which compared to this particular work. The preface to the published music reads: “MAJORA CANAMUS” (Let us sing of great things). Handel sang of great things and has inspired millions as result.
To help you get the most out of the Christmas concert, we will have a “Preparing for Messiah” Discussion following worship this Sunday in Room 100 (the Fellowship Hall). We’ll look at the piece’s history, examine the Scriptures that form the lyric, and also discuss how Handel set the music to evoke the emotion of the Scripture. Plus, there will be lots of musical samples to prepare you for what you’ll hear that evening. Please join us both morning and evening, Sunday December 22, to magnify the Lord!
Tim Schoap
