Songs that Shouldn't Be Sung Part 2

This post is a continuation of Conservative Songs that Shouldn't Be Sung. If you haven't read that post yet, read it first. I've studied out some of these songs at the request of some readers, and I've also left out some that were mentioned by others yesterday. You'll want to check out what has or has not been discussed already.

6. We've a Story to Tell to the Nations.
A reader left a comment about this song in yesterday's post and I really wanted to research it a bit more and share with you what I learned. This is the worst kind of song. That's because it's tricky. It reminds me of the verse in Jude where the false teachers have "crept in unawares." A lot of people don't understand the theology behind a song like this. In a way, that's a good thing. It means they won't ever take the song the wrong way. But at the same time, it can influence your thinking to wrong doctrine.

This song is very strongly Post-Millennial. Right now you're saying, "What's that?" Post-Millennialism is the belief that we are currently in the 1,000 year time period mentioned in the Bible. Or rather that the thousand year time period will happen and people will live through it without a rapture ever taking place. While I don't believe that (it's a much debated topic among good men), it's the next part that has me screaming, "Heresy!" They believe that society will essentially become more and more good as Satan and his forces gradually become more and more defeated.

"How will they be defeated?," you ask. Why, by us witnessing and sharing the gospel. Yes this is the belief that evangelism will usher in the kingdom of God by making society more and more like Christ. That's a wonderful thought, but anyone who believes this has got their head stuck in the mud (yes, like an ostrich). I'm doing everything I can to get the word out about Christ yet society, from my perspective anyway, keeps getting worse and worse (Scientific laws of entropy anyone?). Does anyone else notice this too? Or am I the only one? (I'm being facetious if you can't tell).

My point? Don't sing it. It's subliminally teaching your congregation about bad doctrine.

7. Here I Am, Lord I'm talking about the version that has "I, the Lord of sea and sky" in the lyrics. I actually really like this song; the tune anyway. But as someone suggested to me, it's really kind of backward. It focuses completely on self, like I've Got a Mansion. What's worse is that it actually has you singing as God in the first person. I never thought about that when I sang it, but then again isn't that what I've been saying all along? We never think about the songs we sing. To place yourself in the place of God seems bad and prideful doesn't it? I suppose the rationale is to see it from God's perspective, which there is nothing wrong with trying to understand something from God's perspective. As a matter of fact if we had God's perspective of sin we'd think twice about some of the sins we blatantly commit.


8. On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand.
This is another reader suggestion. The whole premise of the song is that you are toiling through life and you stand at the banks of Jordan. Jordan was known to overflow in the rainy season and badly so, but soon you will cross Jordan and enter into rest, a.k.a. Heaven. The only problem is that Canaan Rest is a symbol of the peace that you find through God in this life. It's me accepting Christ as my Savior and now being at peace with God, having my sins atoned for (at-one-ment). Heavenly rest is the rest that the song has in mind. It is God's rest. It's the rest He took at the end of the Creation week and it's the rest that awaits for us one day.

The problem is that he didn't know the difference between Canaan rest and God's rest. He also didn't think that one through very clearly because Israel didn't have rest immediately upon entering the land. They had to clear it first, and then they didn't really ever do that, Hebrews says they never really got the rest they were supposed to have because of disobedience and unbelief.

If I take that approach then we're never really going to get the rest because Israel never got their rest either. Do you catch my train of thought? Did the guy intend to be Biblical? Probably. Did he succeed? No.

EDIT: Based on a conversation in the comments below I would like to clarify my comments. My problem with the song is merely the fact that the song has instilled a misconception in the minds of the our church members. Because of this song people relate crossing the Jordan with going into Heaven. When you couple this thought with Scripture it can create confusion. It is my opinion that we should avoid songs that create confusion.


9. Honey in the Rock If you ask my wife, she'd tell you that #1 on her list is Honey in the Rock, #2 on her list is Honey in the rock, and #3 on her list is Honey in the Rock. Now I don't know that I'd say the song is THAT bad. In fact, I have fun singing it randomly just to hear her go "No!" and watch her cover her ears. I did this last night at Wal-Mart and she started beating me with her purse all the while I'm laughing like crazy.
But truthfully, it's just an annoying song. There is a Bible verse to support the title of the song (Ps. 81:16). It references Christ being our Rock (which is very Biblical) and our joy can be found in Him. It actually seems quite encouraging looking at the lyrics, but the tune is just so obnoxious. It's on my "not like" list, but I can't call it unbiblical so I pegged it down toward the bottom despite my wife's feelings.

The only objection that I have for it is if the congregation loathes the song, then it's not accomplishing it's purpose of focusing our hearts on God, thus shouldn't be sung.


10. Good Christian Men Rejoice.
I'm probably stretching it with this song. The first line of this song probably wasn't written first. The second two verses are just fine. However, the first line, which actually talks about the day of Jesus' birth, instructs Christian men to rejoice because Jesus is born and is currently, at that particular moment in time, in the manger.

The problem is that "they were first called Christians at Antioch" a couple of decades after Christ's birth. If your argument is that Christians alive now are encouraged to rejoice, then you've got a time element disagreement. Christians now rejoice because Christ is born right now and in the manger. It doesn't make much sense.

EDIT: Read the comments below. I have rescinded my issues with this song. Plus, even if it did have some grammatical issues, that doesn't mean we shouldn't sing it. I probably shouldn't have put this on the list to begin with. I'll leave it here as a learning experience for someone who's interested.


I know there plenty more we could probably list, but we'll stop it here. I hope you haven't been discouraged by these posts. It's not my intention to discourage you because you can't trust the songs you sing, but instead to be like the Bereans in the New Testament and look in the Scriptures to see whether these songs line up. Plus, throwing out 10 songs when you've got a hymnal of 600 really isn't that bad now is it?

Just like last time, if you have any more songs to suggest that shouldn't be sung I would love to hear about it. Or maybe you think I listed a song that shouldn't be on the list. Let me know. Leave a comment in the box.

I'd also like to run a Questions and Answers article about music tomorrow. If you have questions, tell me about them on my Facebook page.

Posted in: Cautions, Church Music