「獨唱詩篇」如何改變我的生命Howbeing EP has changed my life....
作者:Rebekah Womble 譯者:駱鴻銘
我今天在想,獨唱詩篇(exclusive psalmody)如何改變了我的人生......
當我以前著迷於「Hillsong」的歌曲,和其他的人寫的詩歌/敬拜歌曲時,我在唱歌和聽歌時,會變得非常情緒化。我的情感會被這些歌曲的音樂和聲音挑動起來,更勝於被它們的歌詞所感動。我當時以為,情感和呼喊的程度,代表我「很靠近神」。
但是當我開始相信「獨唱詩篇」的立場,並且不再使用人寫的這些詩歌時,我對神的情感確實經歷了一番掙扎。在某種程度上,我把對神的情感等同於那些情緒的高漲,呼喊,等等,而不是立足於不變真理的更深刻情感上。既然我現在不再唱那些所謂的「讚美詩歌」,我如何再次得到那種對神的感覺呢?
即使是現在,我有時候也還有掙扎,「我為什麼沒有『感覺』到我更愛神呢?」
但是當我每天唱無伴奏的詩篇時,主就幫助我成長,讓我對祂有更深的情感,這種感情不是建立在樂曲或浮動的情緒上的。人造的詩歌不像神的話,有改變人心的超自然能力。詩篇可以轉化人心,是因為這是聖靈在說話,帶領我們,也使我們成聖。
透過詩篇,祂向我顯明基督的榮耀、祂的榮美、祂的審判;我們是祂的兒女,祂草場上的羊,而在我們的軟弱和倚靠當中,我們被祂的憐憫所扶持。頌讃主要不是關於我和我的情感,而是關於祂和祂為我所成就的,以及祂繼續要為我成就的。
我的心被上帝話語的真理所挑旺,我渴望基督,渴望順服祂。祂藉著祂的應許安慰我,我的情感也像如花綻放。
我深深為詩篇這個禮物而感恩。透過詩篇,祂堅固我的心,也牧養我的心。祂如此恩待我。真的,以耶和華為神的,那國是有福的! (詩篇卅三12)
I’m
thinking today about how being EP has changed my life....
Back
when I was really into Hillsong and other manmade hymns/worship songs, I would
get SO emotional while singing and listening. My feelings would be stirred up
by the music and the sound of the song, so much more than the actual words. But
I thought that level of emotion and crying meant I was “close to God.”
When
I became convicted of EP and stopped using those songs, I really struggled with
my affections toward God. I had equated them, to a certain degree, with those
emotional highs, crying, etc. rather than a deeper affection rooted in
unchanging truth. Now that I didn’t have those “worship songs,” how would I
feel that way toward God again?
Even
now, I sometimes struggle with it still, “Why don’t I ‘feel’ more love for
God?”
But
as I sing the Psalms a cappella each day, the Lord has helped me grow in deeper
affections for Him that aren’t based on music or fleeting emotion. Manmade
hymns don’t have the supernatural power of His Word to change the heart. The
Psalms are transformative because it is the Spirit speaking and leading and
sanctifying us.
Through
them, He shows me Christ’s glory. His beauty. His judgments. That we are His
children, His sheep, and in our weakness and dependence, we are held up by His
mercy. That it isn’t primarily about me and my feelings, but Him and what He
has done, and continues to do for me.
My
heart is stirred by the truth of God’s Word, and I long for Christ and to obey
Him. He comforts me by His promises, and my affections bloom.
I’m
so thankful for the gift of the Psalms. By them He has strengthened and
shepherded my heart. He is so good to me. Truly, blessed are the people whose God
is the Lord.