Two things draw me to powerful, Scripture-laden worship songs: (1) Music has always had a profound impact on how I feel and think–my affections, and the object of my affections. (2) We were made to praise that in which we delight. Scriptural and theologically-rich lyrics, set to a worshipful tune, have an inexplicable way of lifting my affections back to God, and putting gospel-oriented thoughts in my mind–thoughts which readily turn to meditations on the One in whom we live, move, and have our being.
It is in that vein that I heartily recommend Sing Praise To The Lord by Dan Goeller. The album contains seventeen (17) marvelously worshipful songs. The instrumentation is diverse and the melodies are both catchy and musically satisfying. The tempo of the songs greatly varies throughout the album; some make use of an assortment of percussion instruments, others are slow and contemplative. Several lead vocalists are featured in the different songs and a few employ the simple reading of Scripture set to music. Others have a choral flavor, with what sounds like a full range of vocalists (from bass to soprano). Best of all, each song, with the exception of two instrumental interludes, is a meditation on a specific Scripture or cluster of Scriptures directly from the book of Psalms. And each song blends naturally into the next, seamlessly weaving together the various musical themes.
1. Shout for Joy (Psalm 100:1-5)
2. My Soul Thirsts For You (Psalm 63:1, 4, 7-8)
3. Be Still (Psalm 37:7, 62:1, 5; 91:1)
4. Rescue Me (Psalm 31:2-4, 9-13)
5. The Lord is My Rock (Psalm 18:1-3; 27:1-3; 5-6; 46:1)
6. I Cry To You (Psalm 40:12; 130:1-2)
7. Search Me, O God (Instrumental Interlude)
8. Have Mercy On Me (Psalm 51:1-2, 7, 10, 12; 139:23-24)
9. Open My Eyes (Psalm 119:10-11, 18, 34, 37, 77)
10. Trust In The Lord (Psalm 19:14, 37:3-6; 55:22)
11. How Majestic Is Your Name (Psalm 8:1, 3-6, 9:1-2)
12. Let Us Sing To The Lord (Psalm 9:1, 19:1, 24:1-2; 33:6, 9; 57:5; 92:4; 95:1-2, 5)
13. My Heart Is Troubled (Instrumental Interlude)
14. Abandoned (Psalm 6:2-3, 22:1-2, 19)
15. Your Promise Gives Me Life (Psalm 34:17-18, 94:19, 119:41, 50, 114; 139:7-10)
16. You Are Always With Me (Psalm 16:1-2, 8-11)
17. Let All That I Am Praise The Lord (Psalm 103:1-4, 6, 8, 19-20, 22, 150:6)
As you can see, the songs have a range of thematic elements (from unbridled praise and adoration to intense supplication). Listen to free samples of every song. Classical music lovers (like me) and those who either sing in or enjoy choirs will particularly like this great album. For everyone else, I encourage you to stretch and expand your musical repertoire by taking time to Sing Praise To The Lord with the help of these songs.
Starting next week, I’ll be interviewing Dan Goeller about his musical training, his theology/philosophy of worship music, his diverse career, and his current projects.