Since I’ve been going to ST Matt’s, I find the music (old hymns) fits seamlessly into the experience, but as has been observed the focus is on God, not on the other things that trip me up and keep me from being worshipful. Add to that, the fact that the tunes are nearly all unfamiliar to me. It seems Episcopals have their own tunes, albeit old sounding, they’re not familiar to me. This allows me to really focus on the words and I am thus focused on praising Him the old-fashioned way with a new-fashioned attitude not encumbered by memories or associations. It’s like just discovering hymns!

#7 is a pet peeve of mine as well. I love “Amazing Grace,” but if I have to sing one more “updated” version, I’m going to puke.

As for worship instructions (#6), they are a nuisance at times. Lifting my holy hands up is not something I’m inclined to do, but I don’t mind when others do.

Skipping to #4, repetition is a major distraction for me. When I say something too often, it begins to lose its meaning (this is actually a technique used in literature at times). I long to mean what I say to God while worshiping. When repetition takes that away, I stop singing and try to pray. Or I look around at how joyful my fellow Xns are, which is always encouraging.

As for #2, the number of times I’ve sung worship songs that aren’t doctrinally sound is both amazing and disappointing. Far, far too often as daughters and sons do we ask God for things he’s already given. Sometimes I skip lyrics b/c I don’t believe them.

Self-aggrandizement (#1) is an issue indeed, and it’s a problem not reserved to lyrics only. How many worship services have I attended that seemed like concerts? I don’t attend church to see a show; I want the the musicians to lead me in worship. Perhaps jam sessions and/or guitar solos are worshipful for the performers, but they do nothing for me outside of being something nice to hear. Worship goes inside out, so the music should elicit genuine responses from the audience. If a song stays external and doesn’t reach my spirit, I might as well have the radio on.

JL, your comment about hymns being God-focused is golden. Amen to fixing my eyes on the author and perfecter of my faith rather than on myself. It’s Peter walking on water.

Finally, I acknowledge that a great degree of my failure to worship as I ought has little to do with the music; sometimes I’m proud or hard-hearted. I’m blessed that there are songs that smash my pride and humble me before the Lord. Those are my favorite, and most of them are hymns.

When they’re making money off of CD’s, videos, accompaniment tracks, and sheet music…I’d say yes.

#3 was a good one, although perhaps related to #1 (not its title, but some of it’s content). Many people certainly do feel as if God has been withholding himself from them. Maybe such things don’t belong in “praise” music, as it would them become “pleas” music or “request” music. But if worship should be, as you said, a time of brutal honesty, then a “believer” who feels that God is distant and unreliable should be able to express their seeking and yearning.

P.S. good to see you writing again