Praying in the Spirit: Singing in the Spirit

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14 that glossolalic singing is for praise and thanksgiving: “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you all are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified” (verses 15-17, emphasis added).

In addition to offering praise and thanks unto the Lord, songs may be used to petition the Lord. The Psalms are full of petitions: “Help me, O Lord my God; save me in accordance with your love” (109:26); “Teach me your way, O Lord. … Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant …” (86:11, 16); “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer” (61:1); “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands …” (77:1-2). Certainly, we can petition the Lord with singing. Too often we forget this. And Romans 8:26-27 suggests that we may also present to God our petitions in a language of the Spirit: “We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

In my study of singing in the Spirit and singing in general, three important truths emerge. Naturally, a song of praise, thanksgiving, or petition is going to be addressed to God, not to man. Therefore the interpretation of the glossolalic song should be in the person and direction of man to God and not God to man. This principal also finds support in Paul’s words about tongues-speaking. We have no Scripture indicating that tongues-speaking is a “message” from God to man, such as prophecy. To the contrary, Paul says that when a man speaks in tongues, he speaks to God (1 Corinthians 14:2). Some may not consider this Scripture alone as conclusive proof that tongues are not to be addressed to man. It may simply mean, they would say, that no man understands glossolalia, but an omniscient God understands all things. The use of the song, as described in Scripture, may settle the question. Throughout the Bible, the song is sung to God. “I will sing a new song to you, O God …” (Psalms 144:9); “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1); “I will sing to the Lord” (Judges 5:3). Although the song is indeed addressed to the Lord, it should be noted that it is also for the ears of man. “I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing praises to Thee among the nations” (Psalm 57:9, NASB). The very fact that the Psalms are part of the Scriptures proves that they, though sung to God, were meant for man. Therefore, it would seem that glossolalic utterances for congregational edification, whether spoken or sung, should be interpreted as words from man to God, as praise and thanks and petition, and should be edifying to man although addressed to God.

Tags: praying, singing, spirit

Category: Spirit, Spring 2001