Singing the Songs of Jesus: Revisiting the Psalms
Christian Focus Publications
Published in 2010
By Michael Lefebvre
Reviewed by Jack Kettler
Singing the Songs of Jesus by pastor Michael Lefebvre is
a book that delivers on its promise to help the church
to revisit the Psalms. Modern day evangelicals often ask
“what would Jesus do?” More to the point, what did Jesus
do? During the days of His incarnation, Jesus worshiped
His Father, the God of Israel. One of the ways God is
worshiped is through songs of praise. What songs did
Jesus sing, when He worshiped the Father? The answer to
this question is one of the tasks the author takes on in
this book.
Pastor Lefebvre draws attention to Biblical material
that is often passed over when studying the history of
Israel relating to worship. At every point in the
history of redemption, Israel's leaders sang songs
before God and the people. The significance of this is
often overlooked. Pastor Lefebvre does a remarkable job
in chronically how king David was directed by God to
oversee the task of creating a song book for the people
of Israel to be used in worship. This involved writing
songs, overseeing other composers such as Asaph,
organizing choirs and musicians. After David, Solomon
continued the task of completing Israel's song book.
The preeminence of the king in Israel's worship of God
was an important practice. Not only did David direct the
people singing songs in worship, this pattern applies to
David's Greater Son, who is the Lord. Jesus is our King
seated at the right hand of the Father. The apostle
Paul, makes the statement that during worship we are
seated with Christ in heaven, specifically; “and made us
sit together in heavenly places” Ephesians 2:6. Jesus
our King is enthroned at the Father's right hand, and
we, through our union with Him, are led in heavenly
worship by the King Jesus; “Saying, I will declare thy
name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I
sing praise unto thee” Hebrews 2:12.
The author makes the case that Jesus, our Kingly
choirmaster in the heavenly, leads us in singing praises
to the Father. Pastor Lefebvre succeeds not only showing
that the Psalms are profitable for doctrine, they
testify of Christ. They are in fact, the song book Jesus
used to worship the Father. The Psalms were composed for
Jesus as our perfect King and song leader.
In this brilliant work, Michael Lefebvre calls the
church to once again to sing the songs of Jesus. If the
church heeds this call, it will be blessed indeed. It
should be the heart's desire of every believer to
conform to Christ in all of our thoughts and deeds.
Surely, this must also involve conforming in how we
worship. Hence, the primary song book for the church
should be the “Songs of Jesus.” The aim of this book is
to restore the songs composed for Jesus to their
rightful place in His Church. This edifying book should
be in the home of everyone who calls themselves
Reformed.
“Wherever the Psalter is abandoned,
an incomparable treasure vanishes from the Christian
Church. With its
recovery will come unsuspected power.” - Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
Mr. Kettler is an ordained Presbyterian Elder and the
owner of http://www.Undergroundnotes.com
where his theological, philosophical and political
articles can be read.