Many traditional hymns of the Church speak of our sin and God's wrath.

They also praise God's character and attributes. They bring conviction and repentence as they invoke a sense of awe and wonder at God's majesty, e cellency and beauty. Many of these hymns follow a practical systematic theology of Guilt, Grace and Gratitude. Traditional hymns, like those of Martin !uther, "ugustus Toplady, #ohn $ewton and %illiam Cowper, are rich in theological content and reverence to the awesome power and wonder of God. &et the 'ole ones' seemingly aren't much in vogue these days. Much contemporary Christian music appeals to sensual e perience at the e pense of also loving God with our minds. (raise and worship music laden with saccharine sentimentality is a serious reflection of theological anemia among our assemblies. Michael )orton has characteri*ed some of this as '#esus, my boy friend music'. +ubjective, inane e perience comes often at the e pense of rightly dividing the %ord. &et as disheartening as this is, there are some modern Christian songs that appeal to contemporary musical tastes, carry sound doctrinal messages and are truly God,centered worship and praise. #onathan -dwards, who knew God's reality with his head and passionately felt God's reality in the love of his heart, is right when he says, 'God glorifies )imself toward the creatures also in two ways. /. 0y appearing to . . . their understanding. 1. 2n communicating )imself to their hearts, and in their rejoicing and delighting in, and enjoying, the manifestations which )e makes of )imself. . . God is glorified not only by )is glory's being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. %hen those that see it delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only see it. )is glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart.' Christian music, therefore, should be an e pression of what #ohn (iper calls thinking truly and feeling duly. +uch music 2 believe can be found in the work of such contemporary writer3performers as 4eformed troubadour +teve Camp, balladeer 5on 6rancisco, evangelicals Michael Card and 5ennis #ernigan, and 0ritish charismatic Graham 7endrick. This (age seeks to e plore lyrics of the music of yesteryear and today that convey +criptural integrity, sound doctrine and true worship and praise.

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$ote the richness and depth of theology contained in the traditional hymn penned over two hundred years ago and the new song based on #onathan -dwards' classic sermon in contrast with the lyrics from the contemporary praise and worship scene. T%8 M85-4$ )&M$+. ')old me !ord, in &our arms. )old me !ord, in &our arms. 6ill me !ord, with &our +pirit. 6ill me !ord, with &our +pirit. Touch my heart, with &our love. Touch my heart, with &our love.' '!ord, 2 love &ou, &ou alone did hear my cry. 8nly &ou can mend this broken heart of mine. &es, 2 love &ou, and there is no doubt, !ord, &ou've touched me from the inside out.' from %orship +ongs of The :ineyard, :olume / " T4"52T28$"! )&M$. $ot the labors of my hands Can fulfill thy law's demands; Could my *eal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow, "ll for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and thou alone. $othing in my hand 2 bring, +imply to thy cross 2 cling; $aked, come to thee for dress, )elpless, look to thee for grace; 6oul, 2 to the 6ountain fly; %ash me, +avior, or 2 die. !et the water and the blood, 6rom thy riven side which flowed, 0e of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power, 4ock of "ges, cleft for me, !et me hide myself in thee. , "ugustus Toplady, Rock of Ages /<<= " $-% T4"52T28$"! )&M$. God looks at your heart, that dark and weary place The times you've mocked )is mercy and trampled on )is grace +o should you be surprised or should you find it odd To see yourselves as sinners in the hands of an angry God &ou've built a rotten bridge of man,made righteousness +uspended over flames of hell, an endless second death &ou think that you are safe, the truth is you are not $ow you face your doom as sinners in the hands of an angry God.

, +teve Camp, In the Hands of God, />>? @courtesy of #onathan -dwards, /<A?B