Antipsalm
Before reading this, put this in your ears: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=JUZpZRr6m00&si=FgMetV39-QM1O1Hp
Ready? Now read this:
“The Lord doesn’t care about me at all. There’s always something that I’m struggling to have. I have to trudge, sweating through arid, rocky deserts with no place to rest and no sound except the pounding in my own head. I have no idea where I’m going and no idea why…”
This is an antipsalm. The idea David Powlison popularized. It gives us what life feels like when we aren’t abiding in the Vine, when we’ve lost sight of God. Every one of us has moments of this. Every one of us.
But it’s powerful when I read this and then the real deal:
“The LORD is my Shepherd to feed, to guide, and to shield me, there is nothing I lack; I have all that I need. He makes me lie down to relax in fields of green grass; He leads me to calm water. He refreshes and restores my soul, renewing my strength; indeed my entire being is brought to life; He leads me in just the right paths for the absolute glory of His name.” Psalm 23:1-3 (in this version)
As powerful as writing your own antipsalm is, as I did at the top, imagine how it will help our congregations as we lead them in worship. So I’ve taken this week’s “Top songs” in Planning Center Online and written an “antipsalm” for part of it. You’re free to use it if it’s helpful.
Holy Forever
Antipsalm
Your cancer is the highest
Your debt is the greatest
Your problems are insurmountable
The darkness overpowers me
Failing again destroys me
There’s no place where I am safe, no stronghold to which I can run
The real deal
Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all
Goodness of God
Antipsalm
If You even exist, I’m sure we’re nowhere near each other
Condemnation is all I hear
Over and over I’ve been disappointed with no one to help me
I haven’t even opened my eyes, and I’m racked with anxiety,
So I’ve joined the world and cursed the very day I was born.
I’ve heard stories of a faithful God, but I’ve always felt alone.
I’ve heard stories of a good God, but never experienced it myself
I cough and wheeze in the dust, choking out curse after curse.
The real deal
I love You, Lord
Oh, Your mercy never failed me
And all my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
Firm Foundation (He Won’t)
Antipsalm
I’m up to my knees in mud, and I just keep sinking
It smells of death and uncertainty
Terror fills my eyes because I don’t know how much longer it will be until I go under and am forgotten
I am all alone, charged with figuring life out
With no hope of actually doing it
As far back in my family tree that I look, despair, hopelessness, divorce, and fists shaking at the sky is all I see
I know there would never be Anyone who should save or help me
No way
The real deal
Christ is my firm foundation
The rock on which I stand
When everything around me is shaken
I’ve never been more glad
That I put my faith in Jesus
'Cause He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through generations
So why would He fail now?
He won’t
Who Else
Antipsalm
Who or what am I? No purpose, nothing special, no calling
I suppose if I’m going to be the top dog in this dog-eat-dog world, I will claw and scratch past anyone who stands in my way
My ears fill with other barks and wails
So I will curse and cut down, gnarl and snap at those around me
The real deal
I am an instrument of exaltation
And I was born to lift the name above all names
You hear the melody of all creation
But there’s a song of praise that only I can bring
Doxology
(Anyone else surprised this is in the top five?)
Antipsalm
All hail AI, you solve all my problems
All hail AI, you’ve made my life so much easier
All hail AI, I can’t imagine my life without you
Hail Chat, Claude, and Gemini
Certainly!
The real deal
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
This exercise is teaching me that sometimes, to be reminded of how beautiful and powerful a truth is, I need to say the opposite. Because often, that’s what my heart and mind are believing anyway. And getting it out in the open allows me the opportunity to crush the lie with the truth. Isn’t it amazing we get to sing such truths?!
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
Title (Nº )
Why do some leaders succeed at building lasting worship ministries while others fail? In the Five Faders, Dave Helmuth explores the process of development and breaks down the lies, myths, and traps keeping you from being the fruitful leader God desires. Using decades of evidence-based insights, Dave reveals how understanding what motivates you is the first step in becoming a Five Faders Leader.
With our framework for becoming the best Artist, Shepherd, Priest, Educator, and Producer, you'll learn to slide each Fader up or down as Love requires you in each moment of leadership. Through relatable stories, insight gained from years of coaching worship teams in every kind of setting, and step-by-step advice, readers learn how to become the healthy expression of their Fader, build a culture of honor on your team to bring out the best in everyone, and be the most effective leader in the ever-changing landscape of ministry. Whether you’re looking to relieve frustration, increase confidence, or outlast change, this book offers the tools to become a Five Faders Leader.
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