Herrens Veier—an international milestone in the church’s history

Herrens Veier—an international milestone in the church’s history

We will start using the 17th edi­tion of the songbook Herrens Veier (Ways of the Lord) beginning with the first summer conference this year! For several years quite a few friends from various countries have done a solid work on an international basis with the music and the lyrics of the songs to bring this project to a conclusion. We reckon that by the year 2010 Herrens Veier will be translated into at least 16 languages. The songbook will therefore become one of the most effective missionary tools we have had in the church’s history!

“When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord! Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.” Judges 5:2-3. Thus sang Deborah and Barak. Also read Psalm 87:7, which is writ­ten in connection with Zion being the Lord’s established city. Those who were citizens of Zion had their fountain in the Lord, and they were bold to sing about it!

There is such power in song that it can conquer the enemy’s armies. We read about it in 2 Chronicles. When Jehoshaphat arrayed his sing­ers and trumpeters, the enemy fled. “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went about before the army and were saying: ‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’” 2 Chron. 20:21. As their singing brought their need and prayer before God for help, the Valley of Praise was “born.” This applies to our lives as well. When a song comes into our heart, the Valley of Tears is trans­formed into a Valley of Praise!

“Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,’ that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud . . . .” 2 Chron. 5:13. Here we can see the power that was in song in Solomon’s time as he dedicated the temple. We experience this in our days as well. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts, and God’s Word as well as the songs work powerfully in us and affects us during meetings and gatherings and in everyday life.

David was the sweet psalmist of Israel. “Thus says David the son of Jesse; thus says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: ‘The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.’” 2 Sam. 23:1-2. The Spirit of the Lord and lovely songs belong together, not the least in need and in trying circumstances. David expe­rienced the power and the comfort that was in song when he had to flee from Saul. Many of David’s psalms were born in such times. This is also true of the songs in Herrens Veier. Many of these songs were born un­der trying life-situations in which the singer, in his need, pressed into God, and the Spirit of the Lord strength­ened him with songs that were born in his heart. These are the kind of songs that have now been translated into many languages and which can be used as invaluable and important tools in missionary work.

When David was surrounded by Saul’s army and sought God in his great need, he quite often prefaced his psalm with these words: “A gold­en song of David,” and then he sang: “Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.” Ps. 57:8. He was able to sing this while he was fleeing from Saul. There was tremendous power in the song! He had prayed himself through so that faith’s song of praise was in his heart, and faith’s song of praise drove the rest of the spirit powers away from him so that he could have full confidence and faith in God.

David also did this when evil spirits were afflicting Saul. As we can see, David was accustomed to evil spirit powers having to flee before faith’s songs of praise. Therefore he used song as an instrument that was more powerful than sword or spear when evil spirits afflicted Saul. David prevailed not only against Saul with his singing, but he also conquered the entire spiritual host of wicked­ness! You can likewise experience God’s power through our songs that have been born through the power of the Holy Spirit! These songs are sufficiently powerful to set you free in your situations! Do not neglect to use such spiritual weapons in life’s battles!

Songs have been in the hearts of the saints from the very be­ginning, but they cannot be sung in a foreign land or on a false foundation. Israel experienced this as well. They did not want to sing when they sat by the rivers of Babylon and wept. Nevertheless, as soon as our feet are put on a rock and we come to that firm and good foundation which God has given us to stand on—an overcoming life—we can sing the songs of faith in all situations. We can also see this when it concerns those who stood on the sea of glass that was mingled with fire.

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, stand­ing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.” Rev. 15:2-4.

We have to learn the new song in life’s situations if we want to be among the overcomers on the sea of glass. Then it is good to have songs like we have in Herrens Veier to sing and with which to edify ourselves in life’s battles. They are a great help to overcome! We can rejoice when God’s judgments are manifested, and what could then be more natural than to sing songs of praise to the Lord? All this contrib­utes to awaken our hearts to be de­voted to, to worship, and to glorify Him who sits on the throne.

This is how God-fearing people were strengthened through the ministry of song. Paul also exhorts us to use singing by way of spiritual edification. For example, read 1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 5:19, and Colossians 3:16. When the Word of Christ is abundantly present in life, in the home, and in the church, then song and music is also richly present. Therefore our fathers in Christ have from the church’s beginning—and in our days as well—emphasized song and music as a vital part of edifica­tion. Throughout history, song and music have played an important part in the edification of Christians! This is a good inheritance that we wish to preserve and further by means of the songbook Herrens Veier in many different languages. This is also how we can spread our inheritance and the gospel of God—through song and music!

Mothers have a great and impor­tant responsibility when it concerns song as well as music. To sing the gospel into the children’s hearts is a long-term and purposeful work. The children will never forget their mothers’ songs which they heard in their childhood, and those who did experience this carry a rich inherit­ance with them as they grow up! Mothers and fathers have an extra opportunity to sing the songs of Zion into the hearts of their children, songs that will never leave their children. Wherever children expe­rience Christianity with song and joy in daily life, they will receive a foundation on which they can build their future. Make use of the family songbook Mandelblomsten (Almond Blossoms) as well as Herrens Veier in the work with your children! It is an investment that you will never regret!

In connection with all the work in the homes and in the church, let us remember the exhortation by Sigurd Bratlie in the foreword of a previous edition of the music book: “Building unity and fellowship.” All of us can have a share in this important work with the gifts that God has given us, just as Johan O. Smith wrote to Elias Aslaksen in 1935 (#227): “The impor­tant thing is that each of us praise God in every way, to the best of our ability.”

Herrens Veier is a rich fountain from which you can draw! Let song be an important part of edification, fellowship, and good times in the homes and in the church!