New Lutheran Quote of the Day

Songs of praise are a form of corporate teaching and preaching.  This has, I fear, been forgotten in many parts of the church today.  When modern Christians speak of praise, they, at least if they have been influenced by the charismatic movement, identify praise, by and large, with either thanksgiving or adoration, which are quite properly addressed to God and spoken to him.  Yet the psalms, the Scriptures as a whole, and our Lutheran tradition hold that we speak to each other when we praise God.  We do not sing hallelujah to the Lord but to each other.  When we praise the Triune God, we address each other and tell one another how good he is.  Our song of praise, then, is the corporate proclamation of the gospel by the congregation in the very presence of the living God.  -- Dr. John Kleinig, "Singing with Grace in our Hearts," Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord, p. 111.