Spontaneous Song: What is it?
by Gideon Lim
Spontaneous songs come from the very depths of our hearts. The words that we sing are what we fuel ourselves with, & a spontaneous song is one of the many vessels where truth can be conveyed. Be it a roaring anthem or a tender whisper, God is pleased when we offer up songs to Him that are pure & unadulterated. What one must realize is that spontaneous songs are actually a gift from God – a precious expression of overflowing love & gratitude.
I used to struggle with how people would respond to my spontaneous song. Is the melody memorable? Do the lyrics make sense? Is my melodic range too wide? Are my stress points on the right beat? Yes, all these factors help to create a powerful, spontaneous anthem, but the truth is that God is looking at the heart of your song. What is the premise of your spontaneous song? Why do you sing your spontaneous song? Who is your audience?
When I lead devotional sets at Burning Hearts, I always sing spontaneous songs & tend to really like them (most of the time!). The trouble is, I forget quite a lot of them. After the set, I would beat myself up trying to remember the lyrics & melody, thinking that such revelations should be shared with others. Whenever that happens, the Holy Spirit would remind me of what my brother from another mother, Josh Yeoh, once said to me. “Sometimes, the spontaneous songs that you forget are the most pleasing to God. He will never forget those songs even if you do, & those songs were written & sung solely for Him.” No one else needs to hear them! Again, why do you write spontaneous songs? Who are you really writing it for?
My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
Psalm 45:1, ESV
The vein of songwriting is such a good way to connect with the heart of God. If we however write songs solely based on whether it will bless others instead of having a ‘audience of one’ perspective, we lose sight of why we write these songs. So just let your heart overflow with songs & praises unto His name. Let psalms 45 be a reality of your life. Never lose sight of why you write, as when you turn your gaze & affection on the One that is truly holy, all things will start to dim & fade.
Love, Gideon
Gideon is a part-time vocal mentor at Awaken Generation & is a gifted worship leader, songwriter, pianist & producer. He graduated with a Degree in Contemporary Writing & Production (magna cum laude) at Berklee College of Music in 2014 & concurrently serves at Burning Hearts, a local prayer & worship house.