Scott Aniol

Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is Chair of the Worship Ministry Department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children.

Author Archives: Scott Aniol

Metaphors in Psalm 130

Metaphors in Psalm 130

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This entry is part 6 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Last week I pointed out that since Psalm 130 is a song, we cannot treat it like a Pauline epistle. We need to explore the poetic elements of the psalm to let it do for us what the original author(s) intended for it to communicate. First, songs often make use of artistic metaphors to create… Continue Reading

Psalm 130 – A Song!

Psalm 130 – A Song!

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This entry is part 5 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

It our discussion of Psalm 130, we have seen that it is a song of repentance, it is a song of corporate worship, and it is a gospel song. But notice the common word in each of these descriptions—this is a song! And because this is a poem that is meant to be sung, we… Continue Reading

Advent Hymns

Advent Hymns

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Advent is upon us! This is a wonderful time of year to both remember the prophecies regarding Christ’s first coming and anticipate his coming again. If all of the prophecies concerning his first coming were fulfilled with complete literalness, we can have confidence that those prophecies yet to be fulfilled will also come to pass… Continue Reading

Psalm 130 – A Gospel Song

Psalm 130 – A Gospel Song

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This entry is part 4 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

We have been looking at the message of Psalm 130 and have noticed that it is a penitential psalm and a song of corporate worship. The final stanza (verses 7-8) in particular reveal its congregational focus, proclaiming that God will redeem all of his people from their iniquities. You see, this penitential psalm is not… Continue Reading

Thanksgiving: The Primary Worship Response

Thanksgiving: The Primary Worship Response

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In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln established an annual national holiday of Thanksgiving to be observed on the last Thursday in November. Most of us look forward to this holiday, a day on which we eat good food, enjoy time with family and friends, and perhaps watch some football. And we will probably set aside at… Continue Reading

A Song of Corporate Worship

A Song of Corporate Worship

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This entry is part 3 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Last week in our discussion of Psalm 130 for today, we saw that this is one of seven of the penitential psalms, psalms that express repentance from sin and a call to God for mercy. Yet this is not simply an expression of individual repentance; this psalm is meant to be used in the context… Continue Reading

A Song of Penitence

A Song of Penitence

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This entry is part 2 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Psalm 130 is one of seven psalms that church tradition has labeled the “penitential psalms” (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), another way of saying “songs of repentance.” This penitential psalm includes all of the necessary elements of heartfelt confession to the Lord. The psalm has four stanzas, each progressively expressing true repentance. In… Continue Reading

Should We Sing Repentance?

Should We Sing Repentance?

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This entry is part 1 of 13 in the series Out of the Depths You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

First John 1:9 commands us as Christians to regularly confess our sins to God as part of our progressive sanctification: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here is a simple, clear statement of our need for repentance. We should… Continue Reading

Repentance Hymns

Repentance Hymns

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This weekend I am speaking the the National Center for Family Integrated Churches Conference in Asheville, NC. The theme of the conference is “Repentance: The Reformation Continues.” I have been asked to speak on the topic, “Repentance Through Singing in Corporate Worship.” I am going to preach from Psalm 130, one of the seven “Penitential… Continue Reading

Reformation Hymns

Reformation Hymns

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Reformation Sunday is coming up on October 29, and this year is particularly special since we are celebrating the 500 year anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. In our church, each year on Reformation Sunday we sing Reformation hymns, that is, hymns that in some way connect to the Reformers and the movement they… Continue Reading

How to use Hymnary.org with Hymns to the Living God

How to use Hymnary.org with Hymns to the Living God

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We have included several indices in Hymns to the Living God to aid in finding hymns. These include: Index of Authors, Composers, and Sources Index of Readings Index of Scripture Paraphrases and Versifications Metrical Index of Tunes Alphabetical Index of Tunes Alphabetical Index of Titles and First Lines We are also very pleased that Hymns to the… Continue Reading

Hymns to the Living God is now available!

Hymns to the Living God is now available!

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After two years of work, I am very pleased to announce that our new hymnal, Hymns to the Living God, is now available for purchase! The hymnal contains 294 hymn texts with 252 tunes and 56 readings. Currently the hymnal is available in three glossy case laminate hard cover options: burgundy, gray, and navy. A cloth cover… Continue Reading

The People’s Work: A Reformation Recovery

The People’s Work: A Reformation Recovery

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This year we celebrate the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, a theological movement that restored many biblical doctrines and emphases that had been lost or confused during the Middle Ages. Men like John Huss, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, and others recovered doctrines like justification by faith alone… Continue Reading

Taking Scripture out of Context to Make a Political Point

Taking Scripture out of Context to Make a Political Point

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Politics have always been divisive, and it is always especially sad when Christians allow politics to cause them to behave in un-Christian ways. Yet what is also problematic is when Christians take Scripture out of context in an attempt to defend their political views. I’ll give you two examples, one from the right and one… Continue Reading

Drawing Near to God as the Essence of Worship

Drawing Near to God as the Essence of Worship

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In order to grasp the essence of Christian worship, we must start in the beginning. Creation provides the foundation for understanding not only the nature of God and mankind but also the substance of their relationship in worship. God, the sovereign Initiator, publicly revealed himself through what he made. The creation itself displays his nature… Continue Reading

Preface to Hymns to the Living God

Preface to Hymns to the Living God

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The people of God sing. From the earliest days, in both Testaments, God’s people sing as an expression of worship. Miriam and Moses, David and Asaph, Isaiah and Jeremiah, Jesus and Paul—they all sang their praise to God. Indeed, from cover to cover the Scriptures command such heartfelt responses of the affections of believing people:… Continue Reading

The Common Problem with White Supremacy and Multiculturalism

The Common Problem with White Supremacy and Multiculturalism

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White supremacy is horrendous. It is contrary to biblical Christianity both by reason of creation and by reason of redemption. All people, regardless of birthplace, ancestry, genetics, or skin color are created in God’s image, and therefore all people are of equal value in God’s sight. All people have been equally affected by sin and… Continue Reading

A Better Way to Sing “Be Thou My Vision”

A Better Way to Sing “Be Thou My Vision”

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The old Irish hymn “Be Thou My Vision” is a favorite of many, but the way most Americans sing it weakens the poetic parallelism of the original. The beloved poem was originally written in Old Irish in the 8th century. Notice the repetition of “Rop” in the original verses below: Rop tú mo baile, a… Continue Reading

But we never talk like that in real life!

But we never talk like that in real life!

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It appears today that “authenticity” has become the most important virtue. In one sense this is good. Hypocrisy is a vice condemned by Scripture (Mathew 23:27). I often think about this with regard to my children. Never would I want them to watch me act one way in public with others and think to themselves,… Continue Reading