IN PRAISE OF HYMNS

IN PRAISE OF HYMNS

Philippians 2:6-11 is widely recognized as an early church hymn that Paul quoted in his letter on living a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. A life worthy of the gospel has to include the kind of humility and selflessness exemplified by Jesus himself: “Who being in very nature God considered equality with God not something to be grasped, but made himself nothing…”

Hymns help us live that worthy life because they teach us and remind us of the great theological truths of the Christian faith. Every pastor knows the church members get more theology from the hymns than the sermon each Sunday.

Two of the passages that actually use the word “hymns” (Col. 3:16 & Eph. 5:19) have the phrase “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”. There is a difference.

One way I like to look at the difference is to see that the Psalms themselves can be sung in worship, once again giving musical form to Scripture. Hymns are songs of praise to God, often with the Trinitarian formula or a recapitulation of the Gospel. “Spiritual songs” today includes a wide variety of songs: gospel songs, spirituals, praise songs, choruses, etc.

A good example of a classic hymn is what is known as “The Navy Hymn”: “Eternal Father Strong To Save”. There are four verses. The first starts with “Eternal Father”; the second with “O Savior”; the third with “O Holy Spirit”; and the fourth with “O Trinity”.
Not all hymns have such an obvious Trinitarian formula. Others speak of what Jesus has done on our behalf, such as “Amazing Grace” or “O Sacred Head Now Wounded”.

Each of these is a beautiful marriage of text and music. That’s why they lasted. It’s also why they are sung in serious or solemn occasions, when awe is appropriate.

At other times the gospel music of “I’ll Fly Away”, a spiritual like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, an invitational such as “Just As I Am”, or a praise song like “Our God Is An Awesome God” speaks more to those gathered in worship.

There is a place for each type of Christian music. Each has its function in the worship of the church. Recently, though, it has become difficult to find a church which regularly uses the classic Christian hymns. Even when the older hymn tunes are used, the text is often “updated” or even replaced with a text of a completely different meaning.

I grew up singing hymns. Many of them I could sing without looking at the hymnal. I know I’m showing my age, but I have to say I miss the hymns I used to sing at church and throughout the week. The songs that have replaced them are not songs that have the same power to capture and uplift my spirit.

I saw an ad on TV for a CD set of 50 Greatest Hymns. I think I’ll get it.