HYMNS IN WORSHIP (2)

“And when they had sung AN HYMN, they went out into the mount of Olives” – Mark 14:26

Our Lord Jesus Christ placed a high premium on HYMNS in WORSHIP: “And when they had sung AN HYMN, they went out into the mount of Olives” (Mk.14:26). Here, complementing Matthew’s record, is Mark’s account of the singing of a hymn at the end of the Communion Table, in preparation for the Lord’s Journey to Calvary. From the Scripture’s first recorded hymn – the song of Moses in Exodus 15 – to contemporary choruses, we as Believers in Christ can join the choir of the ages when, filled with the Spirit, we sing to ourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord (Col.3:16).

We tune our hearts to heaven’s frequency and join in songs of sweet accord, the eternal waves of glorious worship among the celestial hosts that surround the Throne of the Ancient of Days: “Whenever the four living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and WORSHIP Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your Will they exist and were created” (Rev.4:9-11).

Robert J. Morgan in “A Song in My Heart: 366 Devotions from Our Best-loved Hymns,” described Hymns in these words: “Hymns are distillations of the richest truths of God, versified, emotionalized, set to music, and released in the mind and from the mouth. They’re miniature Bible studies that lead us effortlessly to worship, testimony, exhortation, prayer, and praise. They’re bursts of devotional richness with rhyme and rhythm. They clear our minds, soothe our nerves, verbalize our worship, summarize our faith, and sing our great Redeemer’s praise.”

When the Bible instructs us to sing “a new song” to the Lord, it’s telling us that every generation needs to write its own music: “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!” (Psa.96:1a); “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory” (Psa.98:1); “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints” (Psa.149:1). As a Living Faith, generations of Believers will forever be inspired to compose and sing new songs and hymns to the Lord. Our Lord Jesus said wise people bring out of their treasure “things new and old” (Mt.13:52). This is one of the beauties of Christian worship: dynamic churches on many occasions, sing both ancient and modern songs and hymns.

The rediscovery of the hymnal can be soul-boosting. It’s a spiritual journey into biblical truth and timeless worship. In olden times, many of the hymns were written by pastors and theologians, often to summarize and conclude their sermons. It’s important that, in trying to keep with styles of the times, the great old hymns do not lose their voice in today’s churches. Though they ebb at the congregational level, they need not be lost to individual believers and families who treasure inspired hymns. Every morning and in the evening, at personal or family devotion, we can quietly sing a hymn to set the tone for the day or draw the blind for the night.

Beloved, as we draw close to the threshold of a new year, let’s recall and sing more often some of the classic hymns of all time, to set the tone for our year. While few hymns might have lost their richness to changing times and tongues, some hymns will never be truly out-of-date, having stood the test of time. Some are well-known; the rest should be. Technology has now made it easier to hear the music of the hymns as there are several hymn-centered websites that provide the opportunity of listening to the tunes.