Singing Hymns

View daily reading plan: Col 3.16; Eph 5.19

There are over 600 references in the Bible to praise and singing. Old Testament believers often sang together (e.g., Ex 15, their song of redemption, Ezra 3.11, their song of thanksgiving), and sometimes they sang loud (Neh 12.42). Our Lord Jesus sang with His disciples on that night before He went out to face the darkness and the cross (Mark 14.26).

We are called upon to sing with the spirit and with the understanding (1 Cor 14.15). We should sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” and sing them “with grace in your hearts to the Lord”. God has given to us an ability which no other creature has – not only to speak words intelligently, but also to sing them tunefully! 

Tunefulness is necessary, but so is thoughtfulness. And so is emotion! Sometimes in the middle of a hymn the sheer depth of meaning overwhelms you and a tear comes to your eye! That’s when worship goes beyond words.

We sing about the Lord and to the Lord. Whoever offers praise glorifies Him (Ps 50.23), whether singing on our own wherever we are, or joining in with others wholeheartedly whenever we can. The world’s ‘songs’ are sung to entertain and bring fame to the singers. Christians sing to bring glory to the Lord. “O magnify the LORD with me,” said David, “let us exalt His name together” (Ps 34.3).

Thursday, 11 April, 2024