I was brought up in a godly home and music was a great part of it. Because my mom was so musical, and taught me to sing The Holy City (Jerusalem) at an early age, I assumed that I knew more than the average bear about Christian music…wrong.
And given that our conservative church sang The Old Rugged Cross and Blessed Assurance, again I assumed those enduring songs, along with a few others, were THE all-inclusive list of hymns of the Church…wonderful songs, but wrong again.
There is a wealth of music out there, with lyrics that will grip the soul and melodies that ring like an anthem. I have been wondering of late why we never sang them, and if the reason we never learned these great pieces of music was because:
a. we were accustomed to the same type of song, with the same handclapping beat
b. for some, it was, and might still be a sectarian viewpoint…if it’s not written by our own circle of songwriters, we don’t need it.
If my assertions are true, with this mindset we have limited ourselves to a lot of feel good music that moves our spirit, and there’s nothing wrong with that…trust me, I love it. But in the process, our musical appetite has been lacking some absolutely wonderful words of life that along with moving the spirit will change the heart.
Paul wrote in Colossians 3:16...
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Let’s look at this for a moment…
Singing psalms is quite popular today, but really is not a new thing. The Book of Psalms is a compilation of songs written by King David and others which were sung in the congregation of Israel in Temple worship. One can only guess by Paul’s writing they were sung in the early church as well.
When we think of ‘spiritual songs’, we tend to think of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen, and Down By The Riverside. But the original rendering of that verse is “psalms, hymns, and songs spiritual.”
That places the emphasis back on us rather than the style of song. When the song is sung under the unction of the Holy Ghost, it IS a song which is spiritual, thus a spiritual song. The unction or anointing is not something that falls or is experienced until we have invoked His presence with our praise and worship. It is a continual cycle of worship/praise and He's there...worship/praise and He's there.
I could talk about the anointing for days, but I must get back to the topic. Prayerfully you agree that the anointing is THE most important thing.
Hymns can best be defined in the few I mentioned at the outset…the ‘old-timey’ songs many would rather lay aside as being too outdated for this day and hour. Some feel, especially the young’uns, that ‘la-la’ songs do not fit the traditional Pentecostal image of rousing worship.
Personally, I am Pentecostal to the bone and absolutely love our musical tradition displayed in a good, upbeat song, but consider for a moment this wonderful piece…words by Isaac Watts in 1707, music by Lowell Mason in 1824...
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Don’t you love that? Charles Wesley, who wrote the words to over 6,000 songs, reportedly said that he would have given up all his other hymns to have written When I Survey The Wondrous Cross. What a great song!
Here is a wonderful Charles Wesley hymn, that thanks to a dear friend is now one of my favorites…
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Imagining himself in the prison of sin and all that it represented, and viewing the amazing love of the Master bestowed on his life, Charles Wesley could write, My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. Such powerful and anointed words.
A choir should sing an assortment of styles that will include all tastes in music, and our choir does just that. They recorded this next song a couple of years ago and I love it. On hearing the song, someone, not a member of our church, said that it was “boring.” I remember remarking then how beautiful it was and that I wished we would sing more of these wonderful songs…
Fairest Lord Jesus,
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
If you ever want to worship in your private devotions, and words escape you, just read these lyrics to the Lord. If this doesn’t usher in His presence, nothing else will.
One of the better known songwriters of the 20th century once said that long after his songs are forgotten, The Hallelujah Chorus will live on. Read these words composed by Georg Friedrich Handel, imaging his rousing melody with full orchestration…
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords, And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords, And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
It has been 269 years since it was written, yet it stands as a hymn of praise and adoration that will last throughout eternity. Though I love to sing many of the newer songs of today, one has to wonder if they will stand the test of time in depth and fresh anointing as the songs mentioned here.
I pray I have not only enlightened you a bit, but whetted your appetite to launch out into the depths of music. ‘Old school’ is not just a 1970s Andrae’ Crouch song or Edwin Hawkins’ 1968 rendition of O Happy Day. ‘Old school’ reaches as far back as time is recorded, and is worth the time and effort to find them.
I encourage you today to seek out these songs and let them become a part of your musical library.
Your heart will be uplifted and your spirit enriched. You will be so glad you discovered the hymns...I'm sure glad I did!
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