WATCHWORD:
19 Talk with each other much about the Lord, quoting psalms and hymns and singing sacred songs, making music in your hearts to the Lord. 20 Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20
Hallelujah! Yes, praise the Lord! Praise him in His Temple and in the heavens He made with mighty power. 2 Praise Him for His mighty works. Praise His unequaled greatness. 3 Praise Him with the trumpet and with lute and harp. 4 Praise Him with the drums and dancing. Praise Him with stringed instruments and horns. 5 Praise Him with the cymbals, yes, loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything alive give praises to the Lord! You praise him! Hallelujah! Psalm 150:1-6
“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” Psalms of praise
Meditation:
Familiar Hymns
I suspect that we each get so much more from a worship service when we can sing familiar praise songs and hymns. I would go so far as to say that members of this network lean more towards the old hymns, the ones we grew up with, the ones that we loved as we learned to love Jesus.
Personally, I love to worship in my Lutheran Church where we follow some traditions, Many we have memorized we don’t need the bulletin in front of us to follow along. I like the predictability of the lectionary with specific scripture passages in the season. But, I don’t have that same affection for some of the hymn selections. Hymns that I may never heard before in my memory, and can’t get my faith-teeth into the singing. Many of us mumble through those hymns when we should be praising our Lord with a ‘joyful noise’.
Out of curiosity, I pulled up the 100 best loved hymns of all time. I have to say that there were many on that list that I don’t believe I know or have ever heard. Maybe it isn’t the hymn that I really don’t know, just don’t recognize the title they’re giving it. For example, first on that list of 100 is “I would not be denied”, one I really don’t think I’ve ever heard. However, the lyrics are beautiful and meaningful:
1 When pangs of death seized on my soul,
Unto the Lord I cried;
Till Jesus came and made me whole,
I would not be denied.
Refrain:
I would not be denied,
I would not be denied,
Till Jesus came and made me whole,
I would not be denied.
2 As Jacob in the days of old,
I wrestled with the Lord;
And instant, with a courage bold,
I stood upon His Word. [Refrain]
3 Old Satan said my Lord was gone
And would not hear my prayer;
But praise the Lord, the work is done,
And Christ the Lord is here. [Refrain]
What do you think? Do you know that hymn? Can you sing it? Do you believe that introducing us to hymns that may not be familiar, helps us get to the true meaning of the lyrics and away from the rote memory that comes, too often, with the very well known?
Case in point: #11 on the list I’m looking at is ‘Satisfied’, another hymn I don’t believe I’ve ever heard. Am I out of touch or what?? Whatever, here are the lyrics:
1 All my life I had a longing
For a drink from some clear spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.
Refrain:
Hallelujah! I have found Him
Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings,
Through His blood I now am saved.
2 Feeding on the husks around me,
Till my strength was almost gone,
Longed my soul for something better,
Only still to hunger on.
3 Poor I was, and sought for riches,
Something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me
Only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
Hymns, unfamiliar, but with a message. Praising the Lord, finding the Son within, and lives are changed and blessed. That is the message we should all glean from the words.
So, what would be on your list of the most meaningful hymns of worship? “Jesus Loves Me”, “Amazing Grace”, “Tis So Sweet Trust in Jesus”? As I look over that list of 100, it occurs to me that there are so many hymns that have meaning, that add to my love for the Lord, and add to my worship. At the heart? Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation, let us praise Him! Stan
Lyrics of a Prayer Hymn:
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain
So, I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
And I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true
It’s shame and reproach gladly bear
Then he’ll call me someday to my home far away Where his glory forever I’ll share
And I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
And I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Amen
