Undeception's recent post about worship caused me to reflect about how much I prefer hymns to some of the modern worship songs that don't have meaningful lyrics. While that wasn't the point of his post, I have been disturbed for a while by the increasing amount of praise songs that don't seem to say anything. As Christians, we are called to excellence, but not all new music reflects excellence, simply a desire to sound popular. I believe that many traditional hymns far better express what we should be feeling as we worship. But hey! This is a list blog! So, here is a list of my favorite hymns:
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
All Hail the Power
Angels We have Heard on High
At Calvary
At the Cross
Be Still, My Soul
Because He Lives
Blessed Assurance
Blessed Redeemer
Breathe on Me
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Have Thine Own Way, Lord
He Lives
Heaven Came Down
His Eye is on the Sparrow
Holy, Holy, Holy
How Great Thou Art
I have Decided to Follow Jesus
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I Need Thee Every Hour
I Surrender All
In the Garden
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It is Well with My Soul
I'd Rather have Jesus
I'll Be a Sunbeam
I'll Fly Away
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Jesus Paid it All
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Just as I Am
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Love Lifted Me
Low in the Grave He Lay
Majesty
My Faith has Found a Resting Place
My Jesus I Love Thee
Nothing but the Blood
O Come, All Ye Faithful
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O How I Love Jesus
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
On Jordan's Stormy Banks
Only Trust Him
Onward, Christian Soldiers
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Redeemed
Rock of Ages
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Softly and Tenderly
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
Surely Goodness and Mercy
Surely the Presence of the Lord
Sweet, Sweet Spirit
Take My Hand, Precious Lord
Take My Life, and Let it Be
Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
The Old Rugged Cross
The Solid Rock
There is a Fountain
There is Power in the Blood
This is My Father's World
'Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus
To God be the Glory
Trust and Obey
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Victory in Jesus
We're Marching to Zion
Were You There?
What a Friend We have in Jesus
What Child is This?
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder
Wherever He Leads, I'll Go
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
After singing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" today at a wedding, I was reminded that I really don't have too much use for contemporary praise and worship. Let me first say that there is nothing inherently wrong with modern-styled worship music. However, although it does provide an emotional/moody kick, not only is that feature no prerequisite for real worship, the fact that most people singing them don't realize how bereft those songs are of meaning is evidence that musical styles themselves are a potential distraction.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that cuts both ways: a lot of people think that older styles of music and diction are distracting. I wish those people luck in finding beefed up modern lyrics, especially because modern styles are more attractive to unchurched seekers. The cosmetic attraction of modern music serves good purpose so long as the tail does not wag the dog: people tend to forget that the lyrics are primary and the music secondary.
This is also not to say that just because it's old, it's good. There are some real clunkers out there equally as doctrinally unsound as "Days of Elijah" and as dreadfully tired as "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High". But as far as I'm concerned, we stand more of a chance finding a good apple in a barrel with fewer bad apples.
Yes, singing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and hearing the instrumental versions of those other hymns at the wedding made me long for hymns. Especially hearing "All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name". I forgot all about that song:
ReplyDeleteAll hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.
Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
I'm sorry but Redman and Tomlin just can't touch that.
That is a great one. The diction, which is no small part of its resonance and effect, would be violated and suddenly rendered a distraction if removed from the original musical context. Too bad we can't do more of that without seeming irrelevant to modern Christians. Modern English is not a tool well-suited to reverence.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet the simplest "I love you, Lord" sung from a devoted heart resonates in the Father's heart as deeply as when your little one says, "I wuv you, Daddy; I wuv you, Mommy." The reverence is there even if the English is lacking.
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ReplyDeleteGood point! Yet I can't help thinking that I will fear something has gone amiss if Daniel's expressions of affection haven't matured a bit by the time he's a young man. But I don't want to cast aspersion on the simple heart's love for God.
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