The importance of singing

The great variety of hymn texts and tunes we have available to us today bring a great variety of insight and expression to our worship.  From the time before the birth of Christ up until the contemporary moment, women and men have written hymn texts expressing their insights and stories of their contemporary faith. Have you ever stopped to think about where our hymns come from?  Asia, Scandinavia, Africa, Germany, Poland, France, India, England, and America, to name a few.   And as varied as their places of origin are their authors and composers: Methodists, Baptists, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Atheists, and many others.  

In the simple and unique act of singing hymns together from these varied times and places, we join together with all of God’s people - from all times and all places - in singing our thanks and praise to God.  I was especially reminded of this last night in our Saint George’s Choir rehearsal as we talked about the need and importance of continuing to sing during this time and expressed our thanksgivings for the ability to do so in pandemic times.  That even though we are apart, we are still singing together both as a choir and a congregation.  This is important and life-giving.  When we sing together, it really "is as the whole creation cried,” to quote the hymn (420).  For when we encounter God at work among us in our singing, in our worship, and in our daily lives, our proper response can be nothing but a life-long alleluia and “Thanks be to God."

So raise your voices, sing boisterously from your homes, even if you think you can’t sing, for we each have a song to raise in thanksgiving to God.

When in our music God is glorified,

and adoration leaves no room for pride,

it is as though the whole creation cried

Alleluia!

Let every instrument be tuned for praise!

Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!

And may God give us faith to sing always

Alleluia!

— Hymn 420

Alleluia! Thanks be to God!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Ben Keseley, Minister of Music