Our reservoir of hymnody is both vast and deep. And the number of the hymns is matched, in most cases, by a richness of thought and beauty of expression that stirs the spirit and fills the mind with the most Christ-honoring thoughts and emotions. As Paul writes: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). But perhaps many of those who meet in New Testament assembly order are unaware that the church in general doesn’t even know that many of these hymns exist.
One example would be Hymn 386 in the Believer’s Hymnbook (published by John Ritchie), “Glory to Thee, Thou Son of God Most High.” It has some of the most descriptive words to be found anywhere. Yet the extensive web resource cyberhymnal.org which lists 5,100 hymns, doesn’t include that one. Nor does it include Mrs. Thompson’s moving hymn (#113), “Jesus, Lord, I’m Never Weary” or Alexander Stewart’s deeply spiritual “Lord Jesus Christ, We Seek Thy Face” (#129). In fact the Believer’s Hymnal and Hymns of Worship and Remembrance (first published by Gospel Perpetuating Fund) include scores of the most beautiful worship hymns to be found anywhere, yet these are largely an unknown resource to most Christians.
This would include most hymns from the pens of Sir Edward Denny, R. C. Chapman, J. N. Darby, James G. Deck, J. Denham Smith and a host of others. There are some exceptions, hymns written or translated by those known as Brethren and enjoyed by the Christian church at large. These would include the world-famous “How Great Thou Art,” translated by Stuart Hine, “Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus” by Trevor Francis, and the endearing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Scriven.
However it is not only Evangelicalism that is unfamiliar with these hymns that provide such a poetic marriage between warm devotion and exacting doctrine. We ourselves, to whom these hymns have been given as a stewardship and a legacy, are neglecting them.
One senior sister wrote me with her observations on this matter:
A few months ago I noticed a lovely hymn in the Believer’s Hymn Book I’d never heard sung at [our assembly]. I began looking through the book and was amazed to find 1231 such hymns! Mind you, some may be sung elsewhere, but in all the 61 years I’ve been in the assemblies I haven’t heard them. If this has been your experience, too, Jabe, let’s start a “Hymn Revival…”
If your hymn book is shrinking—“use it or lose it” is true here as well—here are some practical steps to reverse the trend and rediscover the wealth at our fingertips.
1. Purchase a copy of the hymn book your assembly uses and keep it in your car. When travelling, you and your family can sing the miles away while learning new hymns and enjoying the old, well-loved ones too.
2. Have an old fashioned hymn sing at your home, or arrange a fellowship time with your assembly. Enjoy the favorites, but have a musically gifted brother teach you one or two new ones each month as well.
3. There are some audio tapes or CDs that have recorded the melodies to many of the hymns in our hymn books. These would include those by Jeff Erb and Paul Renes, Cathie Cretney, and Marylou Engle. There are other available as well. Most are designed to sing along.
Remember that singing is the first evidence of a Spirit-filled life! (see Eph. 5:18-20).