Relevance of Hymns

 

Student Persuasive Essay by Anna Clay

        “Hymns are companions for life travelers,” Andy Griffith once stated. Indeed, hymns are treasured by so many, and have been sung by generations of worshippers. For many decades, hymns were the only kind of music sung in corporate worship. However, the spectrum of Christian music has evolved into many starkly contrasting genres. Varying from contemporary worship, to acapella, to rap, to jazz, to gospel, and others. Understandably, a follower of Christ might wrestle with preferences and decisions about which songs should be sung in worship services. Even with the myriad of more contemporary music options, the crowning jewel of Christian music is hymns. Unfortunately, some Christians claim that their mind can wander to the sound of hymns harmonies accompanied by organs and piano, others explain their disconnection from flowery words in music penned hundreds of years ago. Because of this disconnection, many contemporary Christians have quit listening to hymns and rather sing and listen to only modern-day compositions. Although man current churches do incorporate beautiful praise anthems into their worship, old hymns remain as important as ever because of their rich doctrinal content, ease of sing ability, and their powerful histories.

        Because many hymns were penned in the 19th and 20th centuries, Christians might assume that they aren’t relevant and might be tempted to leave them out of church worship service. Hymns written in old English may seem foreign to a present-day Christian’s dialect and cause some to view past hymns as antiquated and irrelevant to them today. However, although people in more recent generations have not gone through the exact same hardships the composers of the old hymns experienced, they can still relate to the sensations of loss hurt, or joy incorporated into hymns. Our culture often resists respecting the wise meditations of older generations. However, it is essential that Christians try to understand these spiritual songs. In fact, along with the themes of these hymns being universally relatable, there are other reasons why hymns are still crucial to the lives of present-day Christians.

        Hymns reflect not only the emotions of their composers but also about the doctrinal beliefs of their penners. Numerous present-day Christian musical compositions seem to only express a person’s feelings regarding God at the moment of writing. While it is important to acknowledge such feelings, it often leads to the song being simply about emotion, rather than scripture. Countless hymns on the other hand, teach the solid doctrine of the Word in easy way to remember. They remind the worshipers of the solid gospel that never changes, even through suffering or confusion. Many hymns exalt and magnify the attributes of the Lord so that the singer and listener alike may recall how Christians lead lives anchored in the truth of who God is. An example of this deep doctrine is a line from the hymn “Amazing Grace” such as “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.” This timeless hymn reminds Christians that only God is the Author of salvation, graciously delivering His people from sin in their helpless estate.

        Not only are hymns grounded in sound doctrine, but they can also be sung without difficulty. Has there ever been a time that a Christian song was difficult to follow because of complex runs, or purely because it was pitched in a high or low register? This may be attribute to the fact that many popular modern songs are recorded professionally. The careered vocalists create these songs and crafted them to be pleasing to the ear and suitable for performance purposes. However, the problem with some of these pieces is that average singer may find it awkward to follow and be tempted to focus more on their own vocal ability than the actual lyrics. Hymns, in contrast to modern praise songs, were typically written for congregational singing. Even with their complex and rich messages, hymns often prove quite simple to harmonize with, and effortless to find a note in a comfortable range. Therefore, hymns’ sing ability is not dependent upon the confidence or skill of the vocalist, freeing the worshipper to dig deep into the actual words.

        In addition to their robust doctrine and ease of sing ability, there is another crucial element to hymns. Hymns are so significantly more than just songs, they are stories of how God has impacted the lives of hundreds of composers to create music that glorifies Him. These songs reflect complex histories worth being studied in order to remember how strong Christians dealt with feelings of happiness, suffering, or awe and ran to scripture and prayer. A particularly notable example of this is the song “It Is Well with my Soul” composed by Horatio Spafford. Spafford wrote the hymn while traveling to Europe to be with his grieving wife, Anna. His  family's ship had previously sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1873, drowning all four of his daughters. “It Is Well with my Soul” expresses comfort and acceptance of God’s ultimate plan in the midst of deep sorrow like sea billows. Spafford’s story and numerous other hymns, are still sung all around the globe, connecting Christians to the past with their personal stories. 

        Understandably, Christians might ask, why, with the multiple genres of Christian music, do hymns continue to remain relevant? While current churches utilize modern music that can be profoundly beautiful and worshipful, old hymns contain many elements that distinguish them vital to the present day. Hymns’ compelling histories, their simplicity to sing, and their deep doctrinal content are a few of the explanations for why they stand the test of time. Hymns will always prompt Christians and non-Christians to consider their personal walk with God, and confronts them with powerful scripture to contemplate. Therefore, contemporary Christians should open their minds and hearts to the treasure trove of beauty, wisdom, and joy that is offered to them through hymns. And maybe hymns will indeed prove to be comforting compositions for a new generation of life travelers.