Over the course of my experience, I have encountered a great number of opinions about songs – particularly hymns – and what constitutes good worship, good singing, acceptable songs, etc. Most of the time, the opinion stated as fact really boils down to taste and preference. For example, I have heard people say that sad songs don’t belong in church, fast songs are progressive, and singing the same words over and over again is not profitable. Looking through the original songbook (Psalms), we again find these opinions are personal preference as it contains the joyful vs the doleful (Psalm 150 vs Psalm 137), the long vs the short (Psalm 119 vs Psalm 117), repetitious refrains (Psalm 136), and content that is peppy at its heart (Psalm 72). Taken collectively, the entire book of Psalms gives us a blueprint of the vast expanse of the purpose of singing and what it does to the soul in connection to the Almighty.
Praise: Many of the refrains from the book of Psalms basically shout glory and praise to God. “Bless the Lord O my soul” and “His mercy endureth forever” shine a great light through voice on the august majesty of the One whom we adore. This type of praise coming through the voice from the heart shines in refulgent splendor as the notes and words coelesce to show the quickened soul at its most exposed and vulnerable moment talking to the One who made it alive. While our voice is tuned and turned toward Him in spoken and silent prayer, the song of the soul, giving praise to His name, strives to crown Him with the glory due unto His name in a way like no other (Psalm 47).
Prayer: Even though we oftentimes think of prayer as simply a spoken word, there are a plethora of songs that are prayers to God (Psalm 51, Psalm 90). These prayers encapsulate everything from praise, to repentence, and a beseeching of God’s grace and compassion for forgiveness for sins, transgressions, and iniquities. When we give our singing voices to God in prayer, it can sound doleful and perhaps minor in its key. Othertimes, our thanksgivings are very major in the theme and formation of the melody. In either case, our souls are crying out to Him in supplication to help and assist.
Experience: While not always a pleasant thing to consider, many songs give the experience of the author and in turn the singer who sings it. Psalm 73 gives a tragic experience of Asaph that in the end turns to glory and shouting praise. While our experiences are not always pleasant to consider, recalling them through noted song does cause us to reflect on the One who has delivered us from our troubles and brought us through our own shortcomings and pitfalls. When re-living these moments through song, may it encourage and point our heart and soul to reflect on His goodness and tender mercy.
Doctrine: At other times, our songs plumb the depths of the rich foundations that we adhere to and ground ourselves in. Psalm 139 is perhaps one of the most doctrinal passages in God’s word. It begins with the attributes of God, follows into His personal goodness to us through the work of Christ, and it ends with the experience we have with God and a looking toward His ultimate and perfect judgment some sweet day. No one could sing such a song without a firm conviction of who God is, what He has done, and what He one day will do.
Regardless of our personal tastes, songs of the soul don’t just ascribe to one aspect of our connection to God. Collectively, they touch every avenue of our lives and how they relate to Him. Certain songs (through the tune and content) shouldn’t be sung dolefully and slowly. Examples of this in our current form would be Sweet to Rejoice in Lively Hope and Jesus My Lord My Shepherd Friend. However, other songs for the same reason shouldn’t be sung lively or fast like Show Pity Lord and Do Not I love Thee. Each in its place and time shows the multifaceted connection that we have with God. Whether in praise, prayer, experience, or doctrine, may we ascribe the greatness of our God and remember all His benefits to us. In so doing, we will find a complete story sung from the heart through the voice that is like no other form of worship we have.