With Hymns!
Author, Stephen P. Starke
There is something majestic, beautiful, and worshipful about traditional hymns. In churches today, there seems to a push to leave hymns behind and move toward contemporary praise songs. I wish that this was not the case. I am blessed that where I chose to worship the Lord has a blend of both hymns and today’s praise music. I have made the hymn above a link to video with music and lyrics to this wonderful hymn that I have been learning at my church.
What is key in the songs we sing is the message. What are the words telling us? Are they pointing praises to God and of Jesus and Him crucified and raised again to life for our salvation? Do the words bring Him honor and glory? Or do they makes us happy with a catchy tune yet void of any true meaning?
In the aforementioned hymn, it is in the last line of verses 1-3 that strike my heart. Verse 1, “O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth; Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth.”
Verse 2, “O all-majestic Father,Your True and only Son, and Holy Spirit, Comforter – forever Three in One.”
Verse 3, Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve – You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.
This hymn is a versification of the Te Deum laudamus done by Stephen P. Starke in 1999. It was published in 2006. The tune is from Gustav Holst’s The Planets, specifically the movement “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity.” The tune is from a section in the middle of the movement. Both text and tune combine to create a majestic hymn that confesses so much about our God and especially what He has done for us by sending Christ to redeem the world. (I found this information from another link discussing this hymn.)
I truly hope that hymns do not become a thing of the past. There are a number of songs on Christian radio that inspire me yet there is something about hymns that call my heart to worship God in spirit and in truth.
I would like to encourage you to explore your hymn book and find one that moves you to worship God in spirit and in truth.
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13b
