In conservative worship, we sing hymns. My choice of hymns are from Hymns of Grace and Glory (HGG). It is a hymnal compiled by Joan J. Pinkston that has over 700 hymns in addition to Psalters. She is a gifted church musician who has both the knowledge of classical music and theology more than the average “grade 8” or “diploma” in music and the average Christian in the pew.
The following are taken from the Preface of HGG with my subtitles.
In worship, God is the main focus.
It is our prayer that through the singing of these songs God’s people may sincerely worship God ‘in spirit and in truth,’ offering ourselves as ‘a living sacrifice’ of praise.
First Distinguished Mark of Sacred Music: The Words.
As with many theologians and hymnal compilers of the past, it is our belief that the strongest hymns are those which are most saturated with the word of God. In Colossians 3:16, before we are told to sing ‘with grace in [our] hearts to the Lord,’ we are told to ‘let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly in all wisdom.’ Most often, then, the best hymns are also those that are written by God’s servants in whom the word of Christ most richly dwells. For this volume we have sought out Scripturally-replete hymn texts written by ardent students of the Scriptures upon whom God bestowed the gift of poetical expression.
Second Distinguished Mark of Sacred Music: The Subordinate and Complementing Role of Music.
Music should always be subservient to the words; nevertheless, it is vitally important for the communication of the text to have music that is strong, appropriate, and that draws the mind and heart to the fullest measure of spiritual understanding of the message.
Third Distinguished Mark of Sacred Music: The Fear of God in Which It Is Sung/Played.
That the music is a bearer of the truth of God must make composers approach their task with sacred fear and reverence. The notes are lifted unto the hearing ear of Him whom we worship, Him who created all things by the word of His power, Him who is righteous and holy and just, Him on whom our salvation depends. We should not offer any sacred song but by the power of the Holy Spirit and with clean hands and a pure heart. May the Lord cleanse us and enable us to offer a sacrifice of praise and prayer that is well-pleasing in His sight.
Besides these three elements, the hymnal is widely distributed by BJU since 2002. With the resources of a university, copyright issues are resolved more extensively than any local church committee.
For the music of individual hymns in HGG, click here.
Even if the words and music are right, it does not mean we can anyhow sing. If we sing it like a pop/rock star or in a fashion that is used to entertain an audience, we draw attention to ourselves by our ostentatious way of singing. The focus on God becomes secondary and unimportant and it means that God is not worshipped. It is said of Beethoven that his pieces were composed in a way that is calculated yet free. It gives a good principle on how singing to God should be. There is freedom as long as it is under control. Sobriety is not mutually exclusive to elation. In fact, sobriety with a mental awareness of your rich experience of what God is, who God is, what God has done, how God has been to you makes your elation more meaningful rather than an empty hype of a mindless entertainment.
Some Hymns I Will Not Sing
There are hymns I do not sing because I disagree with the interpretation of God’s Words used in that hymn or the theology presented in the hymn.“I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys.” (Song of Solomon 2:1). In Song of Solomon, the husband figure is Solomon who represents all husbands. The book is about the blessings of human marital love if you do not spiritualise it. The Puritans were well known for interpreting the husband figure as Christ and the wife figure as the Church (His bride). Those who followed the Puritans on this also view Song of Solomon 2:1 as Jesus, and hymns came about from there. Such hymns are Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (the version that uses the verse as its chorus) and sadly, the Lily of the Valley.
The Lily of the Valley has well-written lines.
He all my grief has taken and all my sorrows borne,
In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
I have all for Him forsaken and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
Though all the world forsake me and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal;He will never, never leave me nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear-
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory I’ll see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll;
But because of “the lily of the valley” to refer to Jesus, I cannot sing it. If we are to teach one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with the words of Christ, then we are to make sure the song has the correct biblical interpretation as well. Then where is Jesus is Song of Solomon? If the main character does not refer to Jesus, then how do we “see Jesus in every verse”? I see Jesus as the Creator. He is also the Institutor of the marriage union, the one who blesses the marriage union, the Giver of the bride and the groom to each other.
Another hymn that has theological error is “He Cares for Me” or “Our God Is Far Greater”. Its chorus as follows,
His power is great and will ever endure,
His wisdom is peaceable, gentle, and pure.
But greater than all these glories I see,
Is the glorious promise that He cares for me.
So, what is wrong with it? Isn’t it wonderful that such a great God cares for me? There is nothing wrong with God caring for us (1 Pet. 5:7), but to make it greater than any of His attributes, it implies either His care or love is greatest (greater than all His other attributes), or me/you (the object of His care) as greater which seems to put men on the pedestal. God’s attributes mentioned here are power and wisdom. All of which are infinite for God is omnipotent, omniscient (and omnipresent). You cannot pit one attribute against another. All attributes of God are perfect, infinite and equal. At the same time there is a holy (moral) nature to them all. God’s power is holy. God’s love is holy, God’s wisdom is holy. For these reasons, I judge this hymn as unbiblical.
Do you know what you are singing? Do not just sing because it sounds nice.