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THE VALUE OF HYMNS

Today, in most of our churches, hymns are a rare commodity. You might find hymnbooks, but it isn't often that their pages are opened and the songs sung, and that is sad. Hymns are a precious part of (or should be) our worship, our praise, and our arsenal for battle.

 Hymns have been replaced with worship and praise songs, and many of them are beautiful. Still, they don't match the quality and power of hymns--I don't know why, but they just don't. There is simply no match when it comes to lyrics, but it seems as if because it is the popular thing, it is what everyone does. I wasn't always bothered by it--but more and more, hymns are being erased from our services, and many of our young people don't know what a hymn is. Even some in my own generation of baby-boomer's struggle with the words to many well-known hymns. I guess I'm not anti--worship and praise songs, but I do suggest that we must not throw the baby out with the bath water--we always seem to go overboard. We need hymns.

 At first, I questioned whether my issue is because I'm simply getting older, but I don't think so for two reasons: I loved hymns as a girl--when serious Gospel was the thing, I loved it, too, but it couldn't replace a great hymn--and we knew better than to try and replace them with Gospel--they each had their place. And secondly, I grew up along with the worship & praise generation--with Maranatha, Integrity--and had the cassette tapes, (yes, I said it!) and the cd's and loved listening to Ron Kenoly, Don Moen, Morris Chapman and many more. However, I bet they along with many gospel artists will tell you how important hymns are. I have heard artists like Marvin Sapp, Donnie McClurkin, and Steven Hurd say just that, and lament the fact that hymns are slipping away from us. In fact, Steven Hurd encouraged us not to forget those precious and powerful hymns when he produced Hymns of the Church. It didn't work though, for too many of us; as he quipped on the piece, we still don't know the words.

 I still remember the first time I heard (or maybe, really heard with my heart) At Calvary. That was the day it became my favorite song--not just hymn, but favorite song of all--in any genre. It was sung by a small choir from Kennett Square, PA on a Sunday afternoon, when I was a young girl, attending a Sunday afternoon service with my family--which we did, every Sunday; it was simply part of our lives. Church was all day on Sunday. Honestly, I kind of miss it. At any rate, that day, the choir simply sang the song--no runs, no screaming, no unnecessary repetitions, just ministry--and it gripped my heart, powerfully. I saw Calvary in a way I had never thought about Calvary before--and the infinite expense for my soul, as wretched as it was. It was all brought home for me, that day. I really related to (and even more so, now that I have lived and grown and had my time of doing things my own way--not always regarding God): "Years I spent in vanity and pride, caring not my Lord was crucified;
knowing not it was for me He died, at Calvary!
Mercy there was great and grace was free, pardon there was multiplied to me;
There, my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary!"
For a long time, I only knew this portion of the song--but it was so powerful and rich that it was enough, but then I found the lyrics to the entire song:
  • By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
    Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
    Till my guilty soul imploring turned
      To Calvary.
  • Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
    Now I gladly own Him as my King,
    Now my raptured soul can only sing
      Of Calvary.
  • Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
    Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
    Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
      At Calvary!
    • At Calvary remained my favorite hymn until about 10 months ago--when I learned all of the words to The Love of God, and really thought about the lyrics to Down from His Glory--which I grew up hearing sung on a regular basis, by Sister Lydia Gilchrist, who had a beautiful, operatic voice. Sorrowfully (for us), she went home to be with the Lord, in April of this year. It's funny, event though I heard Down from His Glory often, I never really focused on the story of Christ's awesome sacrifice within the song, until this year, while studying hymns and learning of its Apostolic Pentecostal heritage, being written by William Booth-Clibborn. These two songs awakened an even greater (I didn't know it was possible) appreciation for the Cross, and Jesus Christ, even beyond the power of At Calvary. That's why, I believe hymns are of such importance--when sung, and taught the meaning of the words, we will find a body of believers truly infatuated, and wholly in love with Jesus.

    The Love of God     Frederick Lehman
    1. The love of God is greater far
      Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
      It goes beyond the highest star,
      And reaches to the lowest hell;
      The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
      God gave His Son to win;
      His erring child He reconciled,
      And pardoned from his sin.
      • Refrain:
        Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
        How measureless and strong!
        It shall forevermore endure—
        The saints’ and angels’ song.
    2. When hoary time shall pass away,
      And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
      When men who here refuse to pray,
      On rocks and hills and mountains call,
      God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
      All measureless and strong;
      Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
      The saints’ and angels’ song.
    3. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
      And were the skies of parchment made,
      Were every stalk on earth a quill,
      And every man a scribe by trade;
      To write the love of God above
      Would drain the ocean dry;
      Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
      Though stretched from sky to sky.
    Down From His Glory       William E. Booth Clibborn
    1. Down from His glory,
        Ever living story,
      My God and Savior came,
        And Jesus was His name.
      Born in a manger,
        To His own a stranger,
      A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.
      • O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
        My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
        The great Creator became my Savior,
          And all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him.
    2. What condescension,
        Bringing us redemption;
      That in the dead of night,
        Not one faint hope in sight,
      God, gracious, tender,
        Laid aside His splendor,
      Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.
    3. Without reluctance,
        Flesh and blood His substance
      He took the form of man,
        Revealed the hidden plan.
      O glorious myst’ry,
        Sacrifice of Calv’ry,
      And now I know Thou art the great “I AM.”
     

     Grace always,
    Lisa 

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