Ye Olde Staging Point

I love hymns. One of my favorite things about the church I grew up in was (and presumably still is) the prominence that hymn- and psalm-singing held during worship services. As Michele and I visited different churches in search of a "home church," it was an interesting experience to compare the ways that different churches used songs in worship--and the types of music played and sung in different churches.

Most of the churches we visited seemed to strike a reasonable balance between "traditional" songs and "contemporary" ones. While I have no problem with contemporary worship tunes (excepting a handful of particularly vapid ones), I think my preference will always lie with the great old "songs of the faith." For me, what sets many traditional hymns apart from contemporary tunes is the quality of their lyrics. Every time I look at the lyrics to, say, Shine Jesus Shine or The Servant Song, I can't help but wonder if there isn't a classic hymn that conveys the same message more thoughtfully and eloquently. My favorite hymns don't always state things with matter-of-fact directness in the manner of many contemporary praise tunes; they use complex, thoughtful, and occasionally even bizarre word-imagery to make the message vivid. One of my all-time favorite hymns is Charles Wesley's Amazing Love!; I have to quote it in full to really appreciate it:

And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?

He left His Father's throne above; so free, so infinite His grace!
Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam's helpless race!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast-bound in sin and nature's night.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke--the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free!
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!

No condemnation now I dread. Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Simply glorious! The third verse is my favorite, containing as it does what must be the best phrase ever penned in the English language: Thine eye diffused a quickening ray. Who would ever write such a wonderful line today? And who can help feeling almost dizzy with joy at the song's triumphant final lines?

Another favorite of mine, and one I haven't heard in many churches lately, is the somber God, Be Merciful To Me--one of the most powerful songs of repentance I have ever heard; my favorite verses are these:

God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea; Plenteous in compassion Thou, Blot out my transgressions now; Wash me, make me pure within, Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
Grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against Thy grace
And provoked Thee to Thy face;
I confess Thy judgment just,
Speechless, I Thy mercy trust.

Broken, humbled to the dust
By Thy wrath and judgment just,
Let my contrite heart rejoice
And in gladness hear Thy voice;
From my sins O hide Thy face,
Blot them out in boundless grace.

From time to time, of course, you run across hymns that do make you wonder what the author was thinking--some of them contain absolutely bizarre imagery. For instance, I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually write, let along sing, a song with a title like There is a Fountain Filled With Blood--what a thoroughly unpleasant metaphor. My personal "favorite" is the following hymn, which I swear to you we actually sang from time to time at church when I was growing up:

Dust to dust, the mortal dies, Both the foolish and the wise; None forever can remain, Each must leave his hoarded gain. Yet within their heart they say That their houses are for aye, That their dwelling places grand Shall for generations stand.

To their lands they give their name
In the hope of lasting fame,
But man’s honor quickly flies,
Like the lowly beast he dies.
Though such folly mark their way,
Men approve of what they say;
Death their shepherd, they the sheep,
He within his fold will keep.

Though in life he wealth attained,
Though the praise of men he gained,
He shall join those gone before,
Where the light shall shine no more.
Crowned with honor though he be,
Highly gifted, strong and free,
If he be not truly wise,
Man is like the beast that dies.

My mom and I have a running joke that this song ought to be set to the tune of Joy to the World for full effect. I'll grant that the message is Biblical, but what sort of person comes across the incredibly depressing words of Psalm 49 and decides that they must be put to music? Probably the same person who came up with singing a song about blood-filled fountains.

Still, I'll hold that even Dust to Dust, the Mortal Dies has more lyrical style than, say, "Our God is an awesome God."

To each his own, I suppose. Sing on!