Music has long been important to believers. Think of Psalm 150: 3-6:
“Praise [God] with the sounding of the trumpet,
Praise Him with the harp and lyre,
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing,
Praise Him with the strings and flute,
Praise Him with the clash of cymbals,
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.”
In Irish Encounter, hymns play a key role in wooing Payne Anderson back to his journey with God. The old hymns, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and Great is Thy Faithfulness, reminded him of his grandmother as she sang them throughout her day. They were a balm to his spirit and helped soften his heart toward God.
Traditional hymns are rich in truths about God’s character and doctrine, but some modern hymns (not really talking about praise choruses here) have spiritual quality, too. Stuart Townend is a current hymn writer whose work is exemplified by a lyrical quality and theological depth that equals with the hymn writing giants of the past.
In God Alone and How Deep the Father’s Love For Us are two of my favorites of his.
What is your favorite hymn?
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