The Importance of singing Hymns
By Sam
The church has always emphasize the importance of singing hymns in to the church
members, young and old alike. We have heard a lot about it from the ministers as well as
the hymnal leaders and choirmaster, but why, why do we sing hymns in church? Why do
we form choirs? Why do we teach the small children hymns during REU? Why do we
have hymnal sessions teaching hymns to the church members every Saturdays?
There are some would say that singing hymns would provide the church members an
opportunity to become actively involved. Others might wonder that it is an activity that
clears away social and community differences and creates a sense of unity and harmony.
Both of these statements hold true to some extent, but the importance of hymns singing
are much more than that.
Let us learn what Apostle Paul had to say: – Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Here Apostle Paul mentioned a few things: –
Teaching and admonishing reprove the word of Christ with one another richly in
wisdom through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
Singing them gracefully in our hearts to the Lord.
Hymns’ singing is for teaching and admonish. When we look at our hymn book, we
would see each and every hymn is related to at least one verse in the Bible, i.e. every
hymn is related to the words of Christ. As we know, Bible teaches us how to be good
stewards to our Master, our Lord Jesus Christ and also acts as a mirror, some sort of
measurement of our faith and our actions. Hence, when we sing hymns, we are actually
constantly reminding ourselves of God’s teachings and to know whether we have been
walking on the correct path that God wants us to tread. Just like a sermon accompanying
with music.
It is found that humans can only absorbed 20% of what they hear from sermons. By
comparing with a combination of the words and melody, hymns’ singing is a stronger
edifying tool. Hymns are repeated frequently, which is an important factor of
memorization, adding together the music and rhymed verses, making the hymns much
more digestible and stick to the mind longer.
Hymns’ singing is an act of Thanksgiving to God. The book of Psalms filled with
thanksgiving. See: – Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will
magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 75:1 To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. Unto thee, O
God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy
wondrous works declare.
Psalm 92:1 A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto
the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.