Christian Music
Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs
The hymn Break Thou the Bread of Life was written by Mary Lathbury
while she attended the Chautauqua Summer School and religious
resort in New York. She had been asked to write two hymns for
the school and this was one of them. The Scriptural basis for
her hymn was Matt. 14:19; John 8:32; John 6:35, and Matt. 5:6.
Several Bible doctrines are prominent in this hymn. First, the
doctrine of the Word of God and the spiritual bread of life is
seen in the first verse. In verse 2, the Word of God is the Absolute
Truth. In verse 3 is expressed the believer's love for the Word.
The hymn describes how a Christian experiences great peace when
partaking of the Truth, and reveals a thirst for greater truths
and deep desires and emotions within the soul.
THE BIBLE AND MUSIC
The Bible deals extensively with the subject of music. In both
the Old Testament and New Testament, music played an important
part in spiritual worship and was widely used in teaching doctrinal
truth to believers.
There are three types of songs in the Bible; Psalms, Hymns, and
Spiritual Songs.
The word "psalm" comes from the Greek word (psalmos),
and refers to a Psalm from the Old Testament. Its meaning is derived
from the idea of twanging a string on a musical instrument so
that it vibrates, hence, it means "to play on a stringed
instrument." In the New Testament, the verb (psallo) it means
to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God.
The word "hymn" is from (humnos) meaning "a
song of praise to God." Spiritual songs, (pneumatikos ode) are songs that praise, exhort, challenge warn,
in the context of the ministry of the Holy Spirit along with the
spirit of the Christian believer. The Greek word ode, from which
the English word "ode" comes, refers to any type of
song, a battle song, a harvest song, a festival song, etc. So
the term "spiritual" is added in the Bible to limit
the type of song used in Christian worship.
1 Cor. 14:12-16, "So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual
{gifts,} seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore
let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For
if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
"What is {the outcome} then? I shall pray with the spirit
and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing (psallo) with
the spirit and I shall sing (psallo) with the mind also. Otherwise
if you bless in the spirit {only,} how will the one who fills
the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving
of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?"
Note in these verses that the singing is a key ingredient in the
ministry of edification, and that it is just as unfruitful to
sing without content as it is to speak in tongues to someone who
does not understand, since "he does not know what you are
saying (singing)."
SINGING IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
There are two major passages in the New Testament dealing with
singing: Eph. 5:14-21 and Col. 3:12-17.
The overall context of Ephesians establishes the following:
Chapter 1 - the truth about the union of a believer with the Lord
Jesus Christ
Chapter 2 - Freedom from the Old Testament position of estrangement
from Christ.
Chapter 3 - The believer in relation to his own advancement in
the Christian life.
Chapter 4 - The believer in relation to the Body of Christ as
a whole.
Chapter 5 - The believer's relationship to the body in the local
church.
In Eph. 5:1-17, the walk of the believer is dealt with, and the
spiritual condition of the believer is made paramount (5:18).
Verse 5:19 refers to the spiritual expression of the believer
who is growing in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Singing
is the soul expression of the Christian, who sings in association
with other like-minded people. He sings psalms, which are the
Old Testament songs. He sing hymns, songs of praise to God. He
sings spiritual songs, songs directed to people that praise, exhort,
challenge, warn.
In Colossians, the context of chapters 1 and 2 is that we are
complete in Christ, and chapter 3 deals with the overt walk of
the believer.
Col. 3:12-15 describes the relationship of believers with each
other. Verse 3:16 describes the believer with doctrine (3:16a)
expressing that doctrine by teaching, admonishing, and singing
with grace (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs). Verse 3:17 shows
the overall motive and purpose for all activity.
In both of these passages singing is the expression of Christians
in a local church and has certain characteristics.
* The person singing is a mature believer, filled with the Holy
Spirit (Eph. 5:18).
* Singing is preceded by "the word of Christ dwelling in
you richly" (Col. 3), Bible truth in the soul
* In Eph. 5 singing is an expression of the soul toward God, and
the emphasis is on the proper attitude of the soul
* In Col. 3, the singing is an expression of doctrine in the soul
expressed toward other people who benefit from it.
* In Col. 3:16, we see the two things that singing accomplishes
with respect to other believers in the congregation.
It is a teaching tool, and it is an admonishing tool.
* Therefore, singing is used for praise to God, teaching of each
other, and warning, encouraging, or exhorting each other.
* In both passages, singing is done "unto the Lord";
although it will benefit the congregation, the Lord will be glorified.
It is very important, as well, to point out what Christian singing
is not.
* Singing is not the measure of the spirituality of vigor of a
local church. The filling of the Spirit is necessary for spiritual
singing; but singing is no proof of the filling of the Spirit.
* Singing in a local congregation is not designed to be used to
create a mood for the soul. It is rather an expression of the
mental attitude of the soul created by applied Bible truth in
a believer who is filled with the Spirit, occupied with Christ,
living in the Word.
* Singing is not measured by the amount of zeal employed, but
by the understanding that accompanies it. (See above 1 Cor. 14:15).
* Spiritual singing is not designed to give a Christian a good
feeling. If it is praise, then it is directed to God. If it is
teaching, it is designed for learning. If it is admonishment,
it is designed for warning, comfort, challenge, motivation, etc.
Pleasure, joy, satisfication are derived from the content of the
songs and hymns sung, not from the music itself.
* Singing is not the primary function in a worship service. Spirituality
and doctrine are the primary issues.
THE HISTORY OF MODERN HYMNS
Hymns, or odes, have been known from the beginning of written
history. A tablet dating 800 BC contains a Sumerian hymn about
the creation.
A large number of Christian hymns, some still used today, were
written by such early Church Fathers as John of Damascus and Ambrose
of Milan. Toward the end of the Middle Ages there again arose
a demand for congregational singing, first expressed in spiritual
songs and carols. During the Renaissance (1501), the first recognized
modern hymn was published at Prague for the Moravian Brethren.
Martin Luther and his followers created a large body of chorales
which rank among the finest of congregational hymns today. Under
John Calvin at Geneva, the musical reformation developed hymns
based on metrical paraphrases of the Psalms, prepared in French
and later translated into German for the Reformed Church in Germany.
In England, the hymns of the congregations were limited almost
entirely to Psalms prepared by Thomas Steinhold and John Hopkins
from 1549 to 1562. These continued to be the most important body
of English hymns until about 1696.
Evangelical hymnology began at the end of the 17th Century. In
the Lutheran Church, the Pietist movement started a new wave of
hymn writing. In England, John and Charles Wesley began to write
what later became the most popular hymns in the English language.
John Wesley's first Collection of Psalms and Hymns was published
in 1737 in Charlestown, South Carolina. His brother Charles wrote
more than 6,500 hymns.
Isaac Watts, another English hymn writer of about the same period,
wrote Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1707 to 1709) and has been called
the creator of the modern English hymn.
Reformation hymns were written with no particular tune in mind.
A musician would write music that would fit the meter of the words
being sung, and the tunes given to the lyrics were themselves
given certain names and designations.
The common ingredient to all hymns of the Reformation churches
and the Christian churches that followed was that all hymns were
either actual Bible passages or paraphrases of Bible passages.
Descriptions of Familiar Hymns
Are You Weary, Heavy Laden
Background: Written by Stephen the Sabaite, a nephew to John of
Damascus. John had been tutored by a slave who had later been
freed, and both retired to a monastery in the wilderness of Judea.
Stephen was taken with them to the monastery, and after the death
of his uncle and the slave, Stephen wrote this hymn. It was later
recreated by Dr. Neale in 1862 combining the experience of Stephen
and himself in the sons.
Doctrines portrayed:
* Eternal rest given by Christ
* Sufferings of Christ portrayed
* Kingship of Christ
* Acceptance of Christ
* Blessings of Christ
Applications: Comfort and fellowship because of the undeserved
suffering of Christ. It is a hymn of praise.
Scriptural Basis: Matt. 11:28; John 6:39; Mark 13:31.
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Background: Written by Elizabeth Clephane near the end of her
life in 1869. She had a glimpse of her eternal future in a better
land and could imagine her footprints leading to that better goal
(Dying Grace concept).
Doctrine:
* Christ, the Rock of salvation in a weary land of sin
* The sufferings of Christ for sins
* Unworthiness of man (Grace)
* Blessings received from the death of Christ
* Eternal love of God
Scripture basis: Matt. 27:36
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
Background: This hymn was written by John Fawcett who was a pastor
in a small Yorkshire village. He was planning to leave his small
church and take a larger and wealthier church in London. But he
and his wife could not bear to leave the people who were so close
to them. So they stayed, and Fawcett wrote this hymn as an expression
of the love of the brethren.
Doctrine:
* Christian Love, verse 1
* Prayer, verse 2
* Responsibilities within the Body, verse 3
* Doctrine of Goodbyes and Hellos, verse 4
Scripture: 1 John 1:7; John 13:34,35
Breathe On Me, Breath of God
Background: Written by Edwin Hatch in 1886. He wrote from his
soul what he imagined that the disciples in the Upper Room had
felt when Jesus was speaking to them; he thought that Christ at
that time breathed the Holy Spirit on them.
Doctrine: The following doctrinal errors are apparent in this
song.
* We do not have to ask for the Holy Spirit. The Spirit indwells
us permanently from the moment of salvation. The Spirit fills
us upon condition of our confession of sin.
* The song refers to the filling of the Spirit, but the principle
of confession is not mentioned.
* The concept of the cleansing of the Holy Spirit at confession
is confused with the process of edification (Verse 2)
* The issue of outward production in Christianity is confused
in verse 3 with the concept of fiery manifestations which showed
up only on the Day of Pentecost.
* The song puts the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit as something
in the future (verse 4), so it lacks emphasis on the assurance
of the believer as having possession of eternal life (see Ephesians
1:13,14)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Background: Written by Charles Wesley out of a desire to elevate
man's thinking by the inspiration of poetry. The message is doctrinal
application and reveals a sense of victory and assurance which
we do not always see in Wesley's somewhat somber background.
Doctrines:
* Christ's resurrection calls for men and angels to rejoice
* Death of Christ on the Cross is evidence of His love and that
He has won the battle. His resurrection overcame death and provides
a release for Old Testament saints. This is correct if it is understood
that this release occurs just preceding the Millennial reign of
Christ.
* Christ as the King, alive, died once for salvation.
* Salvation is for all who believer (Although Wesley apparently
did not believer in universal salvation.)
Scripture: 1 Cor. 15:55-57
Come, Thou Almighty King
Background: Authorship attributed to Charles Wesley, but real
author is unknown. During Revolutionary War days, it was introduced
in a Long Island, NY, church by a group of American patriots when
a band of British soldiers demanded that the congregation sing
"God Save the King." Instead, the church sang "Come,
Thou Almighty King."
Doctrines:
* Sovereignty of God the Father and the Kingship of Christ, verse
1
* Incarnation of Christ, verse 2
* Holy Spirit, verse 3
* Doctrine of the Trinity, verse 4
Application: This is a true devotional hymn, well balanced to
render worship, praise, and self exhortation. It is a prayer of
the heart that the three persons of the Godhead may exercise control
on the one who is singing, that he may be able to praise God in
fullness.
Scripture: Psalm 51:15
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Background: Written by Matthew Bridges when he and a group of
others left the Church of England and joined Roman Catholicism.
The original title was The Song of the Seraphs, one of the poems
found in a volume called The Passions of Jesus.
Doctrines:
* Verse 1: kingship of Jesus Christ in eternity; the crowning
of Christ, victorious and ruling; Jesus Christ as the Lamb of
God
* Verse 2: Christ, the son of God in eternity past; Christ, the
son of man in time; Christ the faithful high priest
* Verse 3: Christ, the resurrected one; Christ, the one who conquered
death of us
* Verse 4: Christ, in a human body, yet glorified; Christ the
eternal one worthy of praise for all eternity
Scripture: Rev. 19:12
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Background: Written by John Greanleaf Whittier in 1872, the setting
of this song is actually another poem, The Brewing of Soma, referring
to the brewing of a terrible storm. Whittier wrote this hymn in
contrast to the great tumult and destruction of such a storm.
It reveals the deep calm and peace which stills the souls of those
who hear the message of the Gospel and respond to it in faith.
Doctrine: Bible doctrines are not clearly portrayed in this song...
* The doctrine of the Fatherhood of God is not clear in verse
1.
* The doctrine of forgiveness is not correctly described. It is
portrayed as being asked for rather than as a result of confession
of sin.
* Doctrines of Faith and Obedience are weakly alluded to in verse
2.
* Doctrines of Peace, Stability, Depression are expressed in a
general way in verse 3.
* Misuse of the concept of prayer in verse 4 asking God to manifest
some overt expression to teach spiritual lessons through natural
phenomena.
Scripture: Ostensibly 1 Kings 19:11,12; Isa. 30:15; Mark 1:17,18;
Phil. 4:7
Fairest Lord Jesus
Background: This is a German hymn written in the 17th Century.
Also called the Crusaders Hymn, but there's no proof crusaders
ever sang it. Published in America by Richard Willis in 1850.
The "fairness" is associated with Jesus as a boy of
age 12 and with His growth in wisdom and stature.
Doctrine:
* Jesus as Ruler of universe and nature
* Jesus, the perfect Son of God and Perfect Son of Man
* Jesus, greater than the angels
* Doctrine of Salvation which brings joy and gladness to the sinner.
Scripture: Song 5:16; Isa. 60:2,3
Faith of Our Fathers
Background: Written by Frederick Faber in 1849, probably as a
result of being acquainted with many who had died for their faith
in Christ. This song has long been a hymn of Christian loyalty
and was closely connected with the early faith of the Fathers
who found America.
Doctrine:
* Faith as a quality that never dies; faith lives on in the hearts
of men regardless of the circumstances
* Undeserved Suffering
* Dying Grace
* Evangelization, "winning the nations"
* Liberty, only through the Word
Scripture: Heb. 11:1,13,16; 1 Tim. 6:12
Glory Be to the Father
Background: Part of this hymn dates back to the time of the apostles
and post-apostolic fathers. It is called the Lesser Doxology.
The second part was written in 529 AD and is called the Greater
Doxology. Sung in many churches after sermons and prayers and
at the dedication of churches.
Doctrine:
* Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
* Praise
* Immutability
* Eternity
Scripture: Jude 25
Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Background: Written by John Newton when he was a slave ship captain.
He had been taught the Word of God as a child but he forsook those
teachings and became a rough sailor. After a vicious storm at
sea, he turned to study the Word again and eventually entered
the ministry. This hymn was written in 1779 from this background.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: the Church pictured as a prepared city; the Word of
God; the Rock; Salvation and Victory
* Verse 2: Family relationship; Grace
* Verse 3: Leadership; Eternal purpose of God
Scripture: Psalm 87:3; 46:4; Rev. 21:2
God of Our Fathers
Background: Written by Rev. Daniel Roberts as a U. S. Centennial
hymn to be sung on the 4th of July in 1876. This was an expression
of praise to God for victory received for our nation and as a
memorial to it.
Doctrine:
* God the omnipotent Creator
* Divine Institutions; God related to our forefathers
* Verse 2: God related to the leadership of the nation; the basis
for law in a nation
* Verse 3: God as national preserver; God's grace and provision
* Verse 4: The Christian Way of Life in trouble, labor, toil
Scripture: Psalm 44:1-3,8
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Background: Written by Charles Wesley in 1739. The hymn was revised,
and some obsolete words were put into better style, by a Mr. Kelly,
Wesley's book steward.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Christ as King; Peace; Mercy; Reconciliation
* Verse 2: Christ in eternity past; Fullness of time; virgin birth
of Christ, Incarnation; Hypostatic Union
* Verse 3: Christ as Prince of Peace; Christ our Righteousness;
resurrection; the New Birth
Scripture: Isa. 9:6; Luke 2:13,14
He Leadeth Me
Background: Written by Joseph Gilmore during the darkest hours
of the Civil War (1862). He was attending Brown University and
Newton Theological Institution and was asked to occupy the pulpit
for a couple of weeks at the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia.
He wrote this hymn from Psalm 23, which he had given as an exposition
at a mid-week service.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Divine guidance, from the standpoint of comfort
* Verse 2: doctrine of National Disaster and pressure with divine
guidance
* Verse 3: One Day at a Time; Status Quo
* Verse 4: Dying Grace; Eternity
Scripture: Psalm 23:1-3; Rev. 7:17
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
Background: Written by Reginald Heber in 1827. He attended Oxford
University and received honors for his Latin verse. He was the
vicar at Hadnet for 16 years and wrote many hymns for special
Sundays of the church year.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Holiness of the Godhead; Worship; Mercy of God; Trinity
* Verse 2: Worship in Eternity; Angelic Worship of Christ; Immutability
of God
* Verse 3: Sin and Darkness; sinfulness of Man; attributes of
God
* Verse 4: Sovereignty of God; Omnipotence; Creation
How Firm a Foundation
Background: Not much known about the origins of this song. Possibly
written by Robert Keene in 1787
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Completed Canon; Christ as Refuge of the soul
* Verse 2: Fear and its remedy; provision for the believer in
time; Omnipotence of God
* Verse 3: Undeserved Suffering and Sorrow; Testing
* Verse 4: Testing; sufficiency of Grace; refinement of faith
through testing
* Verse 5: Eternal Security
Scripture: Isa. 43:1,2; Heb. 13:5
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