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Are You a Soloist…or Not?

I  suppose almost everyone can sing. Many of us do, in the shower, or in the car, driving along alone. But singing solos in public is a bit different. Audience expectations are usually higher, and that places a greater demand on the singer. While there are some who have a natural gift, the best singers are usually those who’ve had some training and experience.

Ministering for the Lord in music adds a further dimension of responsibility. We are singing both to others and to Him (Ps. 96:2; Col. 3:16), and that is serious business. It’s one thing to go to a nursing home and sing a little song for Grandma, but singing in the services of the church is another. Singing on radio or television, or posting a video of our singing, where thousands may listen, expands the audience even more, and it usually calls for a still higher standard.

A. Before You Sing

  1. Those who are singing for the Lord should be born again believers, with Christian character and a godly lifestyle to match. To sing, “My Jesus I love Thee,” and have a life that shows anything but, is rank hypocrisy. No matter how talented a singer is, if the life does not measure up he or she’s not ready for ministry. Check your spiritual fitness to serve, and bathe your ministry in prayer, asking the Lord to help you convey His Word, without calling undue and distracting attention to yourself.
  2. Get to know your voice, and your limitations. Have you ever watched a TV talent show? Sometimes an individual will deliver a simply awful performance, and become quite angry when the judges tell him he can’t sing. The response often is that “Mom and Dad, and all my friends, love my singing!” But of course they’re usually prejudiced, and may lack musical training as well. If you’re not sure about your voice, ask someone who can be impartial to evaluate your singing–not your best friend, who’s afraid to hurt your feelings!
  3. Soloists should select songs that are within their vocal range, and suitable to their own Christian experience, so that they can sing the text sincerely. And if you don’t have adequate ability to sing solos, perhaps you can take some lessons and improve. Or you could consider being part of an ensemble, where some vocal flaws are less noticeable. I’ve led amateur church choirs in which there are few solo voices, but average singers did a creditable job when uniting with others. It’s not only love that hides a multitude of sins.
  4. Having said all this, whether you have a mediocre voice, or the voice of an angel, modesty, and sincere humility are required. All that we have is a gift from God, and we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think (Rom. 12:3; cf. I Chron. 29:14; Jas. 1:17). One of the reasons I don’t like a congregation to applaud after a solo is that it seems to put too much focus on the performance, and we need to recede into the background as much as possible, allowing the message of the song to be what people attend to. If your purpose is to glorify God and communicate His truth, you’ll want what John the Baptist spoke of: “He [Christ] must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30).
  5. Further, since we are ministering in music, we will want to select songs that are doctrinally accurate, and songs that have meaningful lyrics. A ministry should minister! This also requires knowing our audience, and considering what will communicate best–though there’s a caveat with that. We mustn’t use the spiritual immaturity or carnality of a particular group as an excuse to sing in a worldly way, turning a ministry into mere entertainment. There are things that are “highly esteemed among men [that are] an abomination in the sight of God” (Lk. 16:15).

B. When You Sing

  1. Proper voice production involves the use of the diaphragm, the muscle just below our lungs that controls the intake and expulsion of air. To produce a full and flexible tone, the voice needs to be steadily supported by the diaphragm. Put your hand on your stomach, just below your lungs, and feel what happens when you sing something like “Huh, huh, huh!” on a note, in full voice. It’s your diaphragm that pushes the air upward. And it’s a mistake to think that we can ignore the support of this muscle when we sing softly. It’s needed then, perhaps more than ever to support the tone.
  2. Work at producing a full and pleasing tone, that’s uniform through your vocal range. A uniform, firm tone should not require shouting or screeching on the higher notes. And avoid breathy, “sexy” singing that some singers use, almost seeming to swallow the mike in the process. You should also avoid extremes of vibrato, when the voice seems to wobble between one note and another. And do check to see that you’re staying on pitch. If you can’t “carry a tune,” you shouldn’t be attempting to sing solos.
  3. Learn the proper timing of the piece of music, but don’t stick rigidly or mechanically to it, if a slight change will suit the words better. Vary tempo and dynamics to provide the best possible communication of what the song is saying. Use appropriate vocal expression. And most importantly, practice using clear diction. Pronounce words properly and make the consonants crisp and clear. In softer singing diction, the clear pronunciation of the words, is critical–and often where it becomes mushy and unclear.
  4. One of the most common faults (a modern trend that should be vigorously resisted) is over-amplification. It isn’t necessary for a ministry in song to be loud in order to bless people. Not if our main purpose is for them to hear the words clearly and think about the message. A well modulated voice can be heard quite well in a small or medium sized auditorium with little or no amplification. Learn to sing without it, then use it sparingly as needed.
  5. Accompaniment, if there is any, should be carefully balanced with the voice or voices. It should support the voice, not overpower it. The accompanist should not draw attention to what he or she is doing, but rather seek to enhance the message of the song. If there are several stanzas being sung, the accompaniment should be varied if possible, so it’s not using the same repetitious chords throughout. The accompanist should work with the soloist and find out which parts of the song will, perhaps, be better sung more softly or loudly, or more slowly or quickly (etc.), and learn to provide a background of music that is appropriate to this.
  6. You may call it a matter of taste and preference, but I abhor the constant and intrusive percussion of much popular music today. It’s sad that this fashion has been carried over into contemporary religious music. Percussion instruments, if they’re included at all, should be used for occasional accent, not to beat time incessantly.

C. Platform Presentation

  1. The message we convey when we sing a solo involves more than just what we sing, and the quality of our voice. Practice singing in front of a mirror and watch the expression on your face. Is it appropriate to the song you’re singing? It should be. You are interpreting a song, and “selling” its message. Try standing before a mirror and simply reciting the words, without singing them. Think of it as if you are giving a testimony, or teaching a lesson in Sunday School. Is the message coming across clearly, and does your facial expression suit it?
  2. Speaking personally, I think soloists should use only very limited physical movement. Stay put, and let people focus on the words, not on your actions. And there should be no “grandstanding,” striking supposedly pious poses. Such theatrics too often look phony. Some even make the singer look as though he had stomach cramps! And this caution also includes hitting dramatically high (or low) notes that are unnecessary to the melody, notes simply intended to show off the voice.
  3. Dress should be neat, and modest, not calling attention to itself. Avoid extremes of fashion, and don’t have clothing that’s either too tight, or too limited in what it covers! Modesty is needed if we’re to communicate the message of the song, and glorify the Lord.
  4. Watch your actions before and after singing. Will you be sitting on the platform through the service, or will you come up from the pew to sing? Work with the service leader to choose what will be the least distracting. Sitting the shortest distance possible from where you will stand to sing is usually best.
  5. A word about introductions. If you are singing in your own church, or one where you are well know, no introduction is necessary. The service leader doesn’t need to announce you with, “Now here’s Joe Smith to sing for us.” The accompanist can simply begin the musical introduction to the song. If you are to sing in a place where you are not known, you might ask if an introduction could be included at the time of the announcements. In this way, there’s less focus on you, when the time comes to sing.

The bottom line: I hope pray that those few ideas will be useful to you. Not all will apply in every case. But I believe there are things here worth considering. Singing for the Lord and ministering to His people is a great privilege. Treat it seriously, and determine to do your best, for His glory.

Anywhere with Jesus

Words: Jessie H. Brown Pounds (b. Aug. 31, 1861; d. March 3, 1921); Helen Cadbury Alexander (b. Jan. 10, 1877; d. March 1, 1969)
Music: Daniel Brink Towner (b. Apr. 5, 1850; d. Oct. 3, 1919)

Note: Stanzas (1), (2) and (5) were written by Jessie Pounds, and (3) and (4) were added by Helen Alexander about thirty years later. As described in the Wordwise link below, the latter woman, whose maiden name was Helen Cadbury, was an heir to the immense Cadbury Chocolate fortune, but turned her back on wealth and social standing to be a humble servant of Christ.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Not only is this hymn somewhat unusual, being the work of two authors, it was also written backward. That is, Daniel Towner wrote the music first. That in itself is not unique. Often, for example, a composer would bring a tune to Fanny Crosby and ask her to write words to fit it. But Mr. Towner’s experience was different.

In 1866, Daniel Towner was working with evangelist Dwight L. Moody in some meetings in Binghamton, New York. One evening, Mr. Moody preached a powerful sermon, picturing Christ as the Captain of our lives, saying that we could therefore go anywhere with Him, confident that the Lord would see us through. He illustrated this with reference to the three Hebrews cast into a fiery furnace, then Daniel in a den of lions (Daniel chapters 3 and 6), and other passages.

Inspired by the message, Daniel Towner thought to himself, “There ought to be a song written with that theme.” With that, he sat down and composed a melody, trying to put into the notes something of how he felt. He sent the tune to a hymn writer named Jesse Brown, who lived in Cleveland. (Jesse Brown married a pastor named Rev. John Pounds in 1896, and now her name in our hymn books is usually listed as Jesse Brown Pounds.) Towner told her that he wanted the words to say, “Anywhere with Jesus.” The hymn, with the later addition, is the result.

(1) Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go,
Anywhere He leads me in this world below;
Anywhere without Him dearest joys would fade;
Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.

Anywhere, anywhere! Fear I cannot know;
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go.

“Anywhere!” Counting all five stanzas and their refrains, it’s repeated twenty-seven times. Some are called of God to minister to their families, in their community, and in their local church. Others are called to go to distant places, even to other lands, and serve among those with a dramatically different culture.

The point is not that one individual is better or more heroic than the other. How can we deny the exalted position of a godly mother who raises her children to love and serve the Lord, or that of a faithful pastor of a small and struggling church. No, the point being addressed is that, as disciples of Christ, we ought to be prepared to go anywhere and do any work the Master assigns to us.

And we can go wherever the Lord leads us with the full assurance that He will be with us, and that we will know His wise and loving care, wherever we are. David was confident of that (Ps. 139:7-12), and we now have the Lord’s personal declaration, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

(3) Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone;
Other friends may fail me, He is still my own;
Though His hand may lead me over dreary ways,
Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise.

The final stanza seems to speak of more than simply a night’s sleep. Even if we sleep the sleep of death, we can be confident of waking with the Lord Jesus in our heavenly home (II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-24).

(5) Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep,
When the dark’ning shadows round about me creep,
Knowing I shall waken nevermore to roam;
Anywhere with Jesus will be home, sweet home.

Questions:

  1. Perhaps some consider ministry in distant places will be more difficult. Sometimes this is so. But what kinds of things can make ministry at home difficult too?
  2. Take a look at the full hymn in the Cyber Hymnal link. What are some advantages and blessings of having the Lord with us anywhere He may lead?

Links:

Saved by Grace

Words: Frances Jane (“Fanny”) Crosby (b. March 24, 1820; d. Feb. 12, 1915)
Music: Silver Cord, by George Coles Stebbins (b. Feb. 26, 1846; d. Oct. 6, 1945)

Note: Fanny Crosby wrote these lines as her own personal testimony. She didn’t intend them to become a hymn available to all. However, events conspired against this goal, as both the above links explain.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The opening line of this hymn deserves some comment and explanation. Fanny Crosby had in mind some verses in the book of Ecclesiastes:

“Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed [or severed], or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

Ecc. 12:6-7

Those who follow occult practices actually believe the spirit is attached to the body by a silvery strand. But that notion doesn’t come from Scripture. Solomon is actually giving us two pairs of poetic images representing death.

  1. Light is used in Scripture as a symbol of life (Ps. 36:9; Prov. 13:9; Jn. 8:12). The first image pictures a lamp glowing with golden light, suspended by a glittering cord. When the cord breaks, the lamp falls and is shattered to pieces. That represents death.
  2. Water–especially flowing water–is also a fitting picture of life. The Lord Jesus uses the figure to speak of eternal life (Jn. 4:14; cf. 7:37-39). The second image Solomon gives us is of a well with a water wheel used to draw up the water. But here the wheel is broken, and a pitcher that could be used to bring the water home is shattered. Again this represents death.

For the secular man, seeing only this life from the womb to the tomb, these are depressing pictures. But Solomon says that to think in that restricted way is “vanity” (Ecc. 12:8). Life only makes sense when it is centred on pleasing God, and when there’s a recognition of life beyond the grave and our accountability to the God who made us (Ecc. 12:13-14).

Fanny Crosby’s fine song faces the reality of physical death, but she looks beyond it, with joyful expectation, to being in the presence of her Saviour. For the Christian,  physical death is merely a doorway to something far greater and grander. There is eternal blessing to follow.

(1) Some day the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But oh, the joy when I shall wake
Within the palace of the King!

And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story—Saved by grace;
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story—Saved by grace.

In (2), the hymn writer uses imagery adopted by the Apostle Paul, picturing our physical body as our earthly house (II Cor. 5:1-5). But when our earthly house is left behind at death, we have the prospect of a heavenly house, a resurrection body like the glorified body of Christ (Phil. 3:20-21). (Fanny does seem to switch poetic pictures here, turning her thoughts to the heavenly mansions being prepared for us in the heavenly city, cf. Jn. 14:2.)

(2) Some day my earthly house will fall.
I cannot tell how soon ’twill be;
But this I know—my All in All
Has now a place in heav’n for me.

For some, death is sudden and unexpected. For others, it follows a steady decline through illness or the aging process. But in most cases we simply don’t know the exact time our earthly life will end. (Fanny Crosby didn’t die for another twenty-four years after this song was published.) Meanwhile, we should keep on living for the Lord, looking forward expectantly to what is to come (I Thess. 1:9-10; II Tim. 4:8).

(4) Some day: till then I’ll watch and wait,
My lamp all trimmed and burning bright,
That when my Saviour ope’s the gate,
My soul to Him may take its flight.

Questions:

  1. Can you think of helpful images for death (in Scripture or outside it), other than the ones Fanny adopts?
  2. Who are some individuals (from Scripture or beyond) that were sustained in suffering or persecution by the perspective Fanny Crosby has?

Links:

Sweet By and By

Words: Sanford Fillmore Bennett (b. June 21, 1836; d. June 12, 1898)
Music: Joseph Philbrick Webster (b. March 22, 1819; d. Jan. 18, 1875)

Note: For the story of how a depressed musician and a compassionate druggist figured in the writing of this gospel song, you can check out the Wordwise link below. It’s told in the words of Sanford Bennett himself, on the Cyber Hymnal page.

Bennett was one whose many gifts led him into several different careers. He’d been a published poet for about twenty years, by the time he supplied the text for this song. He’d served as Superintendent of Schools in Richmond, Illinois, for a couple of years, then became the associate editor of the Elkhorn Independent newspaper, in Wisconsin. After service in the Civil Way, he operated a drugstore, then studied medicine and worked as a medical doctor for twenty-two years!

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

There’s not much Bible truth in this song, and we can argue that it’s not God the Father (1) who’s said to be preparing our heavenly home, but Christ (Jn. 14:2). These things are not surprising, since Sanford Bennett was not entirely orthodox in his theology to begin with. But even so, there is a warmth of comfort in this little song–understandable when you know the story of its origin. I have sung it on occasion at a funeral service.

“Sweet By and By” is an appropriate poetic name for the heavenly kingdom. The dictionary says that “by and by” means before long, in a short time. And even though, to suffering saints, the days here below seem to drag on endlessly, from heaven’s perspective the time is short and Christ reassures us, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Rev. 22:20).

The heavenly city is “fairer than day” (1) because the glory of the Lamb of God and God the Father supplies its illumination (Rev. 21:23). Though we cannot view it yet, we can see it “afar” with the eyes of faith, as we study the Word of God.

(1) There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

We can hardly conceive of the beautiful singing in which we’ll participate in heaven, “the melodious songs of the blessed” (2). The singing around the throne of God is mentioned several times (Rev. 5:9-10; 14:2-3; 15:2-4). There are also a number of times when the heavenly multitude is said to be “saying” certain things. It may involve a kind of chant, and perhaps music will be included too (Rev. 4:10-11; 5:11-12; 7:9-12).

We also know that in heaven we’ll rest from our labours, a rest we may “sigh for” here below (Rev. 14:13). Not that we’ll have nothing to do. “His servants shall serve Him” (Rev. 22:3). But our work will be rewarding and fulfilling, not frustrating, tedious or perilous.

(2) We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

One of the major occupations of eternity will be the worship and praise of God. “Then a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!’” (Rev. 19:5). And we will. It will be our eternal delight to offer to the Lord “our tribute of praise.”

(3) To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.

Questions:

  1. Would you make use of this gospel song at a memorial service? (Why? Or why not?)
  2. What are your favourite hymns about heaven? (For other possibilities see my article Funeral Hymns.)

Links:

In My Heart There Rings a Melody

Words: Elton Menno Roth (b. Nov. 27, 1891; d. Dec. 31, 1951)
Music: Elton Menno Roth

Note: The Wordwise link at the bottom of this article tells how this song came to be written. Amazingly, it was put to effective use within hours afterwards. That was made possible because the gospel song is simple. It has a simple message, and a lively, singable tune. But, as with many of our hymns, that doesn’t mean the author-composer was lacking in the ability to write anything more complex.

Elton Roth taught music, and wrote music. He was also a choral conductor of some note. Roth organized the Ecclesia Choir, an a capella group that specialized in presenting classical sacred music. The choir made several tours across the United States, and broadcast a nationwide program from Radio City in New York.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

(1) I have a song that Jesus gave me,
It was sent from heav’n above;
There never was a sweeter melody,
’Tis the melody of love.

In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody of love.

The Bible says that the believer should be “making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19), and “singing with grace [gratitude] in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).

It is that heart-singing that Mr. Roth had in mind in particular. Not that it should stop there, with only inward praise. What’s in the heart should be expressed with the lips. However, not all of us are blessed with fine singing voices. It’s encouraging to realize that the Lord looks beyond that. If you’ll pardon a slight change in a verse of Scripture–that I believe is equally true:

The LORD does not [hear] as man [hears]; for man [listens to] the outward [sound], but the LORD [listens to] the heart.”

I Sam. 16:7

In confirmation of this inward focus, we have the words of the Lord Jesus: “He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honours Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me’” (Mk. 7:6). When that’s the case, it’s not praise; it’s pretense. Instead, the sincere joy of the Lord that floods the hearts of God’s people is to be expressed both as worship and witness.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah [Think of that!]” (Ps. 62:8). “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore” (Ps. 86:12).

Central to our praise is the Person and redemptive work of Christ. “that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12).

(2) I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,
For He washed my sins away;
He put within my heart a melody,
And I know it’s there to stay.

And as with many hymns and gospel songs, Elton Roth’s carries us beyond this present world, reminding us that our earthly song of praise to our Redeemer will go on in eternity. When that great day arrives, to borrow William Cowper’s words, we’ll worship “in a nobler and sweeter song.”

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!”

Rev. 5:12

(3) ’Twill be my endless theme in glory,
With the angels I will sing;
’Twill be a song with glorious harmony,
When the courts of heaven ring.

Questions:

  1. How can you encourage singing from the heart in your church?
  2. Does “heart-singing” sound any different from singing that doesn’t arise from the heart? (How? Why?)

Links:

Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed?

Words: Isaac Watts (b. July 17, 1674; d. Nov. 25, 1748)
Music: Martyrdom, by Hugh Wilson (b. Dec. 2, 1766; d. Aug. 14, 1824)

Note: Unfortunately, the Cyber Hymnal tries to combine the simple version of this hymn (set to the tune Martyrdom) with the reworked version of Ralph Hudson. The latter is more accurately called At the Cross. And though it’s popular in some circles, its trite and jaunty refrain completely ignores the sombre message of the text. For my further comments on this uncalled for mutilation of a great hymn, see here (#2).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

(1) Alas! and did my Saviour bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

We are worms, every one. In spite of the fact that many modern editors change the last line of the first stanza of Watts’s hymn to “For sinners such as I,” that is not what Watts intended. The first stanza reads as I’ve given it above.

And it’s certainly biblical to say that. In the book of Job, Bildad raises an important question: “How then can man be righteous before God,” and he proceeds, “Man…is a maggot, and…a worm” (Job 25:4, 6). When David prays he cries out to God, “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people” (Ps. 22:6). And in what are actually words of encouragement to Israel, the Lord says, “‘Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you,’ says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 41:14).

There is another text that should be included, though the word “worm” does not appear in it. Isaiah 1:18 is a summons to consider God’s message carefully:

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.’”

Isaiah 1:18

The words “scarlet” and “crimson” translate the same Hebrew word as that translated “worm” in the earlier texts. They refer to a dye made by crushing a certain kind of worm. It’s not difficult to suggest therefore that our sins are a product of our worm-like nature.

Worms are lowly creatures, often despised or trampled underfoot. Further, they are relatively weak and helpless. These are the qualities that the biblical imagery is meant to portray. We despicable sinners are totally helpless to rid ourselves of sin’s guilt and corruption. Isaac Watts, in another of his hymns called How Sad Our State by Nature Is, uses the same symbolism:

A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
Into Thy hands I fall;
Be Thou my strength and righteousness,
My Saviour, and my all.

Isaac Watts

The older hymn writers weren’t afraid to be explicit about our sinfulness and its consequences. Modern writers and editors may want to gloss over the desperate nature of our fallen condition and get to the positive message of the gospel, but it’s a mistake. We can never fully appreciate what God did to save us until we get a clear picture of what we are outside of Christ. In another hymn, which draws its present title from the first line, Watts writes:

Lord, I am vile, conceived in sin,
And born unholy and unclean;
Sprung from the man whose guilty fall
Corrupts the race, and taints us all.

Isaac Watts

That’s clear and biblical theology, and an important starting point. Apart from the intervention of sovereign grace, we are utterly helpless and hopeless. And before we get the good news, we need the bad news.

“No degree of reformation, however great, no attainment in morality, however high, no culture, however attractive, no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies, however useful, no baptism or other ordinance, however administered, can help the sinner take even one step toward heaven.”

Statement of Faith, Child Evangelism Fellowship

It’s in that context that we should sing, reverently, soberly, and thoughtfully:

(3) Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

(4) Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Questions:

  1. What other hymns do you know that make clear our sinful, fallen condition outside of Christ?
  2. How would you explain the gospel to an inquirer that appropriately includes both the bad news and the good news?

Links:

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. Mar. 29, 1788)
Music: Beecher, by John Zundel (b. Dec. 10, 1815; d. July _____, 1882)

Note: Zundel’s tune Beecher, written for this text, is frequently used with the hymn. In my view, Blaenwern, by William Rowlands, is superior to it. (Rowlands’ beautiful melody can also be used effectively with What a Friend We Have in Jesus). However, there is an interesting side note pertaining to Beecher.

In his 1870 book Heart Songs, which includes this tune, Zundel used a novel means to indicate the tempo he believed to be appropriate for each song. He noted the number of seconds it should take to sing one stanza. For Beecher, it was sixty-five seconds. If you try it, you may find that this seems quite a slow pace.

The decision regarding a hymn’s tempo is, of course, a somewhat relative matter. It depends in part on what a congregation is used to. However, there are also some practical considerations, and the message of a hymn can be enhanced or obscured if it is sung at an inappropriate speed. For some thoughts on this, see my article, The Tempo of Congregational Hymns.


(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This is a beautiful hymn, but it is not without a significant problem for some of us. It proclaims the Wesleyan doctrine of perfectionism, which I don’t believe is biblical. According to holiness teaching, the Christian is to seek a second blessing, also referred to as crisis sanctification. The idea is, as taught by some, that with this second blessing experience the sin nature is not only subdued but eradicated, and it becomes possible to live a sinless life.

This comes out in lines found particularly in (2) (as Wesley originally wrote them): “Let us find that second rest, [and] take away our power of sinning.” For one thing, does it not seem that if we had no power of sinning, we would have no ability to choose? If we cannot doubt and disobey God, then we are not freely believing and obeying Him, and become mere puppets in His hands.

Further, the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews 4:9 (which the holiness folks apply to their second blessing) refers to the normal Christian life. Verse 10 explains that it involves ceasing from our own works. In other words, fully depending on what Christ has done for us, and not trying to earn God’s acceptance by our own efforts.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”

Heb. 4:9-10

In (3) of the hymn we have: “Pure and sinless let us be.” However, this might be seen as an aspiration and a desire for holiness, without assuming that it can be attained in this life. Or, in the context of the rest of the stanza it might be looking forward to the eternal day when we are fully transformed into the likeness of Christ, in His presence (I Jn. 3:2).

To claim sinless perfection now, one must have a very limited and superficial definition of sin. When all possible sins of omission and commission are included, when we examine thoughts and heart attitudes, as well as overt acts, and we compare ourselves to the absolute perfection of Christ, the claim to perfection becomes tenuous indeed. Add to that all the passages that reveal the believer’s potential for sinning, and God’s provision for times when a Christian sins (e.g. Gal. 5:16-17; I Jn. 1:8-10; 2:1-2).

In order to make this hymn compatible with a non-perfectionist theology, various changes have been suggested over the years. Some helpful, and some not. Some books simply omit the third stanza, or make alterations in it. Other stanzas are also changed. For example, here is the beginning of Wesley’s fourth stanza, and an amended version found in The Believers Hymn Book.

(Wesley)
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;

(Amended to)
Firstfruits of Thy new creation,
Faithful, holy, may we be,
Joyful in Thy great salvation,
Daily more conformed to Thee.

Questions:

  1. If you are not one who accepts Wesley’s theology, would you still use this hymn? (Would you amend it in any way to do so?)
  2. What is the difference between a desire not to sin, and a claim to be free from sin?

Links:

According to Thy Gracious Word

Words: James Montgomery (b. Nov. 4, 1771; d. Apr. 30, 1854)
Music: Martyrdom (also called Avon), by Hugh Wilson (b. Dec. 2, 1766; d. Aug. 14, 1824)

Note: The Cyber Hymnal gives several possibilities for tunes that can be used with this hymn, with Martyrdom by Scottish musician Hugh Wilson listed first. I have also seen Manoah used. The latter melody is from a collection of church music published by Henry Greatorex, but the actual composer of the music is disputed.

James Montgomery, for thirty-two years the editor of a newspaper called The Sheffield Iris, was also a hymn writer of note. The Cyber Hymnal lists 180 of his hymns. Various ones will be familiar, depending on a local church’s traditional background and the hymnal used. Here are a few of Montgomery’s songs:

  • According to Thy Gracious Word
  • Angels from the Realms of Glory
  • Go to Dark Gethsemane
  • Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
  • In the Hour of Trial
  • Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire
  • The Lord Is My Shepherd
  • Stand Up and Bless the Lord
  • We Bid Thee Welcome in the Name

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The present very fine Communion hymn, as published in 1825, had six stanzas. Some books use only four ((1), (2), (5), (6)), others include all six. The text is based on the words of the Lord Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19). It’s a command, repeated in First Corinthians 11:25 that believers continue to memorialize what Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary, and that we continue to do so until He comes again (I Cor. 11:26).

We all struggle to remember–to call to mind all kinds of things. Sometimes, we sheepishly refer to our efficient “forgetteries,” or we’ll say, “I have a good memory; it’s just short!” The failure to bring certain things to mind can be a minor inconvenience, like going shopping and forgetting to take along our shopping list. Other forgotten things can be more significant.

I was on a long bus trip one time. The bus stopped for a break, and we all got out for ten or fifteen minutes. Then, we were on our way again. But for some reason, the one in charge forgot to take a count. Many miles down the road, someone said, “Where’s Jack?” It was assumed for awhile that he must be in the washroom at the back of the bus. But more time passed, and finally we came to the conclusion that he’d been left behind at our last stop. There was no other choice but to go back. It turned out that Jack had wandered off to make a phone call, and missed the bus’s departure. No real harm was done, and we had a good laugh at his expense.

A more serious incident is recorded in the book of Genesis, where Joseph, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wicked wife, was cast into prison. Pharaoh’s chief butler was in prison too and, when he was finally released, Joseph asked him to appeal to Pharaoh on his behalf (Gen. 40:14). But we read that “the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (vs. 23), and Joseph languished in prison for two more years (Gen. 41:1, 9).

Still greater would be the shame of one of God’s blood-bought children forgetting what Christ did to save him or her. Our present access to God and our eternal glory were purchased at dreadful cost by the sufferings of the Lamb of God. Not only that, but in neglecting the Lord’s Supper we are failing to obey the command of the Lord to do so until He returns.

There’s another failure involved too, a failure to witness to our faith in Christ. By participating at the Table of the Lord, we “proclaim the Lord’s death” (I Cor. 11:26). It means we preach and teach about Christ and the meaning of His death on the cross and its importance to us. (The same Greek word is used in Colossians 1:28, when Paul declares, “Him we preach.”)

Knowing the fallibility of our memories, and the importance of keeping Calvary before us, it is worthwhile to make the kind of sincere pledge that Montgomery does in his hymn.

(1) According to Thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee.

(2) Thy body, broken for my sake,
My bread from heav’n shall be;
The testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee.

Questions:

  1. What are some reasons why a person might grow neglectful of the Lord’s Supper?
  2. What are some practical values in consistently participating in this ceremony?

Links:

Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me

Words: Edward Hopper (b. Feb. 17, 1816; d. Apr. 23, 1888)
Music: Pilot, by John Edgar Gould (b. Apr. 9, 1821; March 4, 1875)

Note: There is a touching story on the Cyber Hymnal of how this beautiful song was used to bring a dying soldier to faith in Christ. Mr. Hopper wrote six stanzas, but only three of them are generally used for the hymn ((1), (5), and (6)). One of the others, however, is worthy of note. It makes the point that even when we have smooth sailing for a time, in life, we still need Christ, our Pilot. (“Halcyon,” pronounced HAL-see-un, means peaceful, quiet.)

(3) Though the sea be smooth and bright,
Sparkling with the stars of night,
And my ship’s path be ablaze
With the light of halcyon days,
Still I know my need of Thee;
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Well educated though he was, Dr. Hopper was a humble man, preferring to stay in the background. He felt the call of God to minister to sailors in New York City, where he had been born. There, he served as pastor of the Church of Sea and Land for eighteen years, preaching the gospel to the men who came and went in that busy sea port. His hymn was published anonymously in 1871. It wasn’t until years later that it came out that he’d written it.

Pastor Hopper’s preaching, like his hymn, was couched in language the sailors could understand. Every seasoned sailor knew what it was to face the peril of a storm and sea, and the hymn helped them to apply that imagery to their lives. The song is based on a couple of incidents recorded in the Gospels (Matt. 8:23-27; 14:22-33). The former passage says:

“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”

To this we can add the assurance of the Lord’s presence with His children now, in His final promise given in Matthew’s Gospel, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). That’s similar to the pledge made to the nation of Israel, centuries before.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Isa. 41:10

How wonderful to know that we have, in our ship of life, a Pilot who is sovereign over the tempests and well able to guide us safely to our final harbour!

(1) Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee;
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.

Pastor Hopper suffered from heart trouble, and he died suddenly, while seated in his study, writing some lines about heaven. With that he reached the land of “peaceful rest” the last stanza of the present song speaks of. And the experience of John Gould, the composer of the hymn tune, provides an interesting parallel. He was about to embark on a voyage for his health’s sake. His wife said he sat at the piano and played his tune, Pilot, the evening before. He died in Africa shortly after.

(6) When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Questions:

  1. What parallels can you think of between a sea voyage and the voyage of life?
  2. What other hymns do you know that make effective use of the seagoing image? (If you need help, the Cyber Hymnal lists 173 of them in the Topical section, under “Nautical Hymns.”)

Links:

My Home, Sweet Home

Words: Napoleon Bonaparte “Jack” Vandall (b. Dec. 28, 1896; d. Aug. 24, 1970)
Music: Napoleon Bonaparte Vandall

Note: The Wordwise link below talks about this song, and provides a secondary link to Vandall’s other beautiful gospel song, After, and the story of its connection with his family life. Mr. Vandall, an evangelist with the Church of the Nazarene, went home to be with the Lord in 1970, at the age of seventy-four. His wife passed away three years later.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Now and then, the writing of a hymn is closely connected with a prior hymn or hymn writer. There’s an interesting connection, if a little more remote, in this case. Napoleon Vandall was saved in 1920 at the Christian camp at Sebring, Ohio. It was there that another hymn writer frequently ministered. Anne May Sebring Murphy, a member of the Sebring family that founded the town, wrote the gospel song Constantly Abiding, in 1908.

Though I can’t prove it, it’s almost certain that the two musicians knew one another. Anne Murphy wrote (in (3) of her song  Constantly Abiding) of the ongoing fellowship of the Lord Jesus “while here on His footstool I roam” (cf. Matt. 28:20). Because of this, even in times of suffering, she was able to say, “Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud, / I’ve a peace that has come here to stay!” (1).

But Anne Murphy also looked forward to an eternity with the Lord Jesus, saying. “He’s coming to take me, some glorious day, over there to my heavenly home” (3). When he too faced problems and difficulties, it was that prospect that especially cheered Napoleon Vandall.

(1) Walking along life’s road one day,
I heard a voice so sweetly say,
“A place up in heav’n I am building thee,
A beautiful, beautiful home.”

Home, sweet home, home, sweet home–
Where I’ll never roam!
I see the light of that city so bright–
My home, sweet home.

In his second stanza, Mr. Vandall notes two of the joys that await him in the heavenly city. First, he will be reunited with loved ones who have gone before (I Thess. 4:17; cf. 2:19). And second, he will participate with them in a ceremony of worship and praise described in the book of Revelation (Rev. 4:10-11).

The final stanza reflects upon the brevity of human life. That is certainly an important thing for the unsaved consider. This earthly life is over before we know it, while eternity is forever. It makes sense to do what we need to now to prepare for what’s ahead.

“‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (I Pet. 1:24-25).

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:1).


It is a warning. But the brevity of life can be a comfort to the believer. The trials we face, day by day, painful and difficult though they may be, will soon be behind us, lost in the glory of eternal day.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

II Cor. 4:16-18

(3) Life’s day is short–I soon shall go
To be with Him who loved me so;
I see in the distance that shining shore,
My beautiful, beautiful home.

Questions:

  1. This is a difficult question to answer, since we’re not as yet in our perfected eternal state, but how do you think you’ll feel when you first see the Lord Jesus Christ?
  2. Beyond meeting our Saviour, what is it about our heavenly home that most interests you?

Links:

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