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 Last Sunday, along with several more modern worship songs, we sang “It is Well with my Soul”. We are a contemporary church with a contemporary music program, but I received more positive comments on that song, and, while we are a church that usually sings well, we absolutely raised the roof with that little slow hymn sung with only piano.
There seems to have been a very unnecessary “war” over musical styles for the past 30 years in the evangelical church. “Unnecessary” because God never said the church should only sing modern or only sing ancient songs of faith. I believe a healthy church will utilize songs from all eras of church history including our own. How that balance is struck may vary from church to church, but like the age demographic of a church, if only one era is represented, that church is going to be missing something. I love a lot of new modern worship music being written today, but I have found three reasons to keep including some of the ancient hymns of the faith… Ancient Hymns have History. The church has history. That seems like I’m just stating the obvious, but if you asked the average evangelical to give you even a simple timeline of the 2000+ years of church history, it would probably sound something like this: Jesus, Apostles, monks, Billy Graham, Amy Grant, and Hillsong. That may sound a bit exaggerated, but unless your church makes a concerted effort to teach God’s providential work through history to preserve His church and His Word, this won’t be far from the truth. Hymns not only point to events in the past, but also take us back to a time in our own lives when the truths in that hymn helped us through a trying time or taught us an invaluable lesson about who God is and what He has done. Ancient Hymns have Theology. For centuries, many Christians would carry with them two books: The Bible and the Hymnal. Not that the hymnal was ever considered inspired, but it acted as a systematic theology as well as a songbook for the whole family. The best way to learn truths is to put them to a good melody and hymns did just that. If I said, “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say…” you could probably finish the phrase. Have you ever recalled that line of “It is Well” when sorrows like sea billows rolled in your life? Or can you finish the verse: “When we’ve been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…” The eternality of God and of the life He has given to us going forward is taught in that simple verse. Many modern worship songs also teach rich theology, but just because something is “old” it does not make it useless. When used in conjunction with each other, both modern and ancient hymns can give us a well rounded theology in song that we can carry with us for our whole lives. Ancient Hymns have Singability. Not all melodies are created equal, and I know it sounds like “survival of the fittest”, but if a melody is not natural or singable, the song will not last. The great thing about a collection of hymns is that the publishers tend to weed out ones no one wants to sing. That leaves us with a collection of tried and true melodies that act like glue to bind the truths to our hearts. Psalm 96 and 98 both command us to “Sing to the Lord a new song”, and I’m all for creativity in the church. I’m a song writer myself, but let’s not totally abandon what God has used, and still uses to bring Himself glory and build and edify His body simply because of a date at the bottom of a piece of music. Let’s seek to bring God our best, regardless of when in the history of God’s people it was penned.  When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
w/m - Isaac Watts When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood. See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown? Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. Here is another song from from my favorite hymn writer of all time, Isaac Watts, in the top 20 hymns of all time. This one sits at number 12 and is his most famous one. In a time when so many songs are being written offering therapeutic answers to our felt needs and troubles, it is refreshing to read these lyrics that basically say, we aren’t the center, and until Christ is, our needs will never truly be met. This song starts and ends with looking at Christ, not us. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. How many times do we “Survey the wondrous cross”? My guess is, we think about it far less than we should. The result is often pride. If we want to destroy pride in our life and release our grip on the things of this world, the quickest way is to meditate on what Christ did for us at Calvary. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God! There is a big difference in boasting in one’s accomplishments and boasting in the work of the Lord. Any good in us is due to the indwelling Holy Spirit working in us. There is nothing to boast about from inside us, but we do not compromise in speaking and living out the inerrant word of God. We should boast all day long in our Savior! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood. There are so many things that “charm” us in this world, take up our time, and turn our focus from Christ. These “earthly joys” must fade each day in light of who we serve and what He has done. See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown? Here, Watts begins to focus on the details of the crucifixion itself, giving us a look at the particulars of the scene. We see the head crowned with thorns, the hands pierced with nails, the feet pinned together with the spike. Then he makes the startling connection: we see sorrow, we see pain, we see thorns, but we also see love, and we see so great a salvation. Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. All the treasures of this world, this universe, pale in comparison with eternal life bought for us on that cross. God’s wrath on sin and His love for His own were on clear display that day 2000 years ago on a hill outside of Jerusalem. Today, that event, and our subsequent personal salvation should bring each of us to the point where we dedicate all we have to one who, in grace, saved us.  To God Be The Glory
w/m - Fanny Crosby To God be the glory great things He has done So loved He the world that He gave us His son Who yielded His life an atonement for sin And opened the life gate that all may go in Praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the earth hear His voice Praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the people rejoice Come to the Father through Jesus the Son Give Him the glory great things He has done O perfect redemption the purchase of blood To every believer the promise of God The vilest offender who truly believes That moment from Jesus a pardon receives Great things He has taught us great things He has done And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son But purer and higher and greater will be Our wonder our transport when Jesus we see This is our second week in a row for a Fanny Crosby song. This 11th most popular hymn of all time was written in 1872 and was a favorite in our Baptist church growing up. The 5th of the “5 Solas of the Reformation” is Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone). We don’t give glory to Mary, or to the saints, or to man for our salvation, all the glory goes to God alone. To God be the glory great things He has done. So loved He the world that He gave us His son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin and opened the life gate that all may go in. There are so many things in life that we can give God glory for, but clearly the focus of Mrs. Crosby’s hymn is God’s plan and work of redemption. The second line is straight from John 3:16. The theology that Jesus was sent as a sacrifice by the Father, and yet, freely laid down His life is on clear display here. This stanza ends with the call for all men to be saved. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord let the people rejoice. Come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give Him the glory great things He has done. In the chorus, we see adoration and application. It begins with personal praise to God for His saving us, then shifts to calling all peoples to come to the Father through the Son, so they can give praise as well for their salvation. O perfect redemption the purchase of blood to every believer the promise of God. Every true believer can lift praise and adoration for their personal redemption. Jesus has bought them out of the slave market of sin with His blood. The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. When the lost see their sin for what it is, and run in faith to the Savior who stands with open arms, they are declared righteous and just by God and pardoned for every sin, past, present, and future. Great things He has taught us great things He has done and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son, but purer and higher and greater will be our wonder our transport when Jesus we see. Of all the blessed truths we have learned and paths our feet have traveled down here, nothing will compare to seeing Jesus face to face and live eternally with Him. The word “transport” initially gives off the impression of the rapture or “catching away”, but more than likely her use of the word means “delight” or “joy”. It will be pure joy when we stand face to face with our Savior and cry, “To God be the glory!”  Blessed Assurance
w/m - Fanny Crosby Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels, descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. We are moving through the most popular hymns of all time. This week is #10 (#9 is All Hail the Power, which I exegeted that one back in post #51). For those who haven’t been keeping track:
Blessed Assurance was written in 1873 by Fanny Crosby, one of the most prolific hymn writers of the 19th century. This song speaks of the doctrine of the “Assurance of our salvation”. This is different than “Eternal security” in that some people are eternally secure, but may not feel the assurance that is theirs, and some may feel they have assurance now, but on the last day, they will find themselves without eternal life (Matthew 7:22). Assurance is there for the true believer who not only professes faith in Christ, but actually possesses it. When one has truly repented and believed, can see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives, feels the guilt of sin and wages war with it, is in submission to God, and truly loves Christ and His bride, there can be a blessed assurance on this side of heaven. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! We love Him because He first loved us. When we experience that unique love relationship with our Savior, this assurance becomes personal… Jesus is mine. That relationship is just an initial glimpse of the eternal bond we will one day share with Him. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. The work of God in our lives seals that assurance, for if these things were dependent on us, we would lose them, and the assurance that goes with them, instantly. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Jesus, the Savior, did the work of salvation. Our only right response is never-ending praise. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels, descending, bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. This verse describes the feeling that accompanies this right relationship with God. Although the term “Rapture” is often used to describe an eschatological event, here, I believe context dictates that it simply means a feeling of intense pleasure or joy. When we submit to His plan, His purpose, His control, it is accompanied by perfect peace and joy that can’t be found in this life otherwise. Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love. Again, this verse begins with “perfect submission”. My guess was that Mrs. Crosby didn’t just run out of lines (She composed over 8,000 hymns in her life). She most likely wanted to drive the point home that without perfect submission, there can be little assurance. It is the work of God that saves us, and the work of God that keeps us. Relying on His work is paramount in finding happiness, rest, and this blessed assurance.  All Creatures of our God and King
w/m - St. Francis of Assisi All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice and with us sing O praise Him, Alleluia Thou burning sun with golden beam Thou silver moon with softer gleam O praise Him, O praise Him Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia Thou rushing wind that art so strong Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along O praise Him, Alleluia Thou rising morn in praise rejoice Ye lights of evening find a voice O praise Him, O praise Him Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia And all ye men of tender heart Forgiving others, take your part O sing ye, alleluia Ye who long pain and sorrow bear Praise God and on him cast your care O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Let all things their Creator bless And worship Him in humbleness O praise Him, Alleluia Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son And praise the Spirit, three in one O praise Him, O praise Him Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia As we continue our series of the favorite hymns ever sung by God’s church, this one is number 8. It was written in 1225 in Italy, and other than “Be thou My Vision” which was written in the 6th century, it is the oldest one in our list. You may ask how these songs have endured for so long, and that is because they were written by skilled musicians to be timeless. These melodies are instantly recognizable, easily teachable, and aren’t dated by the recording styles of the day. There is a place for songs that speak specifically to today, but there is also a place for songs that speak across generations. All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing, O praise Him, Alleluia. Throughout God’s Word, especially in the psalms, we see the call for all of creation to cry out in praise to the Lord (Psalm 96:11-12 is a good example). Now, we know that these creatures and created objects do not have a physical, literal voice. Nor do they have the will of man, but they do speak. “The heavens declare the glory of God”. All one needs to do is look at what God has made and, as they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” We can know that there is a Creator by what is created. Songwriters use “poetic license” the way God uses anthropomorphisms in Scripture. Often, as in this song, we will attribute human qualities to a created object, (the will, a voice) to sing praise to God. Thou burning sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam, O praise Him. God created the sun, moon, and the stars on the fourth day of creation. They give praise to God every time they appear in the sky and function exactly the way God intended. Thou rushing wind that art so strong, ye clouds that sail in Heaven along, O praise Him. Jesus said in John 3 that, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” The wind seems completely random, but there is nothing random with God. The wind blows exactly where it is intended to blow and the clouds move and give rain exactly where God means for them to. Thou rising morn in praise rejoice. Ye lights of evening find a voice. The very first day of creation, before anything else was made, God made day and night, evening and morning. From the beginning, this cycle has been constant (with the exception of one day during Joshua’s time). Again, it gives praise to the Creator when the creation does what it was created to do. And all ye men of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part. This third verse speaks now directly to us. We can’t rightfully praise and serve God, when we have an unforgiving attitude. Even when people have wronged us and treated us unfairly, it is our job to forgive. Then, regardless of their response, we can rightly join in true worship. Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, praise God and on him cast your care. There are always times of pain and hurt. The cares of this life will weigh us down. It is part of living among sinful people in a fallen world. But when we cast our care on Him, it frees us up to focus on the worship of the Almighty. Let all things their Creator bless and worship Him in humbleness. One of the Greek words translated “Worship” is proskuneo. It means to kneel or bow down. One who is humble is in the right position spiritually to worship. Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, three in one. One of the salvific doctrines that a true Christian must have right is a belief in the Triune God. All three persons of the Trinity deserve our praise and worship. We don’t need to, and can’t fully understand the concept of the Trinity, but as I’ve often quoted, “Define the Trinity and lose your mind… deny the Trinity and lose your soul.” The one God in three Persons deserves the eternal praise from all the creatures of our God and King. |
AuthorBill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for over 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD. His family tours and leads worship around the country. Bill and his family attend Belcroft Bible Church in Bowie, MD. This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry. 
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