Worship in Hymns

WORSHIP IN HYMNS 
By Robert Inman Johnson

This essay first appeared in The Tie, a monthly publication of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1948. The Seminary’s professor of Music, R. Inman Johnson, wrote “Worship In Hymns.”. I have not seen the original, but have taken this digested version from The Word and Work, April 1948, Volume XLII, pp. 88-90. Posting this is not an endorsement of everything Johnson writes in the essay. Nevertheless, he makes some good points, and I think you will find it an interesting representation of music and hymnology taught by Southern Baptists in the mid-20th century. Everything below is by R. Inman Johnson.

Hymns have been said to be directed toward God, toward the Christian (including ourselves), or toward the sinner. To God we sing our praise and thanksgiving and pour out our songs of aspiration, petition, and promise of faithfulness. For the Christian we sing songs of encouragement and lift each other in prayerful tones to God. To the sinner we show our love for God, His love for the sinner, and plead for the sinner’s acceptance of this love. These are high and holy ideals. Hence, we should give attention to the singing part of the service. 

We do not undertake to define “worship service” beyond saying it should result in an awareness of our relationship to God and His purpose for our lives. True it is that God may be met anywhere, in the sanctuary, in the street, or in the field. We may worship alone or as a component part of a congregation. To be a member of a congregation which gives itself to intense worship is a thrilling experience. We go away saying that God has been with us. 

Corporate worship must be directed through man by the Holy Spirit. There must be both preparation and correct performance. A real worship period does not just happen. We need to know how to prepare a service and the people need instruction in their responsibilities. The fact is, the preachers have not taught the people how to worship. Surely it is worthwhile, for only true worship promotes real spiritual growth. 

In choosing hymns for a service, we need to know the contents of the hymnal as related to the needs of the people. And, they should be chosen for a definite purpose, with some relationship of ideas. This idea may correspond with the ideas in the sermon or it may not. Certainly it should not be foreign or antagonistic to the sermon. Seldom do I know the sermon subject beforehand and I am often amazed at the fitness of my selections. If you ask, the Holy Spirit will help you choose the hymns. In evangelistic meetings, I usually wait to choose the invitation hymn until I see where the sermon is headed. 

In preparing ourselves to sing we need to remember that most good hymns represent a spiritual experience in the life of the writer. By our singing we make this experience our own. We should thrill with the idea that thousands of saints before us have sung the text and thousands will sing it after us. Thus we are members of one great choir which one day shall be gathered before the throne of God to sing eternal hallelujahs. What a privilege to join that choir of heavenly witnesses. 

If, then, in corporate singing we share the spiritual life of others, we should see to it that we grow in grace through a wide variety of experience. Often we fail here because we want good singing; hence, we choose over and over a few hymns the people sing well. New hymns and tunes should be introduced to deepen our Christian experience. 

For instance, in 58 chapel services and broadcasts we have sung 157 different hymns. This is a large number when compared with the average church repertoire. I have a typewritten copy of the index of the hymnal. When a hymn is selected, the date is written after it on this copy. Thus, too frequent repetition is prevented. In the limited church program, a hymn should not appear more than once per month. 

Many ideas may be followed in selecting hymns. Usually, when three hymns are used before the sermon, the first is a strong hymn of praise. The second spot may be used to introduce new or less familiar texts and tunes. Also, I like here the short hymns of definite worship value set to such tunes as Manoah, Bera, Belmont, St. Agnes, etc. They have both beauty and strength. The third hymn may be more subjective with a sense of individual devotion, consecration or aspiration. It should be thoroughly familiar. The fine gospel hymns are well placed here. 

Remember also that these three hymns should vary in key signature, mood and pace. It is tiring to sing consecutive songs in the same key and at the same rate of speed. Start with a good tempo, the next may be slower. The mood may change from objective praise to subjective examination of our own hearts. For instance, using the idea of serving Christ: 1. We praise Him with “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” 2. In a slower tempo and quite different quality of tone, we consider our relation to Him in “Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone.” 3. In a stronger rhythm we make our promise in “O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end.” 

The manner of our singing has much to do with its effectiveness for ourselves and for others. Ineffective singing is by no means confined to the small rural church but is to be found in all classes of churches. It most often is the result of a lack of understanding on the part of the people of the worship value of hymns. God desires our hearts and minds, not merely the sacrifice of attendance on His services. Many of us go to church merely to hear the sermon, having no interest in the praise service. Many are too tired physically and mentally to sing, not realizing that a thrilling spiritual experience by means of a great hymn will completely remove this burden of fatigue. Our poor singing may be due sometimes to the hymns themselves, which may depict experiences quite foreign to our own and which, furthermore, give a situation in which we cannot conceive ourselves. Hence, congregational hymns should contain universal experiences, those to which we are all subject. This is true of the hymns which survive the test of years. A song which is local or limited in subject matter to a small group may be popular for a time but not for long. 

Again, poor singing may result from a poor fit of hymn and tune. A joyful hymn set to a doleful tune loses much of its worth for us. Likewise, a superficial tune may destroy the value of a noble hymn. 

…Many other things may enter to cause poor singing, such as acoustics, temperature, stuffy atmosphere, etc. I am convinced that the most intelligent congregational singing requires a director or precentor. By this I mean a person who can direct the people in their worship in song… 

Effective singing, solo or group, takes cognizance of the fact that music rises in intensity to a climax somewhere in the composition. All good hymn tunes progress in some way from the first chord to a climax. The hymn itself also reaches a point where emotion is most intense. Ideally these points in text and tune should coincide. This climax may result in more volume or in more intensity at the same level of volume. Certainly it should keenly intensify the meaning of the text in our consciousness. For after all, the text is the hymn. The tune makes easier and more emphatic the entry of its meaning into our hearts. 

It is the director’s problem to interpret text and tune for the congregation. One chief method is a change in dynamics from loud to soft or vice versa. Frequently we hear a leader say, “Sing the second verse softly.” Few stanzas call for quiet singing throughout at the same level. They demand a change of dynamics within themselves. This calls for controlled directing, not just “time-beating.” 

A good example may be found in the hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” to the tune, Martyn. Beginning from the first stanza, quietly increase the volume and intensity until the words, “Guide me, O my Savior hide,” are poured out with all of our being. Diminish from “Safe into the haven, guide” to the end. The tune is well-suited to the stanzas. … There is no place here for lifeless singing. Let us by no means, though, confuse loud singing with intensified singing. Quiet singing with awareness of our purpose can be beautiful and thrilling. 

The goal of congregational singing is the participation of every individual present, suitable hymns varied in mood and tempo, a variation inside the hymn itself, and often a variation inside the stanzas. This demands a competent director and a responsive audience. 

Good “church music” may not always be good music, for the purpose of church music is spiritual growth. This then, which may also be said of preaching, is my answer: “Good church music is that music which in a given situation intensifies and promotes spiritual growth.” 

“In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise.”— Heb. 2:12.