Sing!

By Rev. Larry Peters

When I was confirmed, I and five others stood before the congregation to sing our “confirmation hymn”—a torture inflicted upon youth in our church for as long as I can remember. I thought I had it bad, but my dad, who was confirmed in the same congregation, had it worse.When practicing the hymn, the old German pastor stopped and singled out my dad:“Don’t sing,” he told him,“You sound like a sick cow!” As far as I know it was the last time my dad ever sang in church.

What a stupid thing for a pastor to say! It’s hard enough for teenagers to sing in church, much less sing alone in front of one that is packed with family and friends. After hearing dad’s story, I stood in church for months without opening my mouth. My mom would jab me in the ribs and I would move my lips, but this was my silent protest against hymns and singing.

I didn’t like most of the hymns and my dad’s experience made me bolder in my resistance. It was not that I didn’t like to sing—I did. I sang in the high school chorus and even sang solos in competition. But in church, I was going to keep my mouth shut.

That lasted until I went away to a synodical college. In chapel, I was surrounded by people my age and they were singing. It didn’t take long to grow a love for hymns and hymn singing. To this day, when I hear some of my favorite tunes from the hymnal, I can’t stop myself from singing the words. I am blown away by somebody who can write words like, “Thou camest to our hall of death, O Christ, to breathe our poisoned air, To drink for us the dark despair That strangled our reluctant breath...” (LSB 834), or “He sighs, He dies, He takes my sin and wretchedness. He lives, forgives, He gives me His own righteousness...” (LSB 547).

But I know that lots of folks can’t sing. My mom doesn’t have a musical bone in her body—she loves to listen but don’t ask her to sing. I know a woman with vocal issues; though she wants to sing with all her heart, her voice won’t let her. I see a boy in the pews whose asthma means every breath can be a struggle; singing is just not something he can do. Then there are those who could sing (and do sing in the shower or the car), but not in church. During worship they stand like logs—stiff with no lips and no voice. So what about these folks who can’t or won’t sing?

First of all, the hymns we sing are not merely songs for our appreciation. Because they sing the story of Jesus and speak His Word, they are more than music. The Word in them is a means of grace. Hymns tell the story of Jesus, speak the Word of God, and direct our response in faith. So singing or not singing isn’t about aesthetics, but about confessing our faith, demonstrating the unity of faith among the singers, and glorifying God. Take the time to read what you are singing. Sometimes we forget to do that (especially when the melody is new or challenging). Hymns are like sermons that speak to us about what God has done. I must confess I can’t recall many lines from sermons, but my mind is filled with phrases from the hymns we have sung and still sing.

If you can’t sing or choose not to sing, don’t just stand there. Open your hymnal, place your eyes upon the text, move your lips, and sing in your heart and mind. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly through the great hymns of the faith.Whether you sing in your heart or out loud, let the Word fill your ears and strengthen your faith. Be part of the community, singing the heritage of faith passed on to us in these great hymns of old and adding to what we have received, with the best of the new we have to offer.

Remember the psalm that says “Make a joyful noise to the Lord...” I don’t think the Psalmist had in mind the sound of a noisy gong or crashing cymbal (1 Corinthians 12), but the best we have—the joyful noise of people singing their best in praise to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If the most you can do is to move your lips and sing with your heart, then at least do that.

Besides the words, there’s the music. Some of the melodies are challenging. So are the pop tunes we listen to. They become familiar to us because we listen to them often. The more we are exposed to them, the easier they are to sing. The more we sing them, the easier it is to focus on the words. Now I grant that not every organist or accompanist is equal. Some are more gifted than others. Sometimes we struggle through and are relieved when it ends. But next time we will do better.

Give this singing thing a shot... Pay attention to the words...Try to learn some of the melodies... I'll bet that long after church is over, they will stick with you.When the texts and tunes become a part of you, they will teach, inspire, and encourage you all of your life.

Rev. Larry Peters serves at Grace Lutheran Church in Clarksville,Tennessee. He can be reached at glcpastor@charterinternet.com