Music for the soul

How things have changed since I was a youngster born in 1950 as what they call a “baby boomer”, that lucky generation of children who came into a world that was slowly recovering from the devastating damage of the Second World War. Communities had been broken apart by loss and bereavement, towns and cities recovering slowly from the obliteration caused by years of bombing attacks, and loving families who’d become strangers after long periods apart were gradually picking up the pieces of their lives and futures. It was a time of pulling together and helping each other, both qualities that had been life-saving for communities during the war years – and that neighbourliness continued, as I remember well in our street in Plymouth where, in the school holidays, local kids of all ages played outside together knowing that all our mums were keeping an eye on us, and we could turn to any of them if we needed help.

And one of the strengths in communities up and down the country was our national faith, our Christian beliefs that were celebrated on Sundays by most families who enjoyed the fellowship of worshipping with their neighbours at their local church.  During the war years, particularly with the leadership of King George VI, praying individually and together in church was encouraged as a positive way in which we could ask for God’s blessing on everyone, from those fighting at the front, to those keeping the home fires burning. And like most families, a Christian way of life was always present in our home – with the saying of grace at the table before eating, reading a children’s Bible together, and saying prayers and singing a hymn before lights out at bedtime. And then, there was Sunday School, when I trotted off in my Sunday best to hear Bible stories, and sing children’s hymns, many of them with actions that I still remember to this day. But even for families who didn’t practise any faith at home, all children learned about the gospel and the stories of Jesus at school, where every day started with morning assembly at which we heard readings from the Bible, and sang together Christian hymns – like ’When A Knight Won His Spurs’, ‘Jesus Bids Us Shine’, ‘Jesus Friend Of Little Children’, ‘I Will Make You Fishers Of Men’, – and so many more with verses I can still quote verbatim all these years later. 

We don’t forget the hymns that are dear to us, and it’s that fondness and connection we feel for them that make hymns such a powerful and inspiring resource for us all. What’s certainly true is that, whenever the words were written, whether by a psalmist 3000 years ago or by a modern worship songwriter today, what links us to that writer is the human experience we all share as we cope with challenge, grief, uncertainty, pain, pride, hope and joy throughout our lives. When a writer feels the need to pray for guidance, comfort or forgiveness which they express in beautifully-crafted words that eventually are partnered with the perfect melody, they create a hymn that conveys profound thoughts in a way we could never easily express them ourselves. And those words stay with us, embedded in our hearts and memories. How many of us can remember every word of hymns we learned as a child – or, when we struggle to recall a particular line from the Bible, find that the same thought included in the verse of a dearly-loved hymn, pops into our minds, like prayers in our pockets that are always on hand to bring clarity and vision to our thoughts.

I often recall a famous story about the great reformer, Martin Luther who, more than 500 years ago, was ahead of his time in popularising congregational singing, when previously only choirs singing in Latin were allowed in church. He created a hymnbook of his own compositions – and one day in the pulpit, he held up the Bible, announcing that this was the Word of God. Then, in his other hand, he held up the hymnbook, saying, “And this is how we remember it.”  How true. We do remember hymns – and learn about the teaching of Jesus and the story of his life, death and resurrection through hymns that mark so many poignant occasions during our lives.

How often have we sung ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’, to the melody Crimond, at the emotional and unforgettable funerals of those we’ve loved and lost? Or have found ourselves singing the first verse of ‘Abide With Me’ at times of pain or worry? And there’s the “sailor’s hymn” ‘Eternal Father, Strong To Save’ that is regularly sung at Remembrance services because it’s been adopted down the years by all our armed forces, as well as being the constant prayer of any seafarer who heads out on the ocean for work or pleasure – or even for us as we  make our way through the choppy waters of the sea of life? I remember being very touched by a letter written by a young American soldier to Stuart Townend and Keith Getty when their worship song, ‘In Christ Alone’, became popular across the world. The soldier had written while serving during the Gulf War, when he was fearful and unable to keep his Bible with him – so he took a copy of the words of ‘In Christ Alone’ with him into action, because he felt that hymn encapsulated his complete belief and trust in Christ. He wrote, “We are losing soldiers here every day. The promise that I am His and knowing that He is mine brings Him incredibly close to me. As I drive with my M-16 pointed out the window and my 9mm pistol tucked in my flak jacket pocket, I can tell you that I feel more secure in claiming the promise ‘no power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand’ than I do with that rifle or pistol”.

And now, looking back over a lifetime of hymn-singing, I thank God for these wise, familiar musical friends who provide us with the right words of prayer, and hope in times of worry, loneliness or despair. It brings back the innocence of childhood to remember how we sang about “the animals going in two by two” – and warm memories of Christmas when, down the years,  we sang ‘Away In A Manger’ and ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ as the shape of our families changed, with beloved members passing on and new arrivals bringing fulfilment and joy. Hymns are a treasure trove in our lives – a true blessing from God’s heart to ours.

Pam Rhodes will be speaking on the power of hymns at our conference Evergreen on 23rd September. For more details and tickets, click here.