How far do you trust a hymn text?
A Christian raises his Bible and says, "This is the Word of God and I trust every word in it." Then he thumps his hymnal and says, "This is the next best thing to the Bible. There’s not a bad hymn in this book."
This makes me nervous. While we can (and should) trust God’s Word, we must still exercise discernment—both spiritual and mental—toward the Bible, to make sure we understand its truth in context. Similarly, while it is Scriptural to sing hymns,
“Not all hymnody is great hymnody. … Even the best hymnals include a few pieces of questionable value to appease certain members of the editorial committee or to make the book more marketable. In other words, even though one may discover a song in a reputable hymnal, it does not necessarily follow that the song itself will be great or that it will even be a hymn” (Paul S. Jones, Singing and Making Music, p. 110, P&R, 2006).
Biblical discernment and sometimes just plain common sense, instructed by the Holy Spirit, are necessary ingredients for Christian Bible study and worship.
Hymns, Poetic License, & Higher Criticism
How much “poetic license” is acceptable in a hymn text? Is it okay to embellish Scripture for the sake of creating larger, more vivid word pictures?My friend used to chide me for fussing over things that are “not salvation issues.” (Hymns being one of those things.) She always saw the big picture, black and white. I, on the other hand, see little things that if left unchecked can result, over time, in major personal compromise and fission in the Body of Christ.
We balanced each other well, that friend and I.
I do try to look at the big picture of a hymn before criticizing the odd phrase or two. This gives me time to understand an author’s beliefs and intention before passing judgment on the doctrinal content. I examine hymn texts on four levels:
Theme: As with any writing, one phrase or verse of a hymn is not an island unto itself. I may need to read ALL the verses of a hymn to appreciate one phrase. For example, the first verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (Martin Luther) ends with a rather depressing thought, “On earth is not his [our ancient foe’s] equal.” But the hymn in its entirety tells the story of our Lord’s triumphant victory to a climax of everlasting joy. (It gives me chills every time.)
Context: Some hymns were written for a specific context and may rely on outdated presuppositions (e.g., social influences of the time). Taken out of its original context, a hymn may easily be misunderstood. Hymn histories and biographies are an excellent (and enjoyable) means to help me understand original context and the philosophies of past generations. Published sermons, if available, can also be helpful.
Meaning: The English language is fluid. Word meanings constantly expand and change due to shifting cultural influences. Sometimes I may need a contemporary (i.e., old) dictionary or Bible version to understand what a hymn writer meant by what he wrote years ago.
Wording: I get caught up in wording, rejoicing at a cleverly turned phrase or mocking overblown professional jargon. But I’m not a great poet, nor do I have a burning passion for poetry (well, except for limericks and parodies). Reading hymns and poetry helps me learn to endure accept and appreciate more flowery phraseology than I would use myself. Forsooth.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
A good hymn text will be Biblical: it will communicate truth from the Bible, and its ideas and expression will be in accordance with the Bible. This definition is two-fold:- It will communicate truth from the Bible. Although it may not directly quote the Bible, every hymn should have a clear Biblical reality. It should be about God, revealing truth about His character and recalling His mighty acts in heaven and earth.
- Its ideas and expression will be in accordance with the Bible. A hymn text should assume the Biblical tone toward a holy God and spiritual truth. In speaking of the Lord’s worth and works, His attributes and acts, even a joyful hymn should have a certain weight and discretion (as opposed to lightness and sentimentality).
Not All Who Say, “Lord, Lord”
Many hymns want to praise God. They express this desire then neatly walk all around the subject while revealing a self-absorbed worldview. Their themes may be Biblical but have a skewed perspective; for example, rejoicing in man’s redemption rather than in the Redeemer. This subtlety may not seem important enough to observe or correct, but it can have a subliminal effect on church theology (“me-ology”).
Almost Persuaded
Some nice sounding religious “hymns” actually have little or no Biblical authority whatsoever. These flourished after Darwin published his book on evolution. Social reform was huge and poets urged people to humane efforts to help and protect creation. God was seen as the indulgent Father of all mankind and Christ our Brother was a good man and a great philosopher. (*See note below.) Such humanistic theology infiltrated the church and slowly undermined a proper reverence toward the things of God.[*Note: I am not denying that God is our Father or that Christ Himself called us His brethren. (See Malachi 2:10; Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:15, 29.) But the benefits of these relationships are exclusively for humble believers, not for the human race at large—although all are called to repent and be adopted.]
The Voice of Praise
But—thanks be to God!—many godly hymns beautifully communicate a Biblical worldview: a holy God, the natural depravity of unregenerate mankind, and the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ. These hymns reveal the genuine worship of a believer and the humility that comes from knowing the Creator Who made us. They strengthen us in our faith and in the knowledge of God and His Word.Finally, while we can and should learn doctrine from hymns, we should not build our theology upon hymn texts alone. We must bring all our thoughts to the Word of God, our sole authority for Christian faith and practice, and pray for wisdom to discern what is true.
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How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
(“K” in John Rippon's A Selection of Hymns, 1787)
