Lutherans and Music in Worship
I cannot imagine worship without music, can you? The richness and message of the hymns we sing add warmth and meaning to the service, in a variety of ways. The opening hymn serves to welcome us into the time of praising God. The hymn of praise allows us to exalt the name of God as has been done for thousands of years, allowing all to participate and share their adoration. We sing a hymn of the day that typically adds to the “artwork” of the service, by reflecting the meaning of the message shared by the pastor and expanding the theme of the service. Other hymns are a part of the liturgy, through the offertory sung after the offering is collected, through communion songs to expand the sharing the Eucharist, and then the service typically ends with a sending or closing hymn, that serves to bless us on our way into the world as Christ’s servants.
In Lutheran traditions, the significance of music and singing goes back to the time of Martin Luther being a pastor. His belief was that music was something given by God, and so he made music part of the liturgy and part of the regular worship that the congregation would partake in. He wrote chorales and hymns, along with seeking out other hymns to be taught and shared by all gathered. He believed that “music is the greatest treasure in the world, after the Word of God!”
I frequently get asked why Lutherans have hymnals and sing hymns that a different than the contemporary songs they often hear or sing in other churches. I will be the first to tell you that I am not musically inclined, but I love music. But people are correct, the majority of what we sing in worship are classed as hymns. So what is the difference?
I recently read an article from an author who only identifies herself as Shannon, but here are her thoughts on this question…
The differences between hymns are that hymns follow a structure much like poetry. Most are designed to be sung with four-part harmony, so they may be used for larger group singing with a structure that allows people to read the score. The foundation of most hymns is congregational singing. Contemporary worship songs tend to be instrumentally driven and are written for solo or small group performance. You may have noticed that many of the “contemporary” songs begin from a performer’s presentation and then are adapted for worship by a worship team or band.
Most hymns are written in what is called “strophic” form, or with verses sung to the same meter or musical tune. Sometimes they will have verses and choruses. A contemporary song often features stanzas combined with other bridges refrains or musical forms.
Hymns, because they are generally written for group singing, can be adapted to be sung within the range of the group. The ranges of most contemporary songs are first written for the performance of a particular artist, so require more adjustments for group singing.
If you stop and think of a hymn you know and appreciate, you will note that a hymn generally shares a specific truth of the faith that it is written to. Amazing Grace is a great example, sharing the grace of God in a variety of expressions. Hymns in a Lutheran Hymnal, as an example, will generally reflect the theology of God’s relationship with humanity.
A contemporary song tends to be more repetitive, often focussed on a theme tagline or phrase that is the focus. Often the focus is on a personal relationship or experience with God. Thus, the theology is more of a personal reflection, than the deeper understandings of a tradition.
Both forms of church music have a place. As we craft our worship, we seek to have music that is true to our traditions and hold the message of the scriptures within. Many of our Lutheran Churches are developing a more contemporary form of music, including worship bands and different styles of sharing the gifts of music, which our members bring. However, remains important to hold to some of the message and depth of those age-old hymns, written to allow people to grow in faith and understanding through learning and singing the songs.
I briefly want to explore the five powerful reasons why we use music and singing in our worship.
A. We use music to glorify God.
When you stop and think about it, almost all key events in our lives have some musical tradition. From Christmas to Easter, Weddings to Funerals, there are songs that come to mind. As we raise our voices in song, we are expressing our great love of our God for his presence and action in our lives. Think of what your favorite hymn is, and why you like it. I would expect that in some way it reminds you of something that you appreciate about the love of God in your life.
B. When we sing, we are planting roots of our faith into our hearts.
Have you ever had a song that gets stuck in your mind, that you just cannot stop humming, or singing? The words become like a seed that grows within us. It may impact us even more than we recognize, as those words come back to us when we are under stress or are gathered to rejoice. How often we sing Amazing Grace at a funeral, or perhaps even play it on the bagpipes and reflect on the grace of God that allows us to come into his Kingdom by his deep love for us. Or we baptize a child and sing “Children of the Heavenly Father”. What beautiful vines grow from the seeds of those hymns.
C. We are strengthened when we sing.
Singing not only blesses us when we celebrate, but it also serves to bring comfort and strength in times of hardship or stress. The most familiar “Luther Hymn” for us is likely “A Mighty Fortress” written by Martin Luther. As we sing it, a sense of strength and hope comes to us. We are surrounded and protected by the presence of our God. In Acts 16:25 it says, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and prisoners were listening to them.” What a witness to the comfort found in singing. Singing brought the presence and reassurance of Christ into even a place of such despair and captivity. And it has the power to do the same for us.
D. Singing gives God’s people a sense of joy and hope.
If you have ever been to an old-fashioned hymn sing, or a carol sing a long at church, you will understand how true this is. At Lord of All, when we have our annual “Pick your Favorite Carol” Sunday on the first Sunday after Christmas, there are always more carols than we have space in the service for, and so we find ways to creatively include more. The smiles on people’s faces as we sing their favorites and are reminded of the blessings of the service, it is wonderful to see.
E. The songs we sing help us to remember scriptures and the promises of our God.
Many of the hymns we sing hold specific passages of scripture within their lyrics. A classic well-known example is the hymn “The Lord’s My Shepherd”. A complete echo of the words of Psalm 23. It is a form that can teach all of us, from the very young to the very aged, scripture. In our singing, we create a lasting memory of words that can encourage us in our lives. How often I will sing “Jesus Loves Me” as I sit with someone of any age, who’s life is drawing to a close. And they will often join in and sing softly along with me. The seeds grow in amazing ways!
If we consider Luther’s own attachment and love of music, it becomes clear why it is a central part of what we share in our worship. His own words are this… “For God has cheered our hearts and minds through His dear Son, whom He gave for us to redeem us from sin, death, and the devil. He who believes this earnestly cannot be quiet about it. But he must gladly and willingly sing and speak about it so that others also may come and hear it. (Luther Works 53:333)
Keeping that in mind, may we continue to sing out boldly and joyfully, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in our worship, in word, but also, very much in song. Thanks be to God… AMEN
Pastor Dawn
