A few months ago, I had a post about some of the problems with modern worship music. You can find that post here. As I said in that post, I don’t think all modern Christian music is bad, or that the fact that it’s modern makes it bad. There are just some particular trends in modern music that are not glorifying to God.
While I do enjoy some modern Christian music, I do love old hymns! They are so rich in theology and praise and there is so much history behind them! I don’t know as many hymns as I would like, but I’m planning on learning more! Here are a few of my favorites and the stories behind them:
How Great Thou Art (Carl Bobert, 1885, translated and expanded by Stuart H. Hine)
Carl Boberg, a Swedish minister, wrote a version of the first verse of How Great Thou Art as a poem in 1885. He published it and nearly forgot about it. Some time later, it was sung, but it was never well known in its original form. Years later, Stuart Hine, an English missionary in Russia, heard the poem. It moved him greatly and he translated and expanded the words. The verses we know today are based off of seeing God’s greatness during his missionary work in the Carpathian mountains.1
This is probably my all time favorite hymn. I love the emphasis on God’s greatness in all things, especially creation and redemption. It is a beautifully written reminder that we should meditate on God’s greatness and His wonderful works. When we do, our souls “scarce can take it in”!
Be Thou My Vision (Ancient Irish hymn, c. 700 AD, translated by Mary E Byrne, versed by Eleanor H Hull)
This may be the oldest Christian song outside of Scripture we still have today! It was written in Ireland as a poem by an unknown author a couple hundred years after Saint Patrick’s influence. in 1905 Mary Byrne translated the poem into English and Eleanor Hull added rhyme and meter. It was then set to an Irish folk melody.1
It is pretty amazing that we can praise God with the same song that Christians over a thousand years ago across the ocean did! The emphasis on this song is how God should always be first on our mind and heart and He is the one we should constantly be seeking after. In the fourth verse, one line is sometimes sung as “riches I need not nor man’s empty praise” but the original says “heed not.” Not only should we not need worldly riches or the praise of others, we should not even pay attention to it at all! Why? Because God alone is our vision, best thought, and treasure.
Many people are unfamiliar with all five verses. The 3rd verse is left out of a lot of versions of the song. It goes: “Be thou my battle shield, sword for the fight. Be thou my armor and be thou my light. Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tower. Raise thou me heavenward, oh power of my power.”
It is Well With My Soul (Horatio G Spafford, 1873)
In 1871, Horatio Spafford lost a fortune during the Chicago fire. In that same year, his four-year-old son died of scarlet fever. Two years later, Spafford was to go to Europe with his wife and four daughters. In a change of plans, he stayed in New York a little longer, but sent his wife and daughters ahead of him. Their ship collided with another and 226 out of 273 passengers drowned. Among those were the four Spafford girls. Horatio immediately booked passage to join his heartbroken wife. On the way, the captain of the ship pulled him aside to tell him that they were passing over the place where the ship had sunk. Spafford went back to his cabin and prayed, “It is well; the will of God be done.” From this prayer came the hymn It is Well With My Soul. 1
“When sorrows like sea billows roll” were not randomly chosen lyrics. This is no cheesy “I feel fine about everything” song. This song shows that even when our whole family dies, even when Satan tempts us to despair, even when everything seems to be crashing down around us, “whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say it is well with my soul.”
Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779)
This is probably the most famous hymn in America, and it is over 250 years old! John Newton’s mother was a strong believer, but she died when Newton was 7, leaving him without Christian influence. His father was a slave trader, and Newton followed in his footsteps. He sailed the African coast capturing and selling slaves. As the years passed, Newton fell deeper and deeper into sin and into troubles of his own making. In 1748, the ship Newton was a sailor on encountered a terrible storm. They didn’t know if they would make it out alive, and Newton cried out to God to save them.1 After that storm, Newton stopped slave trading, though it was still some time before he reformed all his ways. However, because of God’s Amazing Grace, Newton became a minister and an active voice against slavery. 2
As someone who had committed horrible crimes, Newton understood grace! Jesus said, that the one who has the greater debt canceled (the more sins forgiven) will love God more than the person who has lived a “good” life. (Luke 7:41-47) All of us, not just those who we would consider the “worst” are only saved because of grace! “Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” There are at least 7 verses and they are all glorious!
Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber, 1826)
Reginald Heber was a poet and hymn writer all his life, but circumstances prevented him from publishing many of his works. He wrote 57 hymns that were used at his church. After his death, his wife published all 57 of these hymns. Holy, Holy, Holy was one of them.1 It was written in honor of Trinity Sunday (8 Sundays after Easter).3 May it remind us of the Holiness of the Triune God!
All of the verses of Holy Holy Holy remind us of God’s most prominent characteristic: His Holiness. The angels around the throne of God do not say “love love love” or “just just just” or even “grace grace grace” but rather “Holy, Holy, Holy.” May we proclaim God’s holiness with them!
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1758)
Robert Robinson’s father died when he was young, and in his youth he got into drinking and gang life. After listening to a fortune teller, he was disturbed and decided to go to a George Whitefield meeting. The preacher’s words about coming judgement for sinners haunted him for three years, until he finally gave his life to Christ. Robinson later became a preacher and he wrote a hymn to go with his sermon on Pentecost Sunday, called Come thou Fount. It was a prayer for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with mercy and faithfulness.1
This song is so full, but I love the line that says “let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to thee.” We don’t really use the word “fetter” much anymore, and so often we sing hymns without understanding the meaning. A fetter is a chain. We are so sinful and so wayward and “prone to wander” that we should pray that God will chain our hearts to him, and we can be thankful that He will never let us go.
What are your favorite traditional hymns? Let me know your answers in the comments!
“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!” Psalm 150:6
References:
- Robert J Morgan. Then Sings my Soul. 2011. Nashville TN. W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.
- Abby Forton. 2022. Hymnology: The Story Behind Amazing Grace. Geneva College. Retrieved on Aug 22, 2023 from https://www.geneva.edu/blog/uncategorized/hymnology-amazing-grace
- Center for Church Music Songs and Hymns. Find Songs and Hymns: Holy, Holy, Holy. retrieved on Aug 22, 2023 from https://songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/holy-holy-holy