I feel the need to pay tribute to our Psalms today - they’re found in our hymnbooks. They are quoted by prophets, given holiness as scripture. We hold our hymnbooks along with our other scriptures, we turn to them frequently. Perhaps we remember their words better, set to music.
Psalms were anciently sung in settings of most profound worship, in temple rituals, family prayer, in times of rejoicing. Like our hymns today.
What are your favorite hymns? Amazing Grace. The Spirit of God. How Great Thou Art. O, My Father. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. His Eye is on the Sparrow. Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling. The Old Rugged Cross. Come, Lord Jesus. I Will Walk with Jesus. Gethsemane.
As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been compiling hymns for their new hymnbook, we’ve been delighted to follow their release. [You can follow on the Church’s website https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/music, or on their Gospel Library App [free of charge], Music, Hymns for Home and Church. You’ll find other great music and recordings also, full KJV scriptures and so much more, so take advantage of it all.]
Often when we sing a hymn we ask each other if we think it will make the cut into the new hymnbook. Face it, some resonate better than others today. When a new batch of hymns have been released we’re excited to find favorites commonly sung in other denominations have been added. Hallelujah! We love these in our weekly non-denominational worship. We’re also finding new treasures that we quickly include in our favorites.
Recordings by Carrie Underwood, CeCe Winans, Alan Jackson, The Bonner Family, Home Free, and so many others - find your favorite recordings. My selections here are simply a representation of how we enjoy our hymns.
To be interpreted into our unique style.
Amazing Grace #HallwaySessions - Kings Return
Joining our praise as a congregation .
How Great Thou Art - Winchester Cathedral [mkariobangi]
A choir anthem.
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing - The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
‘I Am a Child of God’. The song we keep coming back to. The affirmation of who we truly are. Some find pain in its words, not finding parents kind and dear in their earthly home. I was reminded this week that we all have someone kind and dear in our lives that look out for us. Look for them. Give thanks for them. Give thanks to heavenly parents kind and dear. Not to forget that our earthly parents are a child of God, too. Do they know that?
I Am a Child of God - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
So, here’s a very small sampling of favorites, most I’ve already shared. Do searches to find yours. I’d love to hear them.