Book Review: The Sing Hymnal

I did not grow up in a traditional church. I knew what hymnals were and over time, our church moved away from using a physical hymnal to just having the words of a song in our bulletin. The church I attended during my college years used a hymnal which I thought was strange, but I discovered a lot of my favorite worship songs were in the hymnal. 

Sadly, over the years, many churches have gone away from using a hymnal or hymns in general. There is a resurgence happening where more and more churches are using hymnals while at the same time, more modern hymnals are being written which infuses modern worship songs with hymns of long ago. The Sing Hymnal is now being added to the list of brand-new hymnals being published for the body of Christ to use in their corporate worship gatherings. 

This hymnal has a collection of modern worship songs mixed with songs that have been around for year. Some of the modern songs include ones written by Keith & Kristyn Getty, who were the main contributors to this hymnal, Matt Boswell, Sovereign Grace Music, and a couple of songs from Chris Tomlin. In case you were wondering, I did not see any song from Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation Worship bands. 

This hymnal also contains a collection of verses in the English Standard Version (ESV) and quotes from various Christian theologians. I will admit there are some in there that I would have left out, but that in itself should not take away from how good this hymnal was put together. 

Just like any other hymnals, there are different topics match with the appropriate song for that topic. I was surprised they had a section for the Psalms. However, this was my one big disappointment with this hymnal. While they had many songs based on the Psalms, they did not cover all 150 of them. Not sure why the Getty's omitted some of them, but I thought it was a real shame they did not include songs based on all of the Psalms. My hope is they will release a follow-up to this with a Sing Psalter similar to what The Master's Seminary did with their Hymns of Grace and produced their Psalms of Grace.

Overall, a well put together hymnal for the church to use not just corporately, but also in their homes whether in private worship or singing with friends and family. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

My Three Favorite Hymns

Recently, a question was asked on Twitter on what your three favorite hymns are. I answered that question without hesitation so I thought it would be good to share my three favorite hymns with you. 

First, "Holy, Holy, Holy." 

The next is "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name."

Finally, "Crown Him with Many Crowns."

Come to the Waters

Come to the waters, whoever is thirsty; drink from the Fountain that never runs dry. Jesus, the Living One, offers you mercy, life more abundant in boundless supply. 

Come to the River that flows through the city, forth from the throne of the Father and Son. Jesus the Savior says, "Come and drink deeply." Drink from the pure, inexhaustible One. 

Come to the Fountain without any money; buy what is given without any cost. Jesus, the gracious One, welcomes the weary; Jesus, the selfless One, died for the lost. 

Come to the Well of unmerited favor; stretch out your hand; fill your cup to the brim. Jesus is such a compassionate Savior. Draw from the grace that flows freely from Him. 

Come to the Savior, the God of salvation. God has provided an end to sin's strife. Why will you suffer the Law's condemnation? Take the free gift of the water of life. 

Adapted from Seven Churches, Four Horsemen, One Lord: Lessons from the Apocalypse by James Montgomery Boice

Music Monday: I Sing The Mighty Power of God by High Street Hymns

Music Monday: Hymn of the Saviour by Emu Music

Music Monday: The Church's One Foundation by Indelible Grace

Music Monday: Behold Your God Original Soundtrack by Jon Yarby

Music Monday: Quiet Hymns from Matthew Smith

Music Monday: Hymn Sing Tour, Volume 2 from The Journey Collective

Music Monday: Reformation Hymn from Sovereign Grace Music

Lyrics:

VERSE 1
Your Word alone is solid ground,
The mighty rock on which we build.
In every line the truth is found
And every page with glory filled.

VERSE 2
Through faith alone we come to You;
We have no merit we can claim.
Sure that Your promises are true;
We place our hope in Jesus’ name.

CHORUS
Gloria, gloria, glory to God alone
Gloria, gloria, glory to God alone

VERSE 3
In Christ alone we’re justified;
His righteousness is all our plea.
Your law’s demands are satisfied;
His perfect work has set us free.

VERSE 4
By grace alone we have been saved,
All that we are has come from You.
Hearts that were once by sin enslaved
Now by Your pow’r have been made new.

Additional final verse for Reformation Sunday:
And on this Reformation day
We join with saints of old to sing;
We lift our hearts as one in praise:
Glory to Christ our gracious King.

Music Monday: Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor by Matt Boswell and the Boyce College Choir

Lyrics:

(Verse 1)
Christ the sure and steady anchor, in the fury of the storm
When the winds of doubt blow through me and my sails have all been torn
In the suffering, in the sorrow, when my sinking hopes are few
I will hold fast to the anchor, it shall never be removed

(Verse 2)
Christ the sure and steady anchor, while the tempest rages on
When temptation claims the battle, and it seems the night has won
Deeper still then goes the anchor, though I justly stand accused
I will hold fast to the anchor, it shall never be removed

(Verse 3)
Christ the sure and steady anchor, through the floods of unbelief
Hopeless somehow, o my soul, now, lift your eyes to Calvary
This my ballast of assurance, see his love forever proved
I will hold fast to the anchor, it shall never be removed

(Verse 4)
Christ the sure and steady anchor, as we face the wave of death
When these trials give way to glory, as we draw our final breath
We will cross that great horizon, clouds behind and life secure
And the calm will be the better, for the storms that we endure

(Tag)
Christ the shore of our salvation, ever faithful ever true
We will hold fast to the anchor it shall never be removed

Music Monday: And Can It Be? by Enfield

Music Monday: Rise and Worship from Nathan Clark George

Music Monday: Thy Mercy My God by Sandra McCracken

Music Monday: Castle Island Hymns

Music Monday: I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

Justin Taylor shares the story behind this beloved Christmas Hymn:

In March of 1863, 18-year-old Charles Appleton Longfellow walked out of his family’s house on Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and—unbeknownst to his family—boarded a train bound for Washington, D.C., traveling over 400 miles across the eastern seaboard in order to join President Lincoln’s Union army to fight in the Civil War.

Charles (b. June 9, 1844) was the oldest of six children born to Fannie Elizabeth Appleton and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the celebrated literary critic and poet. Charles had five younger siblings: a brother (aged 17) and three sisters (ages 13, 10, 8—another one had died as an infant).

Less than two years earlier, Charles’s mother Fannie had tragically died after her dress caught on fire. Her husband, awoken from a nap, tried to extinguish the flames as best he could, first with a rug and then his own body, but she had already suffered severe burns. She died the next morning (July 10, 1861), and Henry Longfellow’s facial burns were severe enough that he was unable even to attend his own wife’s funeral. He would grow a beard to hide his burned face and at times feared that he would be sent to an asylum on account of his grief.

When Charley (as he was called) arrived in Washington D.C., he sought to enlist as a private with the 1st Massachusetts Artillery. Captain W. H. McCartney, commander of Battery A, wrote to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for written permission for Charley to become a soldier. HWL (as his son referred to him) granted the permission.

Longfellow later wrote to his friends Charles Sumner (senator from Massachusetts), John Andrew (governor of Massachusetts), and Edward Dalton (medical inspector of the Sixth Army Corps) to lobby for his son to become an officer. But Charley had already impressed his fellow soldiers and superiors with his skills, and on March 27, 1863, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, assigned to Company “G.”

After participating on the fringe of the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia (April 30-May 6, 1863), Charley fell ill with typhoid fever and was sent home to recover. He rejoined his unit on August 15, 1863, having missed the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863).

While dining at home on December 1, 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow received a telegram that his son had been severely wounded four days earlier. On November 27, 1863, while involved in a skirmish during a battle of of the Mine Run Campaign, Charley was shot through the left shoulder, with the bullet exiting under his right shoulder blade. It had traveled across his back and skimmed his spine. Charley avoided being paralyzed by less than an inch.

He was carried into New Hope Church (Orange County, Virginia) and then transported to the Rapidan River. Charley’s father and younger brother, Ernest, immediately set out for Washington, D.C., arriving on December 3. Charley arrived by train on December 5. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was alarmed when informed by the army surgeon that his son’s wound “was very serious” and that “paralysis might ensue.” Three surgeons gave a more favorable report that evening, suggesting a recovery that would require him to be “long in healing,” at least six months.

On Christmas day, 1863, Longfellow—a 57-year-old widowed father of six children, the oldest of which had been nearly paralyzed as his country fought a war against itself—wrote a poem seeking to capture the dynamic and dissonance in his own heart and the world he observes around him. He heard the Christmas bells that December day and the singing of “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14), but he observed the world of injustice and violence that seemed to mock the truthfulness of this optimistic outlook. The theme of listening recurred throughout the poem, eventually leading to a settledness of confident hope even in the midst of bleak despair.

My favorite version of the song comes from Casting Crowns. Here is a lyric video to the song with them singing it:

Around The Web-December 2, 2016

All ESV Bibles from Crossway are 50% off till the end of the year

5 Christian Clichés That Need to Die by Matt Smethurst

Why Don’t We See Miracles Like the Apostles Did? by Justin Holcomb

Let Us Repent of Our Nonchalance by Jared C Wilson

Hymns and the Sufficiency of Scripture by Ken Puls

Christmas Is Too Big for One Day by Andreas Köstenberger

Adam, Eve, the Gospel, and the Truthfulness of Scripture by Dave Jenkins

Stop Excommunicating Yourself from the Lord’s Supper by Josh Buice

Why we’re obsessed with the hit show ‘This is Us’ by Russell Moore

Recently, Jeff Medders began a new sermon series in the book of Hebrews at his church. Normally when a pastor begins a new book of the Bible, he gives a little introduction or preaches from the first couple of verse. Jeff decided to read the entire book to start off the series. So, pick up your Bible, turn to Hebrews, and read along with him.

Music Monday: He Will Hold Me Fast by Norton Hall Band

Hymns of Grace

A few weeks ago, I received from John MacArthur's ministry Grace To You a copy of a hymnal they have put together called Hymns of Grace. I have heard about this hymnal and was very curious as to what was it in. Hymnals have been known to have some good songs in it while having some songs that you would question the theology behind it.

Hymns of Grace has traditional songs and contemporary songs that you would not hear on Christian radio. What I love about this hymnal is that the songs are theological and beautifully written. The makers of this hymnal took the time to see if each song could be a song sung in a worship service. As I mentioned, there are traditional hymns such as "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Amazing Grace." There are also contemporary songs as well from Matt Boswell, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townsend, and Bob Kauflin, which he used to lead worship during this past year's Together for the Gospel conference.

One thing that most hymnals have is responsive reading which usually contains scripture. This hymnal is no exception. All the passages are from the English Standard Version, which MacArthur has stated is the best modern English translation of the Bible.

If you are considering a new hymnal for your church or even in your home, check out their website HymnsofGrace.com where you see the list of the songs, a sample of scripture reading, and where you can purchase a hymnal.

I have to say this is by far the best hymnal I have ever looked at. I highly recommend it whether for corporate worship, family worship, or even your own time of worship.

In this video, Ligon Duncan, Keith Getty, and Albert Mohler discuss Hymns of Grace:

Music Monday: Christ The Lord Is Risen Today by The Union of Sinners and Saints

What happens when you get John Schlitt of Petra and Billy Smiley of Whiteheart. You get a new The Union of Sinners and Saints. Here is there version of the classic hymn, "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today."