We sang that great and wonderful hymn this morning. After church I was speaking to one of my friends and he thanked me saying that he really liked that old hymn. Well, I really like it as well. As a worship leader I pick the songs that we will be singing each Sunday. Sometimes I pick songs that people like and I’m sure that sometimes I pick songs that people don’t like. (Although they will very seldom come up and tell me that they didn’t like a particular song) Picking songs is an interesting procedure. We usually sing 4 or 5 songs on a Sunday morning. My dilemma is how do you sing about an awesome God in so few songs? How do you celebrate just how magnificent God is in a half hour of corporate singing? He’s infinitely greater than any few songs we can string together. I’m sure we’d all admit to that. Then there’s the expectation of fast song or slow song, like God is waiting to tap His foot or close His eyes and ponder just how great He is. While we do the best we can to worship Him, all too often it becomes about us and our need to sing something familiar, something we hear on the radio. We can relate to the song that kept us calm on the freeway, patient in the parking lot, or brings back fond memories of camp. Even the old hymn can bring memories to some of a simpler time in church when we sang from those worn and tattered hymnals. No video projector, no smoke machines, no flashing lights and thunderous speaker systems. Ah the memories. But then when you actually see the words you’re singing when you stand before an awesome God and start to declare:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty
God in three Persons blessed trinity
Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee
Which wert, and art and evermore shalt be
Holy, holy, holy, Tho the darkness hide Thee
Tho the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love, and purity
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty
God in three persons blessed trinity
Something hits you. WOW! God is Holy! And He loves me!
Yeah, I like that old hymn too.
