A New Hymn Book!

I am musing about something... 

Our church has a new hymn book!

And it is exciting!

We are still keeping our old ones, just adding a new one into our worship options!

Some of us got together the other night to practice. It was fun! We sang. We laughed. We messed up. We tried again. We harmonized. We got it. Sometimes we didn't. But the more we practiced, the more it all came together and it gave us joy! The songs were reverant. They inspired worship.

It is my prayer that this new songbook will be a great blessing. That the worship it moves us toward  will be rich. That the words of the new hymns will speak to many hearts. That the times of fellowship and praise experienced as this book is held, will be many!

I love that there is a wide gamut of hymns; new and old. Some of the songs date back to the 17 and 1800's! I noticed that one melody was from 1566! Isn't that amazing? Just consider how many voices through the generations have lifted songs of praise to our God using these same lyrics and melodies! 

We are thankful for the Hymn books we have loved and grown up with, the ones that have been a part of our congregations for so many years. They are not going away. This new hymnal actually has some of those traditional hymns interspersed amongst its pages.

I personally, love most of the new songs! So many beautiful melodies! So enjoyable to sing! Some are familiar, some are not. Many, our kid's ages, are excited and eagerly awaiting getting the book as some of the songs hold special memories from their young group and college days. As their parents, many of us also came to enjoy these songs featuring bonding, melodic harmonies, songs that pointed to Jesus. Then there are honestly some songs that will just take some getting used to. Take some practice and repetition. In my mind, there are a few that take an unexpected  twist, maybe dropping down several notes when I expected it to go up for example. But what do I know, right?

The really special thing is, the more I hear them, the more I sing them, the more I play them, the more I am coming to love them. They are "getting into my head". There is just something about familiarity. 

And wouldn't you agree that as these lyrics start to speak into our own individual lives and help us as we navigate life's ups and downs, that they will take on special meaning and "get into our hearts"?

Someday, all nations and peoples will be singing hymns together that will span eternity. Likely old songs and new songs. Just consider all the beautiful new songs we will come to know as we have eternity to praise our risen King! With glorious harmonies never before attained and octaves never before reached. 

So, happy singing dear ones. May the Lord help all of us, no matter which church we attend, with our learning curve, as new songs and hymns of praise are introduced. Every song here on Earth was new at one time, songs that eventually have become part of our cherished repertoires of praise!

Let's pray that present and future generations will be blessed by the hours of prayer and effort that went into compiling this new hymnal That it would be a vessel through which a multitude of voices will be raised in loving and authentic praise and worship to our deserving, Holy God!

Thanks for musing along as we gave some consideration into the exciting gift the Lord has provided, for His glory...

A new hymn book!

"O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day."    Psalm 96:1-2

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritural songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."  Ephesians 5:19