Oh Lord my God, when I, in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!1
My grandparents attended the smallest of small Baptist churches in the middle of nowhere Florida. My fondest memories were watching Granddaddy study for his Sunday School lesson on their front porch, listening to Grandma’s boom box playing piano hymns, walking to church while holding Granddaddy’s hand, and watching as the choir (six to seven members at most) filed into the choir loft from the pastor’s study. They weren’t the best choir, but they always sang my favorite hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” on what seemed like every Sunday I was in attendance. I always wanted to be part of that choir. Always.
It wasn’t until I was a grown woman that I finally took the plunge and joined our church’s choir. And let me tell you: it’s the best thing I’ve ever done (besides giving my heart to God)! God called me to sing, and my life changed forever. During this time, I’ve learned many things about worship, choirs, praise bands, songwriting, and more, but here’s what I’ve learned about why we sing songs in church.
1. God commands us to sing.
In Ephesians 5:19, Paul gave a direct command to the church: “[speak] to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.” When we worship by singing, God speaks to us. This is just one of the many ways God initiates a relationship with us. When I’m singing, I feel closer to Him. He’s bringing my heart, mind, and soul to Him, helping us fulfill Matthew 22:37-38: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.” When we are fully engaged in worship, we are fully engaged with God Himself.
2. Sometimes words fail us.
How many times have you wanted to pray, but you didn’t know what to pray or even how to pray? There are days when words alone fail us. And yes, God already knows what is on our hearts, but again, He wants a relationship with us. So, when words fail, sing! There are many times when I find myself praying by singing to God (much to my neighbor’s chagrin). Some days it’s praising Him by singing, “Oh Lord my God, when I, in awesome wonder …”2 Other days it’s calling out His name for help: “I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee …”3 And other days, it’s remembering He is all I need, “Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper …”4 Singing songs filled with truth to our God is sometimes what our hearts and minds want to say but simply can’t. And that’s OK. We are simply singing to Him instead of talking to Him.
3. We are disciple-makers.
Disciple-making begins in the home. Yes, there are many ways to disciple our children—from Life Groups and VBS to in-home devotions and prayer times—but singing can be done anywhere at any time. When we sing, our children sing. They watch us. I truly believe that when they see us worshiping, it sets a foundation within them. The songs, “Jesus Loves Me,” “Father Abraham,” and “The B-I-B-L-E” were on repeat in our car and house. The VBS CDs lived on until our car didn’t have a CD player anymore. When I sang in church, they began singing the songs we were singing. It’s a joy to look at my boys, now grown, and see them singing the songs that will live in their hearts forever—the same way “How Great Thou Art” and many more live in mine.
When it comes to singing songs in church, God does not care if we can carry a tune or not. He just wants a relationship with us. Whether it’s through His Word, through people, or through song, He finds a way to get to us, but singing songs at church seems like a really great way to get to know Him. On the day when we’re called home, let’s bow in adoration knowing that we proclaimed, “My God, how great thou art.”
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation,
To take me home, what joy will fill my heart!
Then I will bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!5
Because she joined the choir at her church, Chasity now works for Lifeway Worship. By day, she’s a marketing manager enjoying her dream job. By night, she’s a baseball momma of two teenage boys (Peyton and Palmer), happy wife to a recovering Little League coach (Brent), and dog momma to a golden retriever (sweet Summer girl) who happens to be her favorite. (The girls must stick together!) When she’s not at a baseball field somewhere, she can be found in her happy place (her bed!) or volunteering at her boys’ school. Oh, and this flip-flop-wearing, palm tree-loving Florida native also believes anything is possible with Jesus, sunshine, and pearls. You can follow her on Instagram @ChasityPhillips or Facebook @ChasityBaileyPhillips.
Works Cited
1. Carl Boberg, “How Great Thou Art,” trans. Stuart K. Hine, The Song Book of the Salvation Army, 1986, https://hymnary.org/hymn/SBSA1986/37.
2. Ibid.
3. Robert Lowry (refrain), Annie S. Hawks, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” 1872, https://hymnary.org/text/i_need_thee_every_hour_most_gracious_lor.
4. Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu, “Way Maker,” © 2016 Integrity Music Europe (PRS) (adm at IntegratedRights.com).
5. Boberg, ”How Great Thou Art,” https://hymnary.org/hymn/SBSA1986/37.
