Hymn Singing – A Practice for Daily Salvation

Hymn singing—it’s one of my favorite practices!

Why? Because it brings rich supply, joy, and daily salvation.

That’s because, singing hymns and spiritual songs elevates me into the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 100:2 says,

Serve Jehovah with rejoicing; / Come before His presence with joyful singing.

Singing to the Lord with our spirit (1 Cor. 14:15b) elevates us into a divine sphere above the concerns of our daily life.

You might say, “I’m saved. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior.”  Very good!  So you’re saved eternally.

But are you being saved in His life (Rom. 5:10) from the many cares of your human life? How about anxiety, anger and offenses?

They are like “little foxes that ruin the vineyards while they are in blossom” (Song of Songs 2:15).

Singing, speaking and praying back high standard hymns can preserve our present enjoyment of the Lord and His salvation.

Hymn Singing — The Pattern of the Apostle Paul

In 1 Timothy 1 :16, Paul said he was a pattern to all those who would believe on Jesus Christ unto eternal life. So we should learn from his example, including his practice of hymn singing. In Acts 16:25, it says,

And about midnight Paul and Silas, while praying, sang hymns of praise to God; and the prisoners were listening to them.

After being unjustly arrested, beaten and put in the stocks, Paul and his companion, Silas were singing hymns of praise to God! What a pattern! They were victorious over their situation.

Their singing wasn’t a performance. It was simply their way to keep enjoying Christ in the midst of their trying situation. What a testimony and what an issue!

Eventually, there was an earthquake. The prison doors were opened. The jailor, was ready to commit suicide for fear of being executed by the Romans for losing his prisoners.

Instead, Paul and Silas, full of the Holy Spirit, led him and his whole family to be saved. Their prayer and hymn singing kept them in the Lord’s victory! It can be the same with us today.

How I practice hymn singing in my daily life

Joyfully sing in the morning

In the morning, when I spend time with the Lord, I like to sing a few songs and hymns.

Psalm 59:16a says,

But I will sing of Your strength; / And I will joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning.

This simple practice often saves me from my wandering mind, leads me to Christ, and fills me in my spirit (Eph. 5:18-19).

A couple of my favorite morning hymns are: “I come to His presence afresh” and “I come to Thee dear Lord.”

Get saved by singing during the day

During the day, especially when I’m facing trials, the darts of the tempter are flying or I’m troubled by sickness, I like to follow Paul’s pattern to sing (Acts 16:25). At such times I often sing: “O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore”

Touch the sweetness of the Lord by singing at the meal time

Meals are a great time for hymn singing. I’ve found singing hymns especially before or after dinner is great way to edify my fellow believers, and family, the first being my own wife.

The dinner table is a good reminder to sing, because the Lord Jesus led His disciples in singing a hymn after His last supper (Matt. 26:30). At such times I am often touched to sing: “There is always something over.”

Uplift the praise by singing corporately in Christian meetings

The epistles to the early churches highlight a primary practice of hymn singing among the believers.

The following Bible verses point to this common practice of  hymn singing and also of speaking to one another, and teaching one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs:

• Eph. 5:19—”Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord.”
• Col. 3:16—”Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.”
• 1 Cor. 14:15—”What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the mind; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing also with the mind.”
• Heb. 2:12—Saying, “I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the church I will sing hymns of praise to You.”

I hope you also will be encouraged to make hymn singing a normal part of your daily Christian life and church life!