A good Christian song is more than a melody and some pious words. A good Christian song is a window into the believer’s heart. It stirs something deep inside for the listener, and points them in the direction of God. It should not merely provide a platform for the singer to show off how talented or devout they are – rather, listeners should be able to see through the singer into a human-Divine connection which is intimate, emotional, heartfelt, genuine… Here’s a list of songs that (I think) attempt to do just that!
The problem with making this list is that it’s hard to find recordings which capture what I like about these songs. Often the most beautiful songs are ruined by turning them into routine recitations (as when “Abide With Me!” is appropriated as the “official hymn” for the FA Cup) or showy flourishes which just showcase the singer’s range… Those versions can sound very nice, but they miss the original intent of the song! They become hollow decoration more than substance. They call the listeners attention to themselves rather than pointing them toward God. What a shame. It was hard to find recordings that completely embody the sentiment of the song, but I think these ones come close at least.
Without further ado, here are three traditional hymns that I consider to be beautiful expressions of Christianity (and indeed, of humanity).
Abide With Me
I first encountered this hymn in my LDS upbringing, and it is still one of my favourites today. Of course, the words have taken on a somewhat new meaning just as Jesus has taken on new meaning for me (some thoughts on that here: http://eph1-17.blogspot.ca/2013/08/adopted-by-god.html). This is one song that has been way overdone. Most versions of this song are very “showy,” and completely void of the intimacy that the lyrics seek to convey. So I had to go with an amateur recording – these three artists’ voices blend together beautifully without saying “Hey, look at me!” The performance is humble, as it should be for a song like this. Enjoy!
(I had trouble embedding this one, but here's the link)
Written in 1847 by Henry Francis Lyte only three weeks before his death, “Abide With Me” conveys the believer’s utter dependence on his Creator in his time of vulnerability (and really, always). The writer reflects on the uselessness and impermanence of much that the world values, and places his priority instead on God: “Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me.”
Amazing Grace
Another classic that has become such a part of popular usage that its power and meaning could be missed. The version I’m including here is a variation of the original, but it’s well done. I’ve read that some people have changed the lyrics “a wretch like me” to lines which are less “self-loathing”; to me that’s disingenuous to author’s sentiments, because in a true Christian manner he perceived his life before knowing Jesus to be sinful and destructive (in this case, he was a slave trader in the 18th century!). But one day he discovered God's radical mercy, and that's what this song famously conveys.
Jesus Paid It All
I mentioned this song in my last blog post, because I think it artistically echoes the point that Jesus made in this parable. “When I stand before the throne, I stand in Him complete; Jesus died my soul to save, my lips shall still repeat.” Jesus is our only hope, my friends! You can do all the good works in the world, build that tower brick by brick, but it won’t get you to heaven. Man cannot reach high enough to get to God, but the good news (the gospel) is that God has reached down to man! That’s what Jesus is all about. Again, this is a contemporary version of a classic song.
