| Home | Our Hope | |
| Bible Study |
|
February 16, 2014 |
| The Olde Songs | ||
When I was a boy we sang songs in church from Hymnals, books of Christian songs. Even then I noticed that many of these songs had been written hundreds of years ago, they sounded just like the one and only version of the Bible at that time, the King James version.1 Some churches still sing those old songs, some mix in modern songs, and some sing only modern songs.
The modern songs are certainly more sophisticated musically, sometimes too sophisticated for the average singer's abilities. The words, however, are generally less sophisticated, sometimes being verbal pablum2. Some of this comes from the repetitious nature of rock-and-roll which is the foundation for the modern songs.
In this lesson we'll take a look at some of those old songs, their history, and what they had to say.
The one old song that is still widely sung is Amazing Grace. Though mostly sung at funerals, it was never intended that way. Four of the verses talk about God's grace during our earthly lives; only two talk about the afterlife and those two are not the ones commonly sung at funerals. Everyone knows the words to Amazing Grace … or thinks they know them. But for many it goes like this "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum."
"The author of the hymn was, by his own admission, a "wretch." He was a slave trader, a blasphemer, a rebel, an immoral man, a torturer, and as far from grace as anyone could ever be. As a boy, John was captivated by the adventure and risk of life on the high seas. When he was eleven, young John Newton launched into that exciting life of voyaging, sailing, and living his dream. But the dream turned out to be a nightmare. Later in life he wrote, "I sinned with a high hand, and I made it my study to tempt and seduce others." Newton lived a hard life with hard consequences. God got his attention though.
"In 1748, Newton's slave ship was nearly wrecked by an intense storm. In the tempest, surrounded by crashing waves, cutting winds, creaking timbers, and the cries of onboard slaves, John fell to his knees and pled for mercy, and for grace. God's grace, which reaches anyone, anywhere, saved a wretch like John Newton. Newton wrote the song years later while serving as a pastor in Olney, England. During America's Second Great Awakening, the song was paired with its familiar tune and was widely used in camp meetings and revival services. Today, its lyrics still inspire, encourage, and instruct people about the radical reality of God's amazing grace."3
While only a few of us can remember the first verse of the song, there are other verses and they contain good messages for us. We'll look at the 3rd, 5th, and 6th verse
3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
What is John saying about how his past experiences help him now?
Has John led a care-free life? What is toil? What is a snare?
What does he say it was that has kept him and will keep him?
5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
Summarize what John is saying here.
What does he mean by "the veil"?
What is the hope and faith he has for his future?
6. When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we first begun. 4
What does he mean by "ten thousand years" and "no less days"?
Why does he see us as shining like the sun?
What does he see us doing in that eternal life?
"Long before Reginald Heber penned the words to this famous hymn, the prophet Isaiah had a vision and heard the call of the angels — "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Hearing the chorus, Isaiah crumpled in abject humility and adoring worship — "Woe is me!" Years later, Reginald Heber felt this same awe at God's holiness, and wrote this hymn in response to what he experienced.
"Heber, who was a minister in the Church of England, composed the poem for Trinity Sunday. The poem lay forgotten until after Heber died at the age of 43. His wife found the poem in a collection of papers, and shared it with musician John B. Dykes (1823-1876). The song was published with music in 1861. God has used this song to impress millions of people with the truth of his holiness."5
So this song is really a celebration of the holy trinity consisting of the holy father, holy son, and holy spirit, therefore "holy, holy, holy." We'll look the 2nd and 4th verses of this song.
2. 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.
In this verse, Reginald is referring to scripture that he expects the congregation to know. What book is he referring to?
What is the significance of "casting down their golden crowns"? (Rev 4:4-11)
What are cherubim and seraphim?
What does this mean "wert, and art, and evermore shalt be"?
4. 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. 6
Summarize what Reginald is saying.
He contrasts merciful and mighty. What is that contrast?
"It is fitting that this hymn, known as "The Battle Hymn of the Reformation," speaks of fortresses, strategy, ancient foes, and winning the battle. In Martin Luther's time, it was an all-out battle for the faith. Martin Luther was a bulldog of a defender, going head-to-head with the established church and her officials. He didn't flinch when challenging the Catholic Church's departure from the true faith.
"Even Luther, however, had his bouts of depression. He penned the words to the song around 1527 as a paraphrase of Psalm 46. At times of discouragement, Luther would sometimes turn to his young friend Melancthon, saying, "Let's sing the Forty-sixth Psalm. He would pull out his lute, and strum the chords of this triumphant song. 'A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.'
"As the Protestant reformation rolled on, believers often experienced the sting of persecution and even death. In their final moments, many were known to sing that inspiring stanza, 'Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever.'"7
Because this song is almost 500 years old the wording is very much like the King James Version of the Bible, which came after this song. We will look at the 3rd and 4th verses.
3. And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
Summarize the verse
What does Martin mean by "undo us"?
Do we fight against the world and its devils for our own purposes and goals?
The battle that Martin fought in the physical realm was against the Catholic Church, but he recognizes who the real enemy is. Who is it?
What is the word that will fell (destroy) the Prince of Darkness?
4. That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill; 8
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
Summarize the verse
Martin had lost pretty much everything in his battle with the Catholic Church, the things that he had owned, many of his friends, and he would have lost his life except that some powerful people intervened to protect him and hide him from the church. In this verse he talks about letting that go and not desiring after it and instead holding out for the kingdom that lasts forever
"It's a prayer, a plea, and a declaration of God's infinite greatness. This song was written by Carl Gustav Boberg, a 26-year old pastor in Sweden. As the story goes, Boberg was caught in a thunderstorm one Sunday afternoon after church. From his perch in the mountains, Boberg watched as the storm swept in with a bolt of lightning and massive clap of thunder. The storm hurtled through the meadows and grain fields, reverberating across the countryside with the sound of its astounding power.
"After the storm, pastor Boberg looked out his windows overlooking Mönsterås Bay. A rainbow spread across the sky, the birds were singing, the church bells were softy tolling, and Carl was overwhelmed by God's power and majesty. The result was an outpouring of adoration and worship in the writing of the song, O Store Gud. The song made a circuit of translations, German, Russian, and English, and picked up a stanza from an English missionary Stuart K. Hine in 1949. Now, the song is sung by millions of Christians in dozens of languages, all praying the same heartfelt prayer of humble adoration, 'My God, how great Thou art!'"
Musically and lyrically this song is a wonderful. Every part of it is good but we will look at the 1st, 3rd, and 4th verses.
1. O 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:
Carl considers the vastness and power of the universe. Who does he say made it? (Of note, Charles Darwin died 3 years before this song was written)
He says "Thy power […] displayed." To whom and for what purpose?
When Carl wrote this they did not understand as much of the vastness and power of the universe as we do now. But now the world uses that vastness and power to reason that no one could have made it, not even a god.
Refrain
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!
In modern terms "How great thou art" means "How great you are"
Note what Carl says here. Not he, but his soul, his spirit, sings out to God, "How great you are".
3. And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
What is it that Carl says, in modern terms, he can only barely understand what God did?
4. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, "My God, how great thou art!" 9
What does acclamation mean and what is this shout of acclamation?
What does humble adoration mean?
No one would claim the American national anthem is an old hymn or even a Christian song. But few people are aware that it contains references to God and Heaven. In a verse that is almost never played (verse 4) there are these references.
4. Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust":
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
What is the Heaven-rescued land that should be giving praise?
What power is it that Francis says should be praised? Why should that power be praised?
This is one of the earliest references to the concept that we see expressed on our coins, "In God we trust"
The best songs have wonderful messages for us. They carry a ministry from others than can also bless us, even from thousands of miles and many centuries away.
As with all messages, be Berean to test that it is true to the word, and dig deep to understand it.
1 That isn't completely true. Even then there were a few other versions of the Bible but they were not widely used.
2 Baby food
3 http://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2013/08/top-10-popular-hymns-time-history/
5 http://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2013/08/top-10-popular-hymns-time-history/
7 http://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2013/08/top-10-popular-hymns-time-history/
9 http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/o/w/how_great_Thou_art.htm