hymns

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

Last night I heard the angels sing. Well, not real angels — just people that sounded as I would imagine them singing. After a long weekend of Christmas concerts, the more than 150 choir members and musicians that perform at my church in Escondido, California put on their last of 5 performances. They must have been looking forward to that last note with tired legs and feet, sore lips and throats. But you couldn’t tell. They lifted their voices with such glorious vigor and ease. The musicians fingers danced lightly and beautifully over keys and piston valves and strings.

I listened with awe to people with a gift I only dream about or attempt to utilize while alone in my car. And I also thought, what a glorious God to have created such sounds. Music is considered one of those few “cultural universals.” Something in which every culture across the world participates. Bone flutes have been dated to 40,000 BC. Biologists suggest that music developed alongside language development. Almost as though the two were uniquely connected. Clearly a gift given by God since the creation of man.

Religions are credited with being the biggest purveyor of music and musical styles. Hurrian songs are a collection of music excavated from an ancient Canaanite city which date to approximately 1400 BC. One of these is nearly complete and contains the “Hymn to Nikkal”(also known as the Hurrian cult hymn or “a zaluzi to the gods,”), making it the oldest surviving complete work of notated music in the world.

We’ve been singing outward and upward for quite a long time it seems! It’s no wonder that music touches our hearts so deeply. It speaks to love lost and love found. To growing up and growing old. It tells stories of friendships and discontentment. And, of course, it speaks to God — asking for Him to come into our lives, thanking Him for our blessings, and giving all Glory to Him.

The first song recorded in the Bible is a victory song. Written by Moses and recorded in Exodus 15, it was composed after Israel’s faith was tested in the parting of the Red Sea. It’s as though God gave us this gift to express in new ways our yearning for a life that only He can truly give.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

The hymn last night which pulled my heart toward God was, “Gloria In Excelsis Deo” based on what the angels sang at Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:14. Such a beautiful patronage to varied, talented voices and musicians! It also enjoys a long and rich history. Its composition reflects the tradition of “private psalms” which became popular in the 2nd century. Later versions saw additional verses added as it became part of doxologies. Modern scholars have documented over 200 musical medieval versions of this song as it spread across every Christian religious culture and denomination.

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.  (Christmas Carol version, also known as Angels We Have Heard on High)

I imagine this gift of music must surely reflect what goes on in the heavens. A heavenly Spotify playlist featuring the most beautiful voices ever heard. So perfectly tuned and glorious that hearts burst with love and devotion to the One True God.

Today, listen for the first songs of God — a tune from a bird, the rustling of leaves, the croaking of a frog. Then lift your voice or whistle or hum to Him who gave us this gift. A gift which helps us express our deepest emotions in ways which just words alone can never accomplish.

Soli Deo Gloria. Amen

Listen on Spotify!

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20

There’s no consensus in archeology as to when humans first started creating music. One theory is that it must correlate with the creation of language. When you think about it that makes sense – we go about our days humming, whistling, or like my dry cleaner, putting our conversations to some mysterious tune. Scientists have found ancient flutes dating back around 300,000 BC.

What scientists will never answer is why do we have this thing called music and from where does it originate? From a Christian point of view, we know that God gifted us with so many human-specific attributes (although birds do have lovely songs!) such as the creation of music. The first known “hymn” detailed in the Bible dates from somewhere around 1500 BC.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
    he has hurled into the sea.

²“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  Exodus 15:1-2

That praise song to the Lord goes on for 16 more verses! Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had a recording of the exiles singing this? As I write this, I’m listening to a beautiful Spotify playlist called “relaxing piano Christian.” What continues to amaze me is that year after year, decade after decade, and century after century this beautiful gift of music finds new ways to stir our hearts and minds. I thank God for the notes He has placed out in the universe for us to sing, to play and to hum. And I look forward with anticipation for each new song’s foray into His mysterious ways.