Songs for all Seasons

From nursery rhymes to school assembly anthems to chants on the terraces to singing along to our favourite hits in the car or the shower, we all find ourselves singing at some point or another.  Studies have shown that belting out a tune or singing in a choir can enhance our mood, boost our immune system or even reduce feelings of chronic pain.

 Our recent Community Choir initiative drew people from different walks of life and parts of the parish to sing together at Christmas and Easter. Including some who are trained singers, some who self-described as “tone-deaf” and everything in between, all who took part described a real sense of enjoyment and fun – another testimony of the power of music and song.

 For centuries music and singing have been a central part of worship in churches. The rhythm of a hymn or the simple melody of a song, combined with words that express deep truths, have a unique ability to connect us with each other and with the God we worship.

 In the Bible, the book of Psalms is a rich collection of songs and prayers that have been sung by God’s people for thousands of years. The Psalms cover an extraordinary range of human experiences, from deep despair to exuberant joy, and they help us to express our deep emotions to our God. Whilst faith in his promises is often where they take us in the end, the Psalms have a unique way of giving voice to our struggles and doubts too. Their place at the heart of Scripture reminds us that we have a God who is not distant or aloof but who wants to have a real living relationship with us. Like all of Scripture the Psalms ultimately point us to Jesus Christ as the one who came so we can relate to God again. Theologian Christoper Ash writes: “If the gospels give us Christ’s deeds and word, the Psalms open a window into his heart.”

 Over the next few weeks in our churches, as well as joining our voices each week in hymns and songs, we’ll be exploring a few of these Psalms in more depth to see how they can help us to express ourselves and respond to God in ways that are life giving.

In case you’re wondering whether your singing ability is up it or not, I’m always encouraged by Psalm 100v1 which encourages us to “make a joyful noise…!”