I remember a time when my son began singing a song that he had learned from listening to Christian radio. He was happily singing away, and I was so glad he was singing something about God. But as I listened to the words, I realized that the text was pretty shallow, and it did not portray a wholly accurate picture of God. Which led me to think . . . what songs should be on the lips of my child? How do I make sure that I equip him with truths of Scripture in song? This journey has been one of seeking and discovery, of which the importance cannot be diminished. Let me share with you a bit of my voyage into finding Scriptural devotional songs, and share criteria for selecting theologically accurate hymns for your family.
1. Sung Scripture
Is there anything better than hearing your child sing Scripture? What a beautiful way of inscribing God’s Word onto their hearts, beginning at such a young age. By choosing songs of Scripture set to music, children have such a higher chance of remembering God’s Word. I remember singing an arrangement of Psalm 121 when I was in college, and I have not forgotten that text since.
When I think of Scripture songs, I think of Keith and Kristyn Getty’s “The Lord is My Shepherd,” which is a paraphrase of Psalm 23. As familiar as the twenty-third Psalm is, when set to music, the words have a way of entering our hearts and minds that does not happen through memorization alone. Allowing your child to be exposed to Scripture in music aids them in forming an accurate view of God, because the words are directly from Him!
2. Gospel Themes
Take a moment to think about hymns that are hidden in your heart. What do you notice about them? If, like me, you sang hymns in church as a child, but find yourself not using hymnals in church anymore, I imagine you can still recall songs you learned as a child because you have hidden them in your heart. The impact of songs on a child cannot be overestimated.
As you think about those hymns that you know, I’m sure many of them carry a Gospel theme. The themes often follow a pattern of . . . I was a sinner, Christ died for my sins, Christ arose victorious over death, and now I anticipate eternity with Christ. This condensed Gospel narrative is vitally important for our children to hear. They may not understand the breadth and depth of Christ’s atoning sacrifice (who does?!), but they begin, from a young age, to be exposed to the truth about Jesus.
A wonderful modern hymn that beautifully tells the Gospel story is “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery,” by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Michael Bleeker. This hymn ascribes ultimate worth to our holy God, allowing us as followers the ability to marinate on the Gospel story. My heart feels like it will almost burst when I hear these truths on the lips of my child!
3. Imagination Engagement
Literary theologian Leland Ryken believes that when “the poetic imagination formulates reality, it does so in pictures.”1 This ability to engage our imagination while singing allows us to employ our hearts, minds, and affections on Christ as we meditate on his truths. Ryken continues his point by stating that through the imagination, the singer participates in experience and interpretation of the hymn. When we expose our children to songs that use literary devices such as imagery, simile, etc., then our children engage their imaginations “to be alert, to be creative, and to be active in looking.”2
Part of the beauty of hymns is the use of imagery in their texts. “Before the Throne of God Above” utilizes imagery phrases such as, “My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart,” and “upward I look and see Him there who made an end of all my sin.”3 When children can employ their imaginations and picture themselves in the narrative, they are using all their faculties to sing their worship to God. A useful tool in understanding the use of imagination in worship is to read through the Psalms. David and other psalmists used such descriptive language that helps us picture lions and trees and mountains and deserts. Search for songs that do the same!
4. Trinitarian Doctrine
I have noticed a trend in many modern worship songs to emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in worship. Not that the Holy Spirit’s role in the trinity is not important! But as a whole, emphasis needs to be placed on the sovereignty of God and the work and person of Jesus Christ as a priority. Although our children may not know what the term “trinitarian doctrine” means, they can understand that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three separate beings in one.
To emphasize the Trinity in song, I cannot think of a better hymn than “Holy, Holy, Holy.”4 Twice, our children get to sing, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” They get to sing about the might of God, the mercy of God, and they get to use their imaginations while singing about worship around God’s throne, which is written about in Revelation 4. These lyrics, written in such a beautiful form, have the ability to form our children’s hearts with a well-rounded portrait of the Trinity. And what a wonderful teachable moment as you help your child sing about the Trinity, to expose them to rich doctrine that they will continue to build on as they grow in their faith!
Placing theologically accurate songs on the lips of our children is greatly needed among Christian families today. As parents, we are tasked with training our children in biblical truths. What better way to achieve this goal than helping our children sing theologically correct songs? I have listed a few examples in this post to get you thinking on how to decipher excellent songs from mediocre songs. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but is meant to help you think through criteria that you can utilize when selecting music for your family worship practices. Research songs and listen intently. There is a wealth of strong, theologically accurate, and beautifully written hymns and songs to aid in the Christian development of your family. Enjoy the process as you go!
To read more on the use of imagination in hymnody, click here.
For peaceful songs to help soothe your weary soul, listen to the group Scripture Lullabies. They can be found at ScriptureLullabies.com.
- Leland Ryken, Words of Delight: A Literary Introduction to the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1992), 160.
- Leland Ryken, The Liberated Imagination: Thinking Christianly About the Arts (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1989), 269.
- Hymns to the Living God (Religious Affections Ministries, 2017), 224.
- Hymns to the Living God, 3.
