Do We Need Congregational Singing?

Congregational singing has been something I’ve missed most during the covid quarantine. One of my responsibilities as a music director is to pick music that is Scripturally sound, beautiful, but also singable. We want the congregation to be able to sing and sing out, and I’ve missed hearing the people of God come together to worship. The virtual choirs provided online are cool, but listening to their glorious harmonies just isn’t the same as being with brothers and sisters as they sing praises to God.

Bold congregational singing is a sweet and powerful sound, and it’s something I hope to not take for granted in the future. I imagine there are many who feel the same longing to sing again in the house of God. But I would also guess there are several who feel indifferent toward this communal activity. Whether you are yearning to sing again with the body of believers or unmoved by its return, there are significant reasons as to why congregational singing should be something we desire in our weekly liturgy.

Singing is a Command!

There are hundreds of references to singing in the Bible, and over fifty direct commandments to SING. The Psalms is one of the many places where God says to His beloved: Sing!

This is not a mere suggestion by our Creator, but it’s an expectation that we will engage in singing praises to our King. God Himself sings, as stated in Zephaniah 3:17, and He sings over you! He exalts over you, this verse tells us, with “loud singing.” I have often wondered what that singing voice sounds like. Thunder? A chorus of angels? I don’t know, but I love to imagine it. And the times in my life when congregational singing has swept me up, even moving me to tears, are the times I’m reminded how much greater the singing voice of God must be.

Brothers and sisters, we are created in the image of God, so we were made to be singers as God is a singer. We were made to bring glory to the One who gave us breath by offering songs of praise to Him, and He receives our sincere worship as a sweet fragrance. I am well aware there are many who tend to stand silent during congregational singing because they feel uncomfortable or awkward. Know, friends, that the Lord is not looking for perfect pitches or great harmonies, and He will help us in these insecurities. Have you considered asking the Lord to help you with the command to sing? The psalmist recognizes His need for Jesus and says, “I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?” Our help comes from the One who made the hills, the One who made you, the One who created you to sing!

Singing Has a Vertical and Horizontal Affect

When we lift our voice in song, our personal relationship with Jesus is strengthened. Singing bends our souls to God. When we enter the sanctuary confused or hurt, we are able to sing through our tears and weakened voice, “In Christ ALONE my hope is found…” finding healing in the reminder that our hope is in Jesus. And when we come with hearts overflowing with joy, we can respond in gratitude singing boldly to the one from whom all blessings flow, “Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee, How great Thou art!”

But singing not only strengthens our relationship with Jesus, it strengthens the bond between believers. In Colossians 3, Paul reminds the church that one of the ways their relationship with one another is strengthened is through song:

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony..And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

What is beautiful about this is that we are all members of the choir singing together to our King. What else is more unifying than to sing the same words of confession or adoration with those in differing life stages and places in life? It’s very easy to slip into making worship about us, and when that happens, we may become self-conscious when another sees us singing or lifting our hands in praise, but when worship is about coming together to praise our Savior, then smiles from across the sanctuary while singing becomes sweet reminders of the bond we have forever through Jesus.

Singing is Emotive

One of the gifts of congregational singing is that it makes the truths that we know intellectually really sink into our hearts. It is a very different experience to simply recite the words, “It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul,” then to sing these words with the melodies they were given. And the lyrics we sing sit in our heart in a unique way, moving us, whether we realize it or not, into a deeper understanding of Scriptural truths. As singer/songwriter Keith Getty says, “Singing takes Sunday’s truths into Monday.”

As mentioned, I don’t know what Jesus’ singing actually sounds like, but the sense we get from Scripture is that it is far from emotionless. His singing is described as loud and exultant. The reactions that surface when singing praises to God are natural and even good and right. If you are compelled to close your eyes while singing, then close them. If you are moved to raise your hand to the Lord as you sing His praise, then raise it up! When we use our emotions to become showy, the Lord is displeased, but when the emotions that come with singing truth cause us to move and smile and raise our hands, then the Lord delights in our worship.

One of the most moving worship experiences I’ve had was at the funeral of my father. The congregation he pastored sang together the Hymn “O God Beyond All Praising,” and when we sang the words, “And whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill, we’ll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still,” I was overcome. In that moment, these words penetrated my soul in a deep way, and I was uniquely encouraged by the brothers and sisters who literally held me up as we sang out together to our Abba Father.

Have you missed congregational singing during these days of quarantine? If so, there is good reason for the longing; allow it to be even sweeter when you congregate again, singing more boldly than before. And if not, consider asking the Lord to help you find your voice as you anticipate the return of corporate worship. He will do it. You were made for it. You were created to SING.