The Baptist Hymnal

I spent a good chunk of my teenage years going to church. More often than not, I was there because I was forced to be or to see friends, really - it had nothing to do with worshipping the Lord at that point in life. Even so, I always looked forward to the part of service where we got to sing - I loved the old hymns. I'd sing along for the three songs we sang each service and would promptly stop listening and start doodling on the program once the pastor started talking.

At some point in my high school career, one of my favorite teachers had assigned a much dreaded poetry project (I liked poetry, I just wasn't fond of the project part). As we were going through books and talking about where we could find some good poems, she pointed out that song lyrics were basically poetry, just put to music. I'm not sure why such a simple and obvious point impacted my love for music so much, but it did. Music can be so powerful - it can motivate our worship, sway our emotions, and make us recall certain events/feelings quicker than almost anything.

Now, when I've only got time for a quick read, or I'm just in the mood for something short, there are usually one of two things I reach for - The Valley of Vision or the Baptist Hymnal. I love reading the lyrics, or poems, if you will.

Here are some of my favorites:

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy

Come, ye weary, heavy-laden Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better, you will never come at all.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.

Grace Greater than Our Sin

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Jesus Paid It All

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all."

It Is Well with My Soul

My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious tho't: My sin not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!