The Hallway Hymn List
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Our church congregation sings a mix of both hymns and worship songs, and I've been greatly blessed by both. Because the two seem so different to my musician's ear, however, I've always kept the two separate in my mind. And since I shared my Hallway Playlist in my last post, today I get to share about my most beloved hymns!
There are SO MANY excellent hymns of the faith that it was difficult to select just a few to share here! Several of these I've grown to love after playing them on the piano. It's funny how that happens.
Be Thou My Vision - This is probably my most beloved hymn of all time. From the Irish melody to the Father-centered lyrics, I've loved this song for years. We even had it sung at our wedding! One of my favorite arrangements is the Eden's Bridge version, which includes a rarely-sung middle verse that's usually missing from today's hymnals.
There Is A Fountain - I played an arrangement of this hymn as the finale to my senior recital in college. While some might think it rather gruesome - "there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins" - it's because of Christ's gruesome death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection that we can have eternal life with Him in Heaven.
It Is Well With My Soul - I don't know too many people who don't love this amazing hymn, and the story that motivated Horatio Spafford to pen the words is incredible. No matter how difficult life here on Earth is, it's because of Jesus' sacrifice that we as believers can truly say that "it is well with my soul!"
Before The Throne - When I first learned this hymn, I actually thought it was relatively new. I've since learned that it was composed in 1863! I love both the words and the melody. We truly do have a great High Priest who is constantly interceding on our behalf!
Trust And Obey - While I wouldn't say the melody of this hymn grabbed me right away, I've come to love the words. I do want to trust and obey the Lord with my life, no matter what. Obedience is not a popular choice these days, but it's something that the Lord has called us to and something I hope to get better at the older I get.
In Christ Alone - Written in 2001 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, some might not consider this to be an actual hymn since it's modern. But due to the musical style and lyrical format they chose to write it in, I'm counting it as a modern-day hymn, and it's one of my favorites. We truly have no other hope than Christ Himself!
Immortal, Invisible - When I did my study on the attributes of God last year, it opened my eyes to more of Who God is. It was amazing! This hymn speaks to many of those attributes and is one of my dad's favorites. I also played an arrangement of this in college that was stunning.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Honestly, the first time I ever heard this hymn, I didn't love it. The melody was only so-so to me, so I didn't give it a lot of thought when I first learned to play it. But as I've gotten older (and hopefully a little more spiritually mature), it's become one of my go-to hymns whenever I'm frustrated or upset. Because I so often forget to keep my eyes on Christ, I need this reminder on a daily basis!
There are too many excellent hymns of the faith to include in my small list here. So please feel free to share with me: which are your favorites and why?
