Sing It Again!

Sing It Again!

Yes, this is what Johan O. Smith exhorts us to in song #139 in Ways of the Lord. “Sing, sing of my Savior! Sing, sing it again!” Sing about the Savior, sing about salvation. “Sing till each heart is burning. Sing, sing it again!” But then we have to pause and think about what we are singing and sing it from the heart so that our heart is the first one that is burning.

A sister said recently, “Each time I sing the Table Song, I test myself when we come to the stanza that says, “‘O see us here, Thy servants true, now ready all Thy will to do.’” In this way the Table Song became an opportunity for self-examination, even for edification. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” 2 Cor. 13:5. We can also say: Test yourself as to whether you are in full agreement with what you are singing, whether your heart is singing together with what your mouth sings! The songbook is full of opportunities for such self-examination and thus for edification, exhortation, and comfort. In a manner of speaking, the entire songbook is full of revival songs. Let us take a look at some examples.

Brother Johan O. Smith sings this prayer in one of his songs: “Bend me, mold me, into Thine image, I pray” (Ways of the Lord #242). Bend me! Do we expect Him to hear our prayer? Are we awake and keenly interested when the opportunity comes in life’s situations to be bent and molded? Are we praying this with all of our heart?

In song #179 of Ways of the Lord we sing, “Let us sing together, ‘All my fountains are in Thee . . . that we need no other fountains truly comforts me.” Can we agree with brother Elias Aslaksen in this? Perhaps we ought to test ourselves in light of what we are singing?

And when we gather for a meeting or a conference and sing #30 in Ways of the Lord, “Great God, our Father, true and only comfort, at this blest time our hearts to Thee draw nigh . . . Thy voice shall be my judgment, comfort, guide,” is our heart turned to Him, wholeheartedly expecting judgment, comfort, and guidance? Or when we sing, “My longing is deep and compelling; more fully Thy laws I’d obey,” how strong and upright is this longing? Ways of the Lord #75. Hilda Broks, who wrote this song (she died when she was 27 years old), continues in verse 4: “Increase deep within me my yearning; my self-will, consume, Lord, with fire.” This is another good opportunity for testing ourselves.

We also sing in Ways of the Lord #42: “Teach me the way of Your suff’rings, I pray . . . .” And in #276 we sing, “I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ, learning to give and be sacrificed.” And further in verse 3: “Every apprentice takes earnest heed, from start to finish obeys with speed . . . .” More and more until the very end! Indeed, the songbook is full of revival songs! And what about these stanzas from Ways of the Lord #97: “My will no more; my life is hid—Thy will, O Lord, as Thou dost bid”? My will no more! No longer I! Let revival come in!

In song #55 of Ways of the Lord: “There is a nest for the swallow,” we sing about the altar on which the fire is always burning “to purge me till I’m like gold that’s refined.” It is a good song. A beautiful melody. But what are we actually singing? We are praying about always being found on the altar where the fire is constantly burning.

And in song #269 of Ways of the Lord we have this self-examining question addressed to us that deserves an answer from all those who sing or hear it: “Do you love? Do you love? Do you give yourself for others? . . . Is Christ’s love compelling you?” Upon reflection, all the songs are an encouragement to love and good works. It is true that we can be taught and exhorted “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” as it is written in Colossians 3:16. Yes, you can also learn to sing “with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

David says in Psalm 17:3: “My mouth does not depart from my thoughts.” (Norw. Tr.) The words of our mouth should also not depart from the thoughts of our heart which are in the songs. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Ps. 19:14.