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In a class I took on Lutheran hymnody, Professor Carl Schalk told us that Martin Luther – who was not only a theologian but a musical composer – wrote that “next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise.” Schalk noted that Luther said, “next to,” meaning alongside, not above. For Luther, music stands right next to the Word of God. This made quite an impression on me. Could a hymn’s text and music have equal importance? Certainly, the combination of a good hymn text and tune is greater than the sum of its parts. Music can enhance the text of a hymn, adding another layer of meaning, causing it to lodge more firmly in our memories.
As one pastor quipped, “Nobody ever leaves the church humming the sermon.” The hymns we sing are a proclamation of faith, shaping us for service in the world.
Which hymns and songs are lodged in your memory? What tunes and texts help to carry you through times of sorrow and times of joy? It’s never too late to add songs to your memory bank!
This message is excerpted from “How can I keep from singing?” by Anne Krentz Organ in the June/July/August 2025 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750; Heinrich Schutz, 1672; George Frederick Handel, 1759; musicians.