Stories behind Hymns

Teachers

ET

Eric Thompson

Clint Davison Preacher

Adam Clark Teacher

JM

John McCarthy

Dave Rich Teacher

Dana Patterson Teacher

Lesson Summary

The teacher opened the class with prayer and set the focus on why Scripture urges believers to sing. He explained that God himself sings over His people (Zephaniah 3:15‑17) and that the earliest biblical songs—Moses’ song after the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 15), the song of the plains in Deuteronomy 32, Deborah’s victory hymn (Judges 5), and Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2:1‑10)—establish a historic pattern of worship through music. He emphasized that the New Testament continues this tradition, citing Paul’s instruction to “address one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19) and James’s encouragement that a glad heart should sing (James 5:13), while Colossians 3:16 teaches that singing fosters unity and spiritual growth. The class then shifted to a practical example, examining the background of the hymn “There’s Power in the Blood,” written by Lewis E. Jones in 1899 after a YMCA camp meeting. The teacher noted the humble, “undistinguished” lives of many hymn writers and connected the power of music to modern neuroscience, explaining how singing creates lasting neural pathways, especially for children. He concluded that singing not only glorifies God but also edifies the congregation and serves as a witness to the world.

Key Scriptures