We can classify the hymns into four categories: (1) the gospel trumpet; (2) words of praise; (3) Christ as life; and (4) the church life.
The first category is the gospel trumpet. This is to be used in the preaching of the gospel. It includes songs on the guilt of sin, the sinner’s position, God’s love, His righteousness, the redemption of the cross, repentance, faith in God, and so on.
The gospel hymns are to be sung by the gospel friends and us together. But there is a problem here. The hymns are written by saved persons. We have certain sentiments, but the gospel friends do not have these sentiments. It is not easy to ask them to sing songs which do not touch their feelings. However, if God blesses these hymns, the hidden needs of the sinners will be touched, and they will see their own condition as well as God’s salvation. Sometimes a sinner does not know how to pray or come to God, but the hymns help him come to God and pray. A hymn’s utterance becomes his utterance. Sometimes a hymn may be more effective than a message. At any rate, we need God’s blessing.
The gospel hymns are included in the hymn book for God’s children to use. In preaching the gospel, we should write out the hymns on big banners or print them on sheets. In this way we can invite our gospel friends to sing along with us. It is not easy for them to look for a hymn from the hymn book.
The second category is words of praise. The very day we were saved, we received heavenly joy, and thanksgiving and praises swelled from within us toward heaven. As we advance more in our spiritual walk, and as our knowledge of God’s love, righteousness, grace, and glory grows, our hearts and mouths flow out in unceasing praises. This category of hymns includes all our praises toward the Lord and God.
The third category of hymns concerns Christ as life. The goal of God’s redemption is that we would live the life of Christ. God does not ask us to imitate Christ. God wants the resurrected Christ to be lived out from us. When Christ was on earth, He was expressed through the body He received from Mary. Since His resurrection and ascension, His body is the church, and now He wants to be expressed through the church.
When we were sinners, we needed salvation and justification. After becoming believers, our pursuit turns to the knowledge and experience of the life of Christ; we seek to live out the life of this Christ. “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). He lived on earth on our behalf. He dealt with our sins, our temptations, and our flesh. Now He becomes our life, our holiness, our love, and our joy. He is doing the work, not we. This is the goal of the work of the Holy Spirit in this age. This category of hymns includes everything from our initial pursuit of the knowledge of the inner life to the full expression of this life in faith, fellowship, satisfaction, warfare, and service. In short, it includes everything related to the pursuit and experience of this life.
The fourth category of hymns concerns the church life. It includes everything related to our Christian walk, the everyday experience, environment, work, and affairs of a Christian. This category includes hymns for meetings, marriage, love feasts, family, children, sickness, etc.
In choosing the hymns, we must note the following:
Hymns are sung to three different kinds of people. In other words, they are directed toward three parties.
Most hymns are directed toward God. The object of this poetry is God. Most of the psalms in the book of Psalms are poetry directed toward God. Psalm 51 is a famous psalm of prayer to God. All hymns of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer are sung to God.