Worship Is Participatory
Corporate worship is not a concert. It is the gathered people of God lifting their voices together. This means our songs must be singable — not just by trained musicians, but by the elderly widow, the teenage boy, the new believer, the tone-deaf deacon.
What to Look For
A congregationally singable hymn will have:
- Comfortable range — Generally within an octave, staying in the mid-range where most voices live
- Stepwise motion — Melodies that move by steps rather than large leaps
- Predictable phrasing — Regular phrase lengths that allow breathing
- Memorable melody — Tunes that stick after one or two singings
- Standard meters — Common Meter, Long Meter, Short Meter — these meters have dozens of interchangeable tunes
The Meter System
One of the great gifts of the hymn tradition is the meter system. A psalm or hymn in Common Meter (8.6.8.6) can be sung to any C.M. tune — NEW BRITAIN (Amazing Grace), DUNDEE, ST. ANNE, and dozens more. This gives congregations flexibility while maintaining singability.
Examples from Our Library
- Amazing Grace (tune: NEW BRITAIN) — Perhaps the most universally known hymn tune
- Be Thou My Vision (tune: SLANE) — Beautiful Irish melody, comfortable for all voices
- Come, Thou Fount (tune: NETTLETON) — Engaging melody that invites participation
- O God, Our Help in Ages Past (tune: ST. ANNE) — Sturdy, dignified, universally singable
Scripture Foundation
- Psalm 95:1 — "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation"
- Psalm 100:1-2 — "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing"