Saturday, February 18, 2017

211. A Noisy Children's Hymn

This is part of the same logical sequence of children's hymns as #210. One of my ongoing objectives as a hymn-writer is to try to steer a different course in children's hymnody, giving little Christians songs they can enjoy singing without being patronized, and that might really help form them as disciples of the gospel. To be sure, my only qualifications in this line, if I don't flatter myself, are that I know a few things about verse, church music, and the gospel, and my sense that I can hardly be the only child who grew up loathing most of the kiddies' ditties I was taught to sing in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. My general impression as a lifelong student of church music is that the repertoire hasn't improved much since then. So, here goes. A tune selection is pending.

God, who gave us lips and tongue,
Loves our praises, yelled or sung.
Otherwise, would girls and boys
Be designed for making noise?
So our Father proudly
Hears us thank Him loudly!

Hark! The prophets have gone out,
Some to whisper, some to shout:
To the planet's farthest ends,
News of Christ the Spirit sends.
Father, add our voices
To these joyful noises!

Pardon us, dear Lord, we pray,
When our tongues to gossip stray,
Speak to hurt, or falsely swear;
Let Your truth be all our care!
Help us bend our chatter
Toward the things that matter!

Finally, dear Lord and Friend,
To our needs and troubles bend
Both a Father's loving ear
And the Spirit's witness clear!
Hear our faithful crying,
All good gifts supplying!

EDIT (March 7, 2017): Here's an original(ish) tune I wrote today for this hymn. We'll see how it turns out. Its title is JOYFUL NOISE.

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