The following is an insightful article written by my friend Jeffrey Cavanaugh.
I have recently been bugged by a trend I’ve noticed in hymnody. It’s not a new trend; in fact it’s been going on for at least a century and a half. It still bugs me.
The trend is to take great hymns from the 17th and 18th centuries and to “update” them by setting them to new music, sometimes changing the original lyrics, and, most irritatingly, adding a chorus or refrain.
Take a modern example by songwriter Chris Tomlin: “The Wonderful Cross”. Tomlin has taken stanzas from Isaac Watts’s hymn “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” and added his own chorus:
Stanza by Watts
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride
Chorus by Tomlin
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name
I believe that hymns (and I include modern “worship choruses” in that category) are fundamentally poetry set to music. Thus, when we’re evaluating a hymn, we should judge the lyrics by poetic criteria. Theological evaluation is important, but poetic evaluation is also crucial. And frankly, Chris Tomlin’s refrain here is poetically impoverished. I don’t claim to be a poet or even a good poetry critic, but as a layman who loves beautiful language even I can see that Tomlin doesn’t hold a candle to Watts.
Or, take another modern example by Bob Kauflin. Kauflin has taken Watts’s little-known but hymn “Join All The Glorious Names,” set it to new music, and added a chorus.
Stanza by Watts
Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak His worth,
To poor to set my Savior forth.
Chorus by Kauflin
Jesus, Your name is glorious
Our Prophet, Priest, and King
Jesus, You’re reigning over us
And forevermore Your praises we will sing.
I deeply appreciate Bob Kauflin for his gifts with music and songwriting. He and his fellows at Sovereign Grace have done wonderful work for the church in producing new hymns that are reverent, worshipful, and have good substance. And, if you take this refrain of Kauflin’s on its own, it’s fine. But set it in the context of a masterful poem by Watts, and it’s a jarring note.
One final example we’ll consider, and this one is an older hymn. In 1885, Ralph E. Hudson took Watts’s hymn, “Alas, And Did My Savior Bleed,” added a refrain, and retitled it “At The Cross.”
Stanza by Watts
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
Chorus by Hudson
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
This shows that the phenomenon isn’t a new one, and that it has been going on for nearly a century and a half (For another example, see Robert Lowry’s adaptation of Watts’s “Marching to Zion” from 1867). Hudson’s added refrain is perhaps the most offensive of the three we’ve looked at thus far. Where Watts’s hymn is a deep and moving meditation on the condescension of Christ in suffering for our sins, Hudson’s chorus is trite and shallow, with an unbiblically sunny view of the Christian life.
I should make it clear that I don’t have a problem with setting old hymns to new tunes. I understand that musical tastes change over the centuries, and I think that a new setting can help Christians today to connect with the lyrics. I do think that a hymn tune should be appropriate to the content of the words, and many modern settings fail on this point. But there are actually some recent tunes that I like better than the traditional settings.
I do, however, object to modifying older hymn lyrics, especially when they are from such outstanding hymn writers as Isaac Watts-in my opinion the greatest English hymnodist ever and one of the great English poets in history. If hymn writers or -adapters aren’t poets on the level of Watts, they ought to leave well enough alone. And if they are of Watts’s caliber, they’ll have better things to do with their gift than modifying somebody else’s work.
If you are a pastor or worship leader, or someone else who has a hand in selecting hymns for congregational singing, take care when you consider using these songs. You don’t necessarily have to use the same tunes for old lyrics that have been around for centuries (although many of those tunes would be edifying for your conversation). There are other folks doing great work today in updating older hymns who keep the original texts intact. The best examples I can think of are by the Reformed University Fellowship, compiled in the Indelible Grace albums. They retain the original lyrics of great writers like Watts, Copwer, Newton, and others, pairing them with modern tunes that are usually good and sometimes outstanding.
If you are simply a church member, learn to cultivate a taste for the rich, meaty lyrics that are the legacy hymn writers of the past. Learn to meditate on the stanzas as you’re singing them, and don’t wait for the chorus to really get into the song. Poetry is an acquired taste, but when you learn these hymns and let their truth and beauty sink into your soul, your faith will be deepened and you will find greater delight in the beauty of God.
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Jeff Cavanaugh is pursuing a Master of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Originally from central Ohio, he graduated from Patrick Henry College with a degree in Government. Before moving to Louisville, he spent some time in Washington, D.C. where he interned at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and worked for the White House handling presidential correspondence. He is a member at Third Avenue Baptist Church and hopes to pursue pastoral ministry after finishing seminary. He is married to a wonderful wife, Andrea.
Filed under: Hymns, The Church, Worship
Interesting post. First and foremost, I’d like to say that I love to read through old hymn lyrics; lots of good theology there. I do find many of the old tunes are difficult to sing, so I appreciate the attempts of contemporary composers to update the tunes.
A couple thoughts:
1. About adapting hymns: I think we need to consider that so long as the words are theologically sound, even if the poetry may not be quite so good/balanced, if the modified lyrics aid people in genuine worship of God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, wouldn’t we have to say that is a good thing?
2. Which would God prefer: the imperfect, rudimentary song of a young child or the polished, perfectly balanced lyric of a professional composer?
I understand Karen’s thought process on this subject. My personal opinion concerning the old hymns and new work is more in line with the writer of the article. I enjoy some of the modern songs with contemporary music. I really enjoy old hymns. Put the two together and for some reason I am caught off-guard. I don’t have a theological basis for being taken aback when I hear the blended words of a old hymn and a contemporary change to the song make-up. The reason is simply personal taste. I think new songs should be done as new works and old humns should be done as old hymns. This gives us all the opportunity to appreciate the gifts of new writers and singers and to not forget the works of the hymn writers. The stories , “real life stories” that accompany many of the old hymn’s are a testimony of faith and Providence. When a modern writer or singer tampers with the song I feel as if they have almost cheapened the testimony of the original writer. Music is usually a work of the heart and soul. Borrowing lyrics is not a crime, but it does not bare the fruit of personal testimony on the surface.
I guess it comes down to personal preference. I certainly will not break fellowship with believers who prefer this new style, but I personally enjoy the old hymns just the way they are.
As for Karen I respect your preference.
Brett
Karen,
With regard to your first question: As I’ve noted, theological evaluation of our hymns is important. We should sing only songs that are theologically sound. However, that’s not the only important criterion, and I believe that as Christians we have an obligation to honor God with things that are not only true, but also beautiful. If old lyrics somehow impede our wholehearted worship of God, perhaps we can think about modifying them…though, on the other hand, perhaps we need to grow in response. But I think that a well-composed song that is poetically sound and lyrically beautiful is more glorifying to God than one that is shoddily put together. Along the same lines, I’d say a beautiful, well-constructed building is more glorifying to God than an ugly one or one where the roof has been left unfinished.
With regard to your second question: I’m not God; I can’t say for sure what he’d prefer. But my guess is that He is glorified by a rudimentary song when it comes from a child, and from a polished one when it comes from a hymn writer. We honor God most with our work when we do it as well as we possibly can.
Brett,
I appreciate your comment. I too often prefer the older tunes to old hymns over newer tunes. But I can’t honestly say whether that’s driven by anything more than the fact that I’ve grown up with the older tunes.
I think it bears pointing out that many of the old hymns we sing are set to tunes not composed by the authors of the lyrics. Many of the lyric-tune pairings were made long after the original lyrics were written. Take, for example, the Watts songs I’ve discussed here: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, published in 1707, is normally paired with a tune written in 1824. Join All The Glorious Names, published in 1709, the tune is from 1770. Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed, published in 1707, is paired with at least two different tunes, but the earliest is from 1800.
So, what’s the point? Just that, in many cases, the tunes aren’t original to the lyrics. I don’t think we can therefore make a case for retaining the older tunes on the grounds that they’re somehow more authentic. Also, it’s entirely possible–likely, even–that the “old” tunes no more reflect the musical tastes of the lyrics’ authors than today’s tunes do. After all, the smallest gap between lyrics and tune in the songs above is 63 years. That’s a lot of time for musical styles to change. Think about how much hymn tunes have changed since the 1940s.
The only cases in which I might agree with your argument are those in which the lyrics and tunes are by the same person, composed roughly at the same time. One can make an argument that they’re a hymnodic unit and that we therefore shouldn’t separate them. But even in these cases, it’s entirely possible that a gifted lyricist might not be a very good composer, and that a modern songwriter could do a better job of coming up with a tune to fit the words.
Jeff
I enjoy having friendly conversations on these kind of subjects. It is good to have brothers and sisters who can inform one another on the facts concerning things such as contemporary music accompanying old hymns. I did not know some of the facts you covered in your comment above. Maybe now when I discuss this subject with others I will be more informed. Do you plan to write more on the issues such as this one? If you do I will check in on a regular basis.
Thanks again,
Brett
PS. Karen, I have enjoyed reading your comments here.
I also appreciated the conversation here. I think it’s difficult since we’re all fearfully and wonderfully made, unique creations of God, so we each have different preferences in musical styles and so forth, which therefore presents a huge challenge for those leading us in worship. (For whom we should be praying regularly!) I know it’s often hard for me to put aside my own preferences when I come across a tune, arrangement, etc. that doesn’t really resonate with me. In those cases God catches me and reminds me worship is all about Him, so I pray and make an effort to focus on the words of the song and render to Him the worship that is due His Name.
Enjoy God and enjoy worshiping Him,
Karen
Dustin, thanks for posting this! I was just talking about this with a friend this afternoon. I’ve seen Watts’ song cited as “When we survey the wondrous cross…” rather than “When I…” I don’t know how to confirm which was written by Watts, but it would not at all surprise me that Chris Tomlin or Michael W. Smith (who has also performed the “update” version) would have replaced “we” with “I” in keeping with the increasingly self-oriented nature of today’s Evangelicalism. Do you know if the original is “we survey” or “I survey”?
Phil,
I have not, with initial research, been able to determine authoritatively what Watts originally wrote. To do so, I suspect one would have to have a copy of Watts’ 1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs, where he first published the hymn. Unfortunately, that one just isn’t in my collection.
Still, I can say that every version I’ve ever seen has read “I,” not “we.” If it was originally “we” and was changed at some point, it was an early change and long before Chris Tomlin or Michael W. Smith came on the scene. The oldest hymnal I have access to at the moment is from 1961, and in it this hymn reads “I,” rather than “we.” I’m sure I’ve seen older hymnals where the same was true, and I strongly suspect that “I” is what Watts originally wrote. He did, after all, write a number of hymns and poems in the first person singular, so that wouldn’t have been unusual for him or his contemporaries.
Frankly, I don’t know of many good hymns–old or new–that are written in the first person plural. I think it’s a shame, as I think hymns written this way are wonderful for congregational singing. But I don’t think the answer is to put out a new Ecclesiology Hymnal where all the instances of “I” have been changed to “we.” Rather, I think it calls for a new generation of talented hymn writers to work on music that is specifically aimed at congregational singing.
Jeff
[...] doesn’t bother nearly as what I find out was done to the song. Apparently I’m not the first to notice this trend or the changes made to my favorite song, but I seem to have noticed more than [...]
Thanks for the information, especially since I don’t have a hymnal that old to check. I’ve pulled my post until I can re-work it for accuracy. I, too, wish we had more “we” songs for congregational singing.
[...] did a little search this morning on the song and found this post (http://pastorandpeople.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/dont-mess-with-isaac-watts/) wherein it says, “that in 1885, Ralph E. Hudson took this hymn, “Alas, And Did My Savior [...]