About the Series:
Christian hymns that have been sung over and over down through the years find a home in our hearts. In the oddest moments we begin humming their tunes and remembering their words. In moments of happiness, we use them to express joy and praise. In time of pain and sorrow, they bring us solace. These songs link us to congregations from centuries ago, to the communities we have sung with at other times in our lives, and to Christians around the world today who are singing the same hymns in different languages.
Nancy Roth, an Episcopal priest, educator, and spiritual director has written a series of three books on using hymns for meditation. These handy resources are designed to be used in conjunction with Poems of Grace, the text-only version of The Hymnal 1982. "When we take the time to look through the 'window' a hymn provides, it does not remain a one-way glass," Roth writes. "Gradually, if we take the time, the hymn begins to speak to us as well. It addresses us from across time and space. It begins to speak to our spirits. Through the hymn, we begin to hear the voice of God, and the hymn, in turn, becomes our prayer."
Roth presents a brief historical look at the hymn and its author along with a meditation that can be used as a spur to personal devotion or as a study program in Christian education. She suggests a meditative pattern for processing the hymns by preparing, picturing, pondering, gathering, and singing. The hymns chosen follow the church year, beginning with Advent and including all Sundays and major Holy Days.
About this volume:
This volume has meditations on hymns by G. K. Chesterton, Clement of Alexandria, John Newton, Henry van Dyke, and many others. Roth notes that Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is based on Psalm 46 and was written around 1527-1528 when his community was experiencing an outbreak of the plague, his 95 Theses were 10 years old, one of his followers had been martyred, and his wife was pregnant with their second child. Luther was working on an exposition of The Lord's Prayer with the line "thy kingdom come," which may explain the hymn's final declaration "his kingdom is for ever."
Roth notes that the imagery in "Holy, Holy, Holy" comes from the Bible's Book of Revelation in which John's vision has four creatures singing those words without ceasing. "Holy, holy, holy" is also the song of the seraphim in Isaiah. We must confess this majestic hymn is one of our favorites.