"How Sweet the Sound" (Laura L. Smith)

TITLE: How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns
AUTHOR: Laura L. Smith
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Our Daily Bread Publishing, 2020, (256 pages).

Music has a strange power to move us. It helps us remember thoughts and words written way back in the past. It also brings back memories of our experiences of old. It also creates new experiences as the music connects our being with words that reflect how we feel. Hymns are one of the most visible and audible signs of a Christian community. Regardless of the traditional vs contemporary worship wars, most of us would recognize the unique place of hymns. We may not sing them as often in some modern churches, but we do appreciate how they have impacted Christian communities but also society at large. Hymns such as "Amazing Grace," "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee" have been used even in secular places and situations such as funerals and weddings. If you want to know the stories behind these popular hymns, how the hymn speaks to people then and to us now, and the reasons why the hymns are considered "beloved," this book answers all of that curiosity. The "Doxology" is a hymn of unity. Praises help us express gratitude. Hymns are infused with Scripture to point us back to God through the Word. Singing hymns enable us to declare our hope and security in Christ. They stir us to action. They give us words and music to express our emotions. They bring us peace and joy; hope and humility; assurance; and many more. 

Author Laura Smith have chosen 30 beloved hymns from the public domain. For Christians who have been attending church services for years, many of the hymns would look familiar. Each of the thirty hymns comes forth with a central theme where Smith would guide us through the lyrics to explain how the hymn connects Scripture with our emotions. She gives readers some questions to contemplate as well. 

My Thoughts

If you are a worship leader, this book should be one of the top resources to use to help us connect our music with the words. We don't have to be of the older generation just to appreciate the hymns. Many contemporary musicians have used and updated the older hymns with modern music. Worship leaders can creatively do the same or to adapt their music with the words of truth. Leading worship can be an educational experience as well. We don't have to abandon the old just to make room for the new. We can adapt the powerful truths of old and teach it to our younger generation. There is something quaint and touching with regard to the background and powerful effects of these 30 hymns. Dismiss them at your peril.

If you are a Bible study leader or group facilitator, this book provides us a way toward singing acapella together with the people. Sometimes, there are situations in which there are no musicians to provide background music. When that happens, it is always possible to lead with our vocals alone. After all, the most powerful musical instrument is our voice. Plus, the hymn chapters in this book can be a study or discussion guide in itself! Perhaps, once in a while, squeeze in a chapter or two from this book to supplement one's regular Bible study sessions.

Finally, for the layperson, this book helps us appreciate the hymns and songs more in the hope that it will deepen our worship experience. The different hymns collected in this book cover a wide range of emotional needs. At the same time, they all point us to the same God of the Word. They stir our hearts to sing together with the rest of the congregation. May God help us worship better with this helpful resource.

Laura L. Smith is a best-selling author and speaker. She loves Jesus, her husband, her four kiddos, music, books, coffee, France, and chocolate. Smith lives in the college town of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Our Daily Bread Publishing and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.