Hymns for prayer can show us even clearer who God is and why we need Him in our lives.
Have you ever experienced being so overwhelmed by everything happening to you and around you that you just fail to find the words to say to God after “Loving Father” or “Lord Jesus Christ”? It can be frustrating, but remember that God does not need words to understand us.
Still, there will always be times when we want to communicate through words because we want to express what we are feeling. Hymns can help. Some songs just seem to speak to us and for us. We can experience incredible peace by singing or listening to traditional or contemporary hymns.
What are Hymns for Prayer?
What are hymns?
The word “hymns” came from the Greek word “humnos,” which means “ode or song of praise of a God or hero.” They are poems with metrical stanzas. One particular thing about hymns is that they are meant to be sung. Some even say that they are meant for congregational singing.
They are deeply rooted in scripture and have deep resources of insight about our faith, God, heaven, and so much more. Hymns have been present in the lives of believers even before Exodus was written.
There are many instances of believers singing hymns in the Bible. There is an account of Christ Jesus singing a hymn with His disciples when they had the Last Supper (Mark 14:26). Throughout the years, hymns have become an essential part of our worship.
What is the Importance of Hymns in Prayer?
Hymns are praise songs, and many are written as prayers. They are testimonies to the greatness, power, and love of God. It is much easier to talk to God when things are put in the proper perspective.
An excellent example of this is Thou Wilt Keep Him In Perfect Peace. Another message that hymns carry is submission, like Have Thine Own Way, Lord, and Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us. Others express their need for God’s help like Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, and Precious Lord, take my hand. Some talk about how precious prayer and prayer time is, like, Sweet Hour of Prayer.
By singing hymns, we are reminded of how great, loving, and faithful God is, making prayer much more beautiful. Hymns remind us who we are talking to and bring a fresh wave of appreciation for God, leading to a healthier relationship with Him.
What is the Connection of Hymns to Prayer?
Hymns have at least one of the components of prayer, adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. They also proclaim theological facts that help us know God better, an objective of prayer. Hymns can help us make our prayer life better.
Some churches even sing Amen at the end of traditional hymns because they treat them as prayers. Singing hymns before praying can also help us focus on God and our communication with Him. It can remind us of who God is and of our relationship with Him.
10 Best Hymns for Prayer
Songs are mysterious because only they can reach a particular part of our hearts and cannot find an explanation for it. Here are some of the top hymns that can help you with your prayer life.
“As for Me and My House” By John Waller
Idols raised, tear them down
Cause we will serve the Lord
We will serve the Lord
We will not give our hearts to another
Will not give our hearts to another
We belong to the Lord
These lines from the song remind us that no matter what others say around us, what matters at the end of the day is if we choose to serve God or not. The phrase, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord,” can be found in Joshua 24:15. Joshua made this declaration in response to all the pagan religions around them.
What goes on around us and what others say should weigh in choosing who we serve. We should always choose to serve God in any circumstance at any given time. As the song goes, we belong to the Lord, so may He always find our hearts in Him and none other.
“Lead Me To The Cross” by Hillsong United
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross
We all have people and things that we hold dear in our lives. We all have achievements, milestones, and even people we are proud of. Songs like this remind us that a relationship with God is essential.
A relationship with God points us towards a healthy relationship with others. Still, we must remember that God should always come first in our lives, and everything we hold dear will fall into place.
“Lord, I Need You” By Matt Maher
Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
These lyrics speak deep into our hearts. We are sinful, but God sees us be worthy of saving. He has showered us with grace we never deserved. We can always expect to find grace in the presence of God. With God, we are free to become who we are no matter what.
Some people may find us undesirable or unworthy, but God does not. We are precious in His sight, and He always looks at us lovingly. We are free from fear and shame. God has made us new and given us the right to be called His children.
“Goodness of God” By Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson
I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God
Christians can testify that sometimes, in life, we find ourselves lost in the dark. But even in the deepest and darkest of pits, Jesus is always there for us to save us and bring us back home. The Spirit of God is always with us.
Just like a parent, He hears us when we pray. He gives us rest. He takes care of our souls. Songs may not be enough to proclaim the glory and goodness of Jesus Christ, but it is just one thing that we can do for Him.
“Lift You High” By Housefires
Come let us Sing to the Lord
Come let us Bow down before Him
His Banner is Love Over Us
His Mercies are new every morning
The earth is full of the temptation of the flesh. Fortunately for us, Jesus Christ gives us an invitation to accept His support, to open our souls, and hear His voice. Then we can focus on singing His praises. Our Redeemer loves us so much that He never runs out of mercy for us. We shall stand and sing His praises in the kingdom.
“Thank You, Lord” by Paul Baloche
With a grateful heart, with a song of praise
With an outstretched arm, I’ll bless Your Name
The heart, the mouth, and the hands are big symbols when it comes to following Jesus. The heart is the symbol of the sum of everything we are. Our mouth reflects what our heart contains. It tells people who we are. Our hands symbolize our actions, the manifestations of our beliefs and principles. If all these three are aligned with God’s will, we can easily lay down our lives at the feet of God and say, “Take my life, keep it pure, and away from the sins of this world.”
“The Lord’s Prayer” by Shane & Shane
All Yours is the kingdom, the
power the glory forever
The world is hungry and thirsty for power. We clamor to get ahead of one another. Giving credit and praises to someone else can sometimes be unthinkable in this competitive world. But, the truth is that God holds all the power. God deserves all the glory.
“Fill Me Up” by Will Reagan
You provide the fire
And I’ll provide the sacrifice
You provide the Spirit
And I will open up inside
Many people miss the fact that we have a role to play in answering our prayers. We would not pray before an exam and expect God to give us a passing grade without studying. We do not expect God to provide us with a happy home life when we refuse to put in the effort and work for our loved ones. God gives us the privilege of taking part in His will. All we have to do is submit and obey.
“Run To The Father” By Cody Carnes
I’ve carried a burden
For too long on my own
I wasn’t created
To bear it alone
I hear Your invitation
To let it all go
Yeah, I see it now
I’m laying it down
And I know that I need You
We all carry burdens that sometimes feel too much to bear. It can be responsibilities, shame, guilt, pressure, fear, etc. Whatever it is, Jesus is giving us an invitation to lay them all down and let Him take care of us because He cares (1 Peter 5:7).
“Give Us Clean Hands” by Chris Tomlin
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit, come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord, we cast down our idols
Offering God our hearts on our knees shows complete submission and humility. It shows that we acknowledge His power over us and that we trust this power because we trust His love. This surrender enables us to cast down anything that prevents us from praising God and spreading His love and word.
In Summary
Hymns may not differ from a spoken prayer, praise, declaration, or statement regarding their structure. But, hymns hold so much power and cause huge impacts on people’s lives. Hymns reach deep into our hearts and give comfort, encouragement, instruction, and even a better understanding of ourselves and God.