31st August 2025

I recently saw on Facebook a phrase which read, ‘If your theology doesn’t lead to song, then there is something wrong with your theology.’ As I thought about that statement it seemed to me that whenever God’s saving works are considered, people burst into a song of praise.

When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, Moses led them in song, ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted…The Lord is my strength and my defence; he has become my salvation.’ (Exodus 15:1-2). This was followed by Miriam’s song accompanied by tambourines and dancing (vv.20-21).

When Isaiah spoke of God’s salvation he concluded, ‘Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy…’ (Isaiah 12:5-6)

Then, as the host of heaven considered the great salvation we have received through Jesus Christ, they sang a new song exclaiming, ‘Worthy is the Lamb’ (Revelation 5:9-12). John, in vision, ‘…looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand’ (v.11), all lifting their praises to God, singing one song. 

Whenever I’ve sung Charles Wesley’s hymn, O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing, this verse has come to mind and I’ve thought, wouldn’t it be nice to be in a group of a thousand people singing God’s praises. But that is not what Wesley was referring to. He wrote the hymn after hearing a chance remark from Peter Bohler, ‘Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise Christ Jesus with all of them.’ ¹  In his hymn Wesley was not saying that it would be nice to have a thousand people to sing praises to God, rather, he was making it more personal than that: he wanted to have a thousand tongues so he could praise God with each one of them.

If we are filled with the Spirit and we are keeping in step with him, then this too would be our desire. As Paul writes, ‘…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:18-19).

Are we continually offering praise to God through Jesus? Does our theology lead to song? If not, might there be something wrong? 

¹  O for a Thousand Tongues | Hymnary.org

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church