Three of my Favorite Hymns You Should Listen to Today

I love to sing and listen to hymns. To me, they are so much more meaningful and glorifying to God than the contemporary Christian songs today’s churches are so inclined to sing. We all love hymns at my church! There is something about the old familiar melodies and lyrics that fill me with a sense of peace and joy and sometimes a bit of nostalgia.

There are three hymns in particular that stand out to me as my favorites, and it’s likely that you have heard all three of them: It is Well with my Soul, Great is thy Faithfulness, and Be Thou my Vision.

It is Well with my Soul was written in 1828 by Horatio Spafford, a man who, at the time, had lost all four of his children in a shipwreck. He wrote this song in his deep grief, refusing to turn away from God in this dark time in his life, declaring, “It is well with my soul.” This song is a reminder that no matter what, whether it be peace like a river, or sorrows like sea billows, God is ultimately in control and has redeemed us to Him, and therefore we can trust in Him and rest in His peace. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3.

Great is thy Faithfulness was written by Thomas Chisholm and set to music by William M. Runyan in 1923. It is a lovely hymn of adoration to God, praising Him for His faithfulness and the fact that He will never change. “As thou hast been, thou forever will be.” We see His new mercies every morning and His compassions will never fail. He provides all we need and pardons our sins and offers us His peace. I think this song relates well to Psalm 23, regarding God’s mercy and care for His children. Verse 1-3a: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” And verse 6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Be Thou my Vision is a traditional Irish hymn. It is a call to keep God and His Word ever before us, our focus, first in our hearts. It is a prayer that God would be our Vision and that we would always be focused on Him, not swayed by the things of this world, whether it be riches or man’s empty praise. He is to be our “Best thought, by day or by night.” Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

These three hymns have encouraged me in my walk with the Lord and are excellent reminders of Who I should be focusing on instead of myself. I encourage you to listen to these whenever you have the chance!