Sojourner #078: Singing The Word With The Sing! Hymnal

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

One of the clearest threads woven through Scripture is this simple truth: redeemed people are a singing people. After the exodus came the song (Ex. 15). After Christ purchased the church with His blood came the command: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16).

Singing the truth of the Scriptures is essential to the ministry, maturity, and mission of the local church.

What we sing matters more than we think.

Scripture teaches that singing is one of the means by which the Lord implants His truth into our hearts. Moses commanded Israel to learn a song so that it would “be a witness” for them and bring God’s words to remembrance (Deut. 31:19–22).

The Psalms are filled with the pattern of truth sung and internalized: “I have stored up your word in my heart” (Ps. 119:11) and “My tongue will sing of your word” (Ps. 119:172). Paul demonstrates that singing is not merely expressive but formative, through our songs “we teach and admonish one another” (Col. 3:16). 

What the church sings becomes a form of corporate discipleship, shaping our understanding of God, anchoring our hope in Christ, and training our hearts to trust His promises. When we sing Scripture-saturated truth, we are strengthened in faith (Rom. 10:17), encouraged in endurance (Ps. 42:8), and knit together in unity (Eph. 5:19).

This is why the people of God have always guarded the content of their worship: the church becomes what she sings. Therefore, we must sing the Gospel on every occasion and in every season, defending the content of our music against all enemies, foreign and domestic, for all other ground is sinking sand. 

In that same spirit, The Sing! Hymnal from Crossway arrives as a deeply welcome resource for congregations longing for worship that is biblically anchored, doctrinally rich, emotionally honest, and globally minded. Guided by Keith and Kristyn Getty and shaped by pastors, scholars, and hymnwriters, this hymnal feels less like a product and more like a wonderful companion, crafted to build up the church across the generations, by faith in Christ alone.

At nearly five hundred selections, the collection carries the breadth of the Christian tradition while maintaining a commitment to theological clarity. In an era when worship is often driven by preference or novelty, the editors here aim to recover something far older and far healthier: worship shaped by the Word of God.

As one opens the book, Scripture readings, psalm pairings, and historic prayers frame the songs so that congregations are not simply singing truth but being formed by it as they join together to sing together about what Christ has done for us.

Leaders across the global church have recognized this strength. John Piper notes that the hymns the Gettys have championed help believers “express truth that accords with God’s Word and affections that accord with God’s worth.”

Similarly, Alistair Begg commends the hymnal for leaving “no doubt that true praise and worship begins with God and His glory, not man and his need.” And Mark Dever observes that for decades the Lord has used the Gettys “to introduce rich hymns into the bloodstream of our churches,” praying that this project will further strengthen that work.

These endorsements reflect a unified conviction that healthy churches sing healthy theology. The great hymns and songs of the faith, both old and new, are “singable Bible studies,” as Robert Morgan puts it. When the church’s songs are full of Scripture, her people are strengthened in faith, emboldened in mission, and anchored in the gospel.

For missionaries, church planters, and church revitalization efforts alike, a hymnal like this is invaluable. It is durable, pastorally arranged, and intentionally suited for congregational use. A young church plant with few musicians can benefit from its clarity. A revitalizing church can regain theological depth through well-chosen hymns. Families can use it for catechesis and devotion. Individuals can carry it as a companion to the Scriptures.

Sandra McCracken captured the heart of the project well: “We are shaped by what we sing… invited into gospel alignment when we sing together the hymns of the faith.” That is the aim of this hymnal, to bring the church into gospel alignment through the beauty of biblically grounded song. And this is something that the church is realizing in real time. Woodward Avenue Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, along with many other congregations around the world, have ordered cases of these hymnals for use in their services.

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Here at Sojourner, we believe in singing, preaching, reading, and practicing the Word of God. And we invite you to do the same, to share our conviction, to preach Christ crucified, and be forever changed by knowing Him through His Word, for His glory and for the good of His people.

For all these reasons and many more, we gladly commend The Sing! Hymnal to you. Whether you shepherd a congregation, lead a mission, disciple your family, or long for richer personal worship, this hymnal will serve you well and strengthen your walk with Christ.

Reviewed by Sojourner Magazine — We received this book in exchange for an honest review from Crossway Publishing.

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