• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Archives

Hobo Theology

Theology | Bible | Soul

The Moment We Most Glorify God in Singing

by Derek Leave a Comment

In the church, there is much concern about singing the right songs. After all, we want to glorify God and edify believers.

So, how do we do that? Which songs or types of songs are best? C.S. Lewis, as usual, provides an intriguing answer.

Lewis (1996) observes this about church music:

“The first and most solid conclusion which (for me) emerges is that both musical parties, the High Brows and the Low, assume far too easily the spiritual value of the music they want. Neither the greatest excellence of a trained performance from the choir, nor the heartiest and most enthusiastic bellowing from the pews, must be taken to signify that any specifically religious activity is going on. It may be so, or it may not.” (p. 240)

His first point is that singing the songs you view as the best ones does not mean something spiritual or even good is happening. Why? Lewis later explains it is because we must consider our intentions. Our intentions shape our worship, whether it is glorifying or edifying. If, in our selection of worship songs, we have an attitude of superiority or selfishness, as good as the song may be in itself, our singing of it will not glorify God or edify us.

When do we most glorify God and edify the church? It actually might be at the very moment we sing songs we do not like. At that moment, Lewis explains:

“To both, Church Music will have been a means of grace; not the music they have liked, but the music they have disliked. They have both offered, sacrificed, their taste in the fullest sense.” (p. 241)

In other words, when we sing songs we don’t like, we actually have the best shot at loving our neighbors and thereby glorifying God.

It’s when you’re singing that old hymn you can’t stand or echoing that new praise chorus which irritates you that you have the greatest chance to put someone else before you and thus love your neighbor and glorify God.

In that surprising turn, we may perhaps most please God in our singing.

Lewis, C. S. (1996). The Collected Works of C.S. Lewis. Inspirational Press.

Enjoyed the post? Pass it on:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related


Discover more from Hobo Theology

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Worship

Reader Interactions

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Primary Sidebar

just one beggar
telling another beggar
where to find bread

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
  • RSS Feed

Follow on Fediverse:

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 213 other subscribers

Recent

  • Matthew 7.13-20
  • Joy and Privilege of Busyness
  • Why Evaluate a Profession of Faith
  • As You Can
  • Read the New Testament in 2025

Tags

1 Corinthians Apologetics Bible C.S. Lewis Chasing Soul Christ Is Risen Christmas Church Easter Ecclesiology Evangelicalism Exegesis Faith Family Gospel Grace Incarnation Jesus Leadership Mark ministry NL Our God Passion 2016 Pastoring Prayer Prayers Preaching Psalm 103 resurrection Sabbath Sabbath Dimensions Sanctification Solitude Solitude 101 Soul Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual Disciplines 101 Spirituality Student Ministry The Gospel Coalition Conference 2013 Theology Tim Keller Timothy Keller Worship

Copyright Hobo Theology © 2025

%d