Sung worship

Christians have sung songs to God for as long as there’s been a Church. We draw on Israel’s ancient songbook of the Psalms, and offer songs of praise (for what God has done), adoration (for who God is), lament (bringing difficult situations to God) and supplication (asking God to act). There are overlaps between the types of worship, and with prayer, as hinted in our earlier section. 

Most Christian church services will include sung worship. These may be Psalms, hymns (songs that date from before the last 50 years or so), modern songs, or spontaneous. As with other music, lyrics vary from being in “simple English” or repeating short phrases, to being longer or incorporating more academic language. Instruments vary! 

As with prayer there is no “one size fits all” and we encourage exploration of the sample resources collected below.

Further resources

Pentecostal and charismatic artists
Delirious
Matt Redman 
New Wine
Sinach
Uche X

Contemplative artists 
Iona
Taize (see our Prayer section)

Good for community worship 
Stuart Townsend

Good for lament and deconstruction
Chris Llewyn

Hymns
Songs of Praise (multiple volumes)
Wee Worship Book