The Preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us: ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens … A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance … a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing’ (Ecc. 3:1, 4, 5). So, in a time of uncertainty, what should we sing?
As the world responds to the pandemic of Covid-19, Christ invites His people, as always, to approach the throne of God with confidence to find help in our time of need (Heb. 4:16). The hymns of the faith, both ancient and modern, offer us a vocabulary for expressing our fears, anxieties, and ques-tions to the one who hears.
Many churches have decided to cancel their gatherings out of concern for those most vulnerable to the virus. These are exceptional times. There’s no substitute for meeting with God’s people in the local church and letting the word dwell in us rich-ly as we sing (Col. 3:16). Yet, though many believers may be temporarily separated, this isn’t a time to stay silent. Now, as ever, the Christian sings.
