Reflections on Praise Music

(Or why I wish they would just sing hymns now and then at my church, because honestly.)

So today in church, we sang this song.

And there is nothing wrong with this song, really. It's better than some that if you think about your significant other you're just as well off as if you're thinking about Jesus. But it's still not a hymn. Especially because as we launched into the first verse, I looked at Tim and blurted out, "Wait...isn't this The Living Years?"

You know, this song, by Mike and Mechanics.



Sure, it's not a perfect match, but it's close enough that we were both a little fascinated for the duration of the song.

If I just ruined it for you, I apologize.

On the other hand, it might just be me. Sometimes when Tim is playing Guild Wars 2, I start humming A Mighty Fortress is Our God, because there are several sections of the game where the music lifts heavily from that hymn. Also the Doxology. (Here's a fun exercise, listen to the sounds of someone killing weird magical creatures while humming the Doxology. It's a bizarre juxtaposition.)