SONGS

Maybe you’ve heard St. Augustine’s idea that to sing once is to pray twice.

Did you know?

Bach- as in J. S. Bach once composed an elaborate musical sermon each week, offering an extended cantata to respond to the sermon texts of the day.

Instead of thinking of singing as something that occurs in between worship elements, we can think of songs as serving a purpose integral to the worship element.

We don't just sing songs, we pray songs, we lament in song, we praise God in song, we confess in song, we proclaim in song, and we tell our story in song.

Below are examples of hymns that the Early Church sang that were quoted in Scripture writings by the early Apostles:

Philippians 2:5-11

Colossians 1:15-20

1 Timothy 3:16

Hebrews 1:1-3

1 Peter 2:21-25

Philippians 2

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏍᏕᏍᏗ ᏕᏣᏓᏅᏖᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎾᏍᏉ ᏧᏓᏅᏖ ᎦᎶᏁᏛ ᏥᏌ;

Na-s-gi hi-a nu-s-de-s-di de-tsa-da-nv-te-s-di, na-s-gi-ya na-s-quo tsu-da-nv-te Ga-lo-ne-dv Tsi-sa;

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᏣᎦᏟᎶᏍᏔᏅᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎥᏝ ᎦᏓᎾᏌᎲᏍᎦ ᏰᎵᏍᎨ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏄᏛᏅᎢ.

Na-s-gi U-ne-la-nv-hi tsa-ga-tli-lo-s-ta-nv-hi ge-sv-i, v-tla ga-da-na-sa-hv-s-ga ye-li-s-ge U-ne-la-nv-hi na-s-gi-ya nu-s-dv nu-dv-nv-i.

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

ᎠᏎᏃ ᎾᏥᎸᏉᏛᎾ ᏄᏓᏛᏁᎴ ᎤᏩᏒ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᏥᏅᏏᏓᏍᏗ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏄᏓᏛᏁᎴᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏴᏫ ᏄᎾᏍᏛ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁᎢ;

A-se-no na-tsi-lv-quo-dv-na nu-da-dv-ne-le u-wa-sv, a-le a-tsi-nv-si-da-s-di nu-s-dv na-s-gi-ya nu-da-dv-ne-le-i, a-le yv-wi nu-na-s-dv na-s-gi-ya nu-li-s-ta-ne-i;

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

ᎠᎴ ᏴᏫ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎨᏎᎢ, ᎤᏩᏒ ᎾᏥᎸᏉᏛᎾ ᏄᏓᏛᏁᎴᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏬᎯᏳᎯᏍᏛ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏁ ᎠᏲᎱᎯᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎬᏗᏍᎩ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏓᏓᎿᏩᏍᏛ ᎠᏲᎱᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ.

A-le yv-wi na-s-gi-ya nu-s-dv ge-se-i, u-wa-sv na-tsi-lv-quo-dv-na nu-da-dv-ne-le-i, a-le u-wo-hi-yu-hi-s-dv nu-li-s-ta-ne a-yo-hu-hi-s-di ge-sv gv-di-s-gi, na-s-gi da-da-hna-wa-s-dv a-yo-hu-hi-s-do-di ge-sv-i.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᏉ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎤᏣᏘ ᎦᎸᎳᏗᏳ ᎤᏌᎳᏓᏅ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏁᎸ ᏧᏙᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏟ ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ ᎡᏍᎦᏉ ᏂᎦᎥ ᏧᎾᏙᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ,

Na-s-gi i-yu-s-di na-s-quo U-ne-la-nv-hi u-tsa-ti ga-lv-la-di-yu u-sa-la-da-nv, a-le u-ne-lv tsu-do-s-do-di ge-sv-i, na-s-gi u-tli ga-lv-quo-di-yu e-s-ga-quo ni-ga-v tsu-na-do-s-do-di ge-sv-i,

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏥᏌ ᏚᏙᎥ ᏂᎦᏗᏳ ᏧᎾᎵᏂᏆᏁᏗᏱ ᎾᏍᏉ ᎦᎸᎶᎢ ᎠᏁᎯ, ᎠᎴ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎠᏁᎯ, ᎠᎴ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎭᏫᏂᏗᏢ ᎠᏁᎯ;

Na-s-gi Tsi-sa du-do-v ni-ga-di-yu tsu-na-li-ni-qua-ne-di-yi na-s-quo ga-lv-lo-i a-ne-hi, a-le e-lo-hi a-ne-hi, a-le e-lo-hi ha-wi-ni-di-tlv a-ne-hi;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᏗᏳ ᏗᎦᏃᎦ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᎢᏳᏅᏁᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏥᏌ ᎦᎶᏁᏛ ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎦᎸᏉᏗᏳ ᎢᏳᏩᏁᎯ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᎦᏴᎵᎨᎢ.

A-le ni-ga-di-yu di-ga-no-ga gv-ni-ge-sv i-yu-nv-ne-di ge-se-s-di na-s-gi Tsi-sa Ga-lo-ne-dv U-gv-wi-yu-hi ge-sv-i, ga-lv-quo-di-yu i-yu-wa-ne-hi ge-se-s-di U-ne-la-nv-hi A-ga-yv-li-ge-i