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40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life: A Closer Look at Their Spiritual and Poetic Meaning
We treasure hymns for their messages of comfort or conviction or for their associations with beloved believers and meaningful events. But many hymns are also powerful works of devotional poetry—displaying levels of artistry that we easily miss when we are simply singing through them.
This anthology of great hymns invites us to experience these works as poems—to slow down and savor their well-turned phrases, their surprising metaphors, and their evocative language. English professor Leland Ryken provides historical background and literary analysis for each hymn, finishing each with a Scripture reading to accompany it. The result is a wonderfully devotional and poetic study of the Christian life, drawing on hymns such as "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Be Thou My Vision," "In Christ Alone," and many more.
This anthology of great hymns invites us to experience these works as poems—to slow down and savor their well-turned phrases, their surprising metaphors, and their evocative language. English professor Leland Ryken provides historical background and literary analysis for each hymn, finishing each with a Scripture reading to accompany it. The result is a wonderfully devotional and poetic study of the Christian life, drawing on hymns such as "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Be Thou My Vision," "In Christ Alone," and many more.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2019
61 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Leland Ryken
128 books139 followersDr. Ryken has served on the faculty of Wheaton College since 1968. He has published over thirty books and more than one hundred articles and essays, devoting much of his scholarship to Bible translations and the study of the Bible as literature. He served as Literary Chairman for the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible and in 2003 received the distinguished Gutenberg Award for his contributions to education, writing, and the understanding of the Bible.
He is the father of Philip Graham Ryken
He is the father of Philip Graham Ryken
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 21, 2021
When I die, my memorial service could simply be a lengthy hymn sing. I first heard hymns sung in utero. After I was born, my mom and dad (and my six older siblings) held me as they sang, my baby ear pressed against their chests. Hymns have been the hallmark of my life.
Leland Ryken guides readers through 40 great hymns, looking at each one as a poem. No stories about their origin. No music. He ends each chapter with a biblical passage that was/may have been the inspiration of the poem. Within this literary lens he quotes Aristophanes; Alfred, Lord Tennyson; Northrup Frye, C.S. Lewis, and T.S. Eliot.
I read this as my mother-in-law was dying. Tears spilled as I read the words of Abide with Me, How Great Thou Art, Ye Holy Angels Bright, and that great line in Praise to the Lord, the Almighty: how oft in grief hath not he brought thee relief, spreading his wings to o'ershade thee!
New to me (which I sang along with on YouTube):
Timothy Dudley-Smith's Tell Out, My Soul
A seventh century hymn Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Horatius Bonar's Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God.
I've never sung the magnificent Ye Holy Angels Bright in a congregational setting; I discovered it in 2019 from a Miss Read novel, Affairs at Thrush Green.
Quotes on Come Thou Fount, my favorite hymn. I may have whooped as I read:
Leland Ryken guides readers through 40 great hymns, looking at each one as a poem. No stories about their origin. No music. He ends each chapter with a biblical passage that was/may have been the inspiration of the poem. Within this literary lens he quotes Aristophanes; Alfred, Lord Tennyson; Northrup Frye, C.S. Lewis, and T.S. Eliot.
I read this as my mother-in-law was dying. Tears spilled as I read the words of Abide with Me, How Great Thou Art, Ye Holy Angels Bright, and that great line in Praise to the Lord, the Almighty: how oft in grief hath not he brought thee relief, spreading his wings to o'ershade thee!
New to me (which I sang along with on YouTube):
Timothy Dudley-Smith's Tell Out, My Soul
A seventh century hymn Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Horatius Bonar's Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God.
I've never sung the magnificent Ye Holy Angels Bright in a congregational setting; I discovered it in 2019 from a Miss Read novel, Affairs at Thrush Green.
Quotes on Come Thou Fount, my favorite hymn. I may have whooped as I read:
References to "some melodious sonnet," to being fixed on a mountain of God's love, to raising an Ebenezer, and to divine grace being a fetter (a chain or iron weight to keep a prisoner constrained) to prevent wandering alert us that this is a very poetic composition. Instead of resisting this, we should relish it and rise to the challenge. All we need to do is take the time to analyze the images and metaphors and look up words in a dictionary where necessary. These are the ordinary demands that poetry makes on us by requiring a "slow read."
Since this poem has become a focal point of a contemporary movement to dilute the poetic quality of the great hymns on the premise that we should allow people to remain at their current low level of knowledge, this is a good occasion for us to resolve not to dumb down the great hymnic treasure from the past.
January 22, 2020
This was a slow read when I started - I think for the average reader, (being someone not super involved with poetry or music) the academic nature of the content can be a bit jarring. I suspect in hindsight that I expected it to feel more philosophical or devotional rather than analytical. However, probably halfway through the book I felt like I got the hang of it and really enjoyed making my way through the passages. As with all anthological work, there were passages that resonated with me and ones I didn’t care for as much, but overall I enjoyed it. It was interesting to read hymns I was familiar but through the filter of poetry and see them in a new light. I also found that I wasn’t always familiar with every stanza from the hymns I knew. Also, since the majority of the book is made up of hymns I didn’t know, it was fun to select hymns that I enjoyed as poems and look them up to see how they sound. Overall, I think Ryken tackles an interesting subject in a new light.
June 6, 2019
A refreshing addition to the world of hymnology, since this book focuses on the words to some of our best hymns rather than the history behind them (though history does factor into the analysis at times). Although most of these hymns were quite familiar to me, I found myself considering them in new ways by approaching them as written poetry. With each hymn, I enjoyed analyzing the words myself first and then adding Dr. Ryken's commentary to my own observations. It is amazing how much beauty and truth can be packed into a handful of stanzas! When good form meets good content, something wonderful happens.
Hymns are one of God's greatest gifts to the church. What a shame that so many churches no longer sing them, and that some Christians claim they can't worship God well with a hymn. I am very thankful that hymns have always been a significant part of my life and that this book added another layer to my appreciation for them.
Hymns are one of God's greatest gifts to the church. What a shame that so many churches no longer sing them, and that some Christians claim they can't worship God well with a hymn. I am very thankful that hymns have always been a significant part of my life and that this book added another layer to my appreciation for them.
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April 10, 2025I read this because, and only because, I had to. I found it generally dull. Not because of the hymns - I love to sing hymns. But they are best sung, not read as poetry and then followed by banal reflections. I'm sure there's an ideal reader out there, but it's not me.
November 30, 2021
Leland Ryken has done it again! This is a companion book to 40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life. He looks at the poetry of hymns associated with six different seasons/events: New Year, Good Friday, Easter, Reformation Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Ryken looks more at the literary details than biographical. While most of the selections were familiar, some were new to me. It was fun to look them up on YouTube. Oh, how I love hymns!
The best tidbit: Charles Wesley wrote Hark, the Herald Angels Sing but his friend George Whitefield (please say it so it rhymes with quit, not quite. Thank you.) added some lyrical tweaking.
Wesley's original: Hark, how all the welkin rings. !!???!! (Welkin = archaic for sky)
If that doesn't make you smile, you need to work on your facial muscle exercises.
Whitefield also gave us the phrase "newborn King." ♥
Ryken looks more at the literary details than biographical. While most of the selections were familiar, some were new to me. It was fun to look them up on YouTube. Oh, how I love hymns!
The best tidbit: Charles Wesley wrote Hark, the Herald Angels Sing but his friend George Whitefield (please say it so it rhymes with quit, not quite. Thank you.) added some lyrical tweaking.
Wesley's original: Hark, how all the welkin rings. !!???!! (Welkin = archaic for sky)
If that doesn't make you smile, you need to work on your facial muscle exercises.
Whitefield also gave us the phrase "newborn King." ♥
June 6, 2019
I found the greatest worth of this book was the time spent meditatively reading the hymns. While the familiarity of many caused their well known tunes to move my reading along, I pulled back on the reins and read more deliberately and thoughtfully. Dr. Ryken's insights were a welcome addition but more like frosting on the cake. As one who often leads hymn singing I'm disappointed that I don't see the reality of the words being sung reflected in the countenance of those singing. This book is a excellent resource to contend against that disconnect.
August 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - too often I focus on the music and harmony more than the words and their meaning, so I found it helpful to look at hymns through the lens of poetry.
January 11, 2024
Nice to be introduced to a few new hymns and to see explications of familiar ones.
October 26, 2019
This book was enjoyable and edifying for my personal devotion/prayer time. Leland Ryken takes an in-depth few of 40 hymns (mostly old, but a few newer). As the subtitle suggests, he focuses on their spiritual and poetic meaning. In the introduction, Ryken argues that although singing hymns is wonderful, we sometimes miss the spiritual and poetic meaning in hymns when we sing them. He suggests that it is helpful to simply read the hymns as poems and meditate upon them. I found this to be a very helpful practice. I believe that he was right. There were many hymns in this collection which I have sung a lot and love but my eyes were opened to their deeper meaning when I simply read them as poems and meditated upon the words.
For each hymn Ryken provides the text of the hymn followed by a history of the hymn and/or author, an analysis of the poetry and how it enhances the spiritual meaning of the hymn. He then provides a scripture passage that goes along with the hymn. Learning the history of the hymn and it's author and focusing on the poetry and how the author used poetry to convey his message shed new light upon each hymn. I really think this is a good book for all Christians to read.
Although this book was very good, I could not give it five stars. This was solely based on the layout of the book. To put it simply, it was messy and hard on the eyes. I know of other publishers who would have made this book look much cleaner and more appealing and wish the P&R had done so. It seems as if they were simply trying to save money. I thought this was a shame for such a good book.
For each hymn Ryken provides the text of the hymn followed by a history of the hymn and/or author, an analysis of the poetry and how it enhances the spiritual meaning of the hymn. He then provides a scripture passage that goes along with the hymn. Learning the history of the hymn and it's author and focusing on the poetry and how the author used poetry to convey his message shed new light upon each hymn. I really think this is a good book for all Christians to read.
Although this book was very good, I could not give it five stars. This was solely based on the layout of the book. To put it simply, it was messy and hard on the eyes. I know of other publishers who would have made this book look much cleaner and more appealing and wish the P&R had done so. It seems as if they were simply trying to save money. I thought this was a shame for such a good book.
July 31, 2024
The book contains the texts of the 40 hymns, each followed by a couple pages of discussion by the author, and at least one Bible verse that ties into the hymn. The discussions are specifically about the poetic and thematic demensions of each hymn, with the musical side of things purposefully excluded. I almost gave this three stars. The insights from the author mostly seemed kind of obvious. As seems to always be the case when reading about music, actually listening to or singing the hymns is much better.
April 26, 2020
This book is basically the definition of "short and sweet." Though Leland Ryken is concise in his hymn reflections, he fills each paragraph with edifying content that makes 40 Favorite Hymns excellent to read for devotions (or even to feed hymn-curiosity). Ryken says in the conclusion that "hymns are not second-rate poetry to be mentioned but not studied in literature courses." His book helps unveil the depth of hymns through looking at their simple lines and scriptural significance, showing the prevalence of hymn poetry for all of God's people.
November 22, 2020
Seeing and reading hymns as poems is, for me, a new reading experience. And who better to teach me through this experience than Leland Ryken.
September 16, 2019
Read this book because our church is looking to add more hymns to the music in the worship services. This book was very helpful in critiquing hymns, especially the lyrics. Some of the stories behind hymns are very inspiring!! It is also wonderful to hear of how singing hymns are a help to people in times of trouble, or when in need of comfort. Good book!
July 7, 2020
As a veteran professor of English, Leland Ryken is tremendously qualified to share about the styles of poetry which he discusses in 40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life: A Closer Look at Their Spiritual and Poetic Meaning. Although its design with short essays on each of the forty hymns is set up to function as a devotional book, I found myself unable to discipline myself to reading one devotional each morning as a supplement to my other devotional reading. As a result, a book which should have seen daily use over a month-and-a-half soon was finished only two weeks after I first cracked it. Oh, I managed to stick to one essay/devotional per day for about three days before I started reading at least three per day.
The design of the book is simple. After a brief introduction which reminds readers that the hymnals of an earlier era only had words (no music) in them, he observes that it would probably have been easier to consider the hymns as poems in that format. With that in mind, Ryken begins each essay/devotional with the lyrics of the hymn to be discussed, printed in full. Usually, each hymn begins with either a discussion of its genre or some biographical note about its author. From there, one is either walked through the dominant images/metaphors of the hymn or is directed to the stylistic features and arrangement of the hymn. Naturally, Ryken isn’t finished until he draws from biblical allusions within each hymn and chooses the scripture closest to the theme expressed in the hymn for a devotional close.
Because so many hymns evoke a call to praise or action, Ryken defines the literary term, apostrophe, for the reader. It is most often recognized in the “O, somebody do something…” phrase. For example (although not discussed in the book), one would find it in the opening phrase of “O Come, all ye faithful…” or the classic gospel hymn (also not discussed in this book), “O, soul, are you weary and troubled….” Since I’m always telling my church members to watch out for the rhetorical questions in the Bible, I appreciated Ryken’s concise definition as “a question for which the answer is obvious.” (p. 156). In the Bible, that answer is often to be answered in the negative even as Ryken’s example from a hymn, “What more can he [God] say than to you he has said?” (pp. 45, 156) Of course, the answer is “Nothing!” God has told us all we need to know to come to Him.
The biographical notes are also quite enlightening. Even Ryken admits that the imagery in “Like a River Glorious” seems “over-the-top” with the first stanzas comparison of a peaceful, flowing river with the assurance and contentment of peace God gives, the second stanza’s imagery of God’s strong hand as a safe haven, and the third stanza’s pun where we can judge time from the shining of God’s Son, the Sun of Love (pp. 66-67). But lest one think these are merely platitudes, Ryken describes the author’s (Frances Havergal’s) life from 1874-1876, the latter year being when it was written. First, she nearly died from a persistent illness she had contracted in Wales. Then, her publisher and holder of the U.S. rights to her songs suffered bankruptcy before her book could be published (with the rights tied up in legal wrangling, apparently). Then, the sole copy of a book she had written was destroyed in a fire before it could go to press (p. 67). Knowing that, it will be hard to think of those lyrics as simplistic images or easily proffered sympathies. The hymn was forged in sorrow.
A hymn I have never heard was written by a Puritan minister of the 19th century, “Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God.” Of course, I listened to a youtube performance of it after reading it. But, here again, a bit of background information is helpful is appreciating the message of the poem/hymn. The hymn is a petition to God to make every aspect of the believer’s life full of God’s action. “The Puritan sacramental vision is based on the opposite premise [to that of sacred space] of making all of life sacred by bringing God and spiritual reality into the common life. A typical Puritan statement is that a person who lives with God at the center of his life will find that ‘his shop as well as his chapel is holy ground.’” (p. 138)
40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life: A Closer Look at Their Spiritual and Poetic Meaning will cause those who don’t get to sing hymns in their worship services anymore to ache with nostalgia. But even then, read as a devotional book (one essay per day unless you are as undisciplined as I am), it will be encouraging, as well as offer an appreciation for where our ancestors in faith took their stands in the past. The high rating is because of its excellence as a devotional book. Those looking for deep theological discussion or detailed history need not apply.
The design of the book is simple. After a brief introduction which reminds readers that the hymnals of an earlier era only had words (no music) in them, he observes that it would probably have been easier to consider the hymns as poems in that format. With that in mind, Ryken begins each essay/devotional with the lyrics of the hymn to be discussed, printed in full. Usually, each hymn begins with either a discussion of its genre or some biographical note about its author. From there, one is either walked through the dominant images/metaphors of the hymn or is directed to the stylistic features and arrangement of the hymn. Naturally, Ryken isn’t finished until he draws from biblical allusions within each hymn and chooses the scripture closest to the theme expressed in the hymn for a devotional close.
Because so many hymns evoke a call to praise or action, Ryken defines the literary term, apostrophe, for the reader. It is most often recognized in the “O, somebody do something…” phrase. For example (although not discussed in the book), one would find it in the opening phrase of “O Come, all ye faithful…” or the classic gospel hymn (also not discussed in this book), “O, soul, are you weary and troubled….” Since I’m always telling my church members to watch out for the rhetorical questions in the Bible, I appreciated Ryken’s concise definition as “a question for which the answer is obvious.” (p. 156). In the Bible, that answer is often to be answered in the negative even as Ryken’s example from a hymn, “What more can he [God] say than to you he has said?” (pp. 45, 156) Of course, the answer is “Nothing!” God has told us all we need to know to come to Him.
The biographical notes are also quite enlightening. Even Ryken admits that the imagery in “Like a River Glorious” seems “over-the-top” with the first stanzas comparison of a peaceful, flowing river with the assurance and contentment of peace God gives, the second stanza’s imagery of God’s strong hand as a safe haven, and the third stanza’s pun where we can judge time from the shining of God’s Son, the Sun of Love (pp. 66-67). But lest one think these are merely platitudes, Ryken describes the author’s (Frances Havergal’s) life from 1874-1876, the latter year being when it was written. First, she nearly died from a persistent illness she had contracted in Wales. Then, her publisher and holder of the U.S. rights to her songs suffered bankruptcy before her book could be published (with the rights tied up in legal wrangling, apparently). Then, the sole copy of a book she had written was destroyed in a fire before it could go to press (p. 67). Knowing that, it will be hard to think of those lyrics as simplistic images or easily proffered sympathies. The hymn was forged in sorrow.
A hymn I have never heard was written by a Puritan minister of the 19th century, “Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God.” Of course, I listened to a youtube performance of it after reading it. But, here again, a bit of background information is helpful is appreciating the message of the poem/hymn. The hymn is a petition to God to make every aspect of the believer’s life full of God’s action. “The Puritan sacramental vision is based on the opposite premise [to that of sacred space] of making all of life sacred by bringing God and spiritual reality into the common life. A typical Puritan statement is that a person who lives with God at the center of his life will find that ‘his shop as well as his chapel is holy ground.’” (p. 138)
40 Favorite Hymns on the Christian Life: A Closer Look at Their Spiritual and Poetic Meaning will cause those who don’t get to sing hymns in their worship services anymore to ache with nostalgia. But even then, read as a devotional book (one essay per day unless you are as undisciplined as I am), it will be encouraging, as well as offer an appreciation for where our ancestors in faith took their stands in the past. The high rating is because of its excellence as a devotional book. Those looking for deep theological discussion or detailed history need not apply.
March 1, 2020
This book spoke to me in so many ways.
It is a book not just to be read through but also sung through! Enjoyed doing so as I read the hymns which are first and foremost poems. Was reminded again that it is the speed of singing (as opposed to the quicker pace of reading) that makes words sink in the most.
Prof Leland Ryken (literary editor of the ESV bible and emeritus professor of English at Wheaton College) brings me back to comparative literature and practical criticism of poetry in his pastoral analysis of 40 of the best hymns.
Some background to each hymn is given, but the main focus is on unpacking their spiritual and poetic meaning, the verses or books of the bible that the words are drawn from, as well as the parallels between the old covenant and the new, imagery of the exodus or eschaton.
A wonderful book to slowly sing and ponder through.
#40favoritehymnsonthechristianlife
#lelandryken
#lent
#truthforlifeministries
#readingnationsg #whatareyoureadingsg
#bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookreview #bookpost #lbbreads #ilovereading #lbbreads
It is a book not just to be read through but also sung through! Enjoyed doing so as I read the hymns which are first and foremost poems. Was reminded again that it is the speed of singing (as opposed to the quicker pace of reading) that makes words sink in the most.
Prof Leland Ryken (literary editor of the ESV bible and emeritus professor of English at Wheaton College) brings me back to comparative literature and practical criticism of poetry in his pastoral analysis of 40 of the best hymns.
Some background to each hymn is given, but the main focus is on unpacking their spiritual and poetic meaning, the verses or books of the bible that the words are drawn from, as well as the parallels between the old covenant and the new, imagery of the exodus or eschaton.
A wonderful book to slowly sing and ponder through.
#40favoritehymnsonthechristianlife
#lelandryken
#lent
#truthforlifeministries
#readingnationsg #whatareyoureadingsg
#bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookreview #bookpost #lbbreads #ilovereading #lbbreads
January 25, 2024
🎵I read this with my boys as a morning devotional. Honestly, I probably would give it 5 stars if I had heard better the ones that they read (we took turns reading out loud). Mumbly boys! 🙄
🎵 This book can be read as a devotional like we did, or used as a resource, or read straight through... you can skip around if you like and just read about your favorite hymns.
🎵Each entry takes a closer look at the poetic structure of a favorite hymn. Most of the hymns I knew, but there were a few we skipped because we didn't know them. Understanding the framework of a poem and the archetypes and metaphors being used really gives a deeper level of understanding to what we often sing mindlessly.
🎵There's also a Bible passage accompanying each hymn, typically the passage that the song is inspired by or drawing from.
🎵My one complaint is that I do wish there was a little more discussion and explanation of specific archetypes and metaphors commonly used in hymns. They were mentioned but not explained at length... at least not that I heard. Again, mumbly boys!
🎵 This book can be read as a devotional like we did, or used as a resource, or read straight through... you can skip around if you like and just read about your favorite hymns.
🎵Each entry takes a closer look at the poetic structure of a favorite hymn. Most of the hymns I knew, but there were a few we skipped because we didn't know them. Understanding the framework of a poem and the archetypes and metaphors being used really gives a deeper level of understanding to what we often sing mindlessly.
🎵There's also a Bible passage accompanying each hymn, typically the passage that the song is inspired by or drawing from.
🎵My one complaint is that I do wish there was a little more discussion and explanation of specific archetypes and metaphors commonly used in hymns. They were mentioned but not explained at length... at least not that I heard. Again, mumbly boys!
September 26, 2021
I almost never stop a book midway. I hate not finishing things. But every so often I force myself because I realize I am getting nothing from it and there is no sense throwing good time after bad.
For me, this was one of those books, which was strange because I love hymns and hymnology. Now I don't enjoy poetry and never read it and a large part of this book is looking at hymns as poetry. So maybe someone who appreciates poetry would appreciate this book more than I did. But I often felt like he was telling me how amazed and in wonder I should feel at what he was opening up, but I felt nothing. That could just be me, but it also seems that if you really are opening up wonder and amazement, you don't have to tell the person about how you're doing that for them. They'll know.
Another thing I didn't like is that the author used bigger words than necessary. I have a big vocabulary and I could follow him but I found it off-putting.
For me, this was one of those books, which was strange because I love hymns and hymnology. Now I don't enjoy poetry and never read it and a large part of this book is looking at hymns as poetry. So maybe someone who appreciates poetry would appreciate this book more than I did. But I often felt like he was telling me how amazed and in wonder I should feel at what he was opening up, but I felt nothing. That could just be me, but it also seems that if you really are opening up wonder and amazement, you don't have to tell the person about how you're doing that for them. They'll know.
Another thing I didn't like is that the author used bigger words than necessary. I have a big vocabulary and I could follow him but I found it off-putting.
April 13, 2020
“The great hymns of Christian tradition are an untapped source of devotional poetry, just waiting to be made available for the pleasure and edification of Christians.” (Leland Ryken) In this short book, 40 hymns are highlighted. On this reading, a reading straight though the text, I found many treasures that need to be revisited. The author said dwell “that by subjecting the hymns in this anthology to close reading, I have repeatedly been convicted of my vague impressions and inaccurate assumptions about many hymns.”
My next reading of this excellent book will be in a devotional style, taking the time to absorb and meditate on each hymn individually, perhaps as part of my daily study time, a different hymn each day.
My next reading of this excellent book will be in a devotional style, taking the time to absorb and meditate on each hymn individually, perhaps as part of my daily study time, a different hymn each day.
January 27, 2020
Quite an interesting book. What’s different from other books on hymns is the emphasis of hymns being poets; the author then proceeds to use literary devices to unpack the meanings.
Two criticisms for me: I wish there were more familiar hymns that were included (e.g The Church’s One Foundation; Fairest Lord Jesus) but I understand the limitations of squeezing 40 hymns into a book. Secondly, I wish there were less usage of literacy technical terms. For non literature people reading the book, words such as explication and intertextual can be distracting. That said, the book contains an Annex to explain these terms.
Two criticisms for me: I wish there were more familiar hymns that were included (e.g The Church’s One Foundation; Fairest Lord Jesus) but I understand the limitations of squeezing 40 hymns into a book. Secondly, I wish there were less usage of literacy technical terms. For non literature people reading the book, words such as explication and intertextual can be distracting. That said, the book contains an Annex to explain these terms.
March 23, 2020
I mainly used this as a devotional. Reading through the hymns printed, you read them like poems and perhaps pay a bit more attention to the words.
However, I found the commentary on each hymn a little too analytical in places. As I was using it as a devotional, the methodical work through of each stanza did not lend itself to the way I wanted to read the hymns (but maybe that was just me).
The best commentaries were the ones that expanded on the author of the hymns - their life and struggles. I felt particularly that those gave good context to the hymn itself.
Always worth having a book of collected hymns together though and this one is so beautifully printed.
However, I found the commentary on each hymn a little too analytical in places. As I was using it as a devotional, the methodical work through of each stanza did not lend itself to the way I wanted to read the hymns (but maybe that was just me).
The best commentaries were the ones that expanded on the author of the hymns - their life and struggles. I felt particularly that those gave good context to the hymn itself.
Always worth having a book of collected hymns together though and this one is so beautifully printed.
July 5, 2025
This book gives an in-depth look at some favorite hymns in the Christian faith. Among other things, author explains the meter, the type of poetry, and background of the person who wrote the poem. While the main focus is on the literary analysis of each poem, the other facts he provides adds interest to and understanding of each poem. He removes the music from the poem itself, so readers can focus on the poem itself. While this is helpful in understanding the poems, the addition of music only raises the poems to new heights and enhances what the poem says. I daresay that as you read these poems that became well-known hymns, you will hear that music in your mind.
June 7, 2024
Books about hymns - their history, their message, their authors - are being published in greater frequency, but the emphasis of each varies. This book by Ryken is largely a poetic analysis of the hymns sprinkled with brief historical insights about the authors and translators. If you are looking for something along the lines of Robert Morgan's books (e.g., Then Sings My Soul, multiple volumes), but desire one that focuses more on the lyrics of the hymns themselves, and particularly on their poetic qualities, then you will find a valuable resource here in Ryken's work.
June 10, 2020
This is a good book to examine certain hymns we find in our hymnals. Some of the hymns are better than others but the deeper look you take at them all is refreshing and enjoyable. I used this as a devotional reading one hymn per day. If you are looking for something deep about hymns I don’t recommend this. The author keeps it brief and to the point. You should pick this book up either way!
June 26, 2021
A fantastic and wonderful anthology of hymns! This book provided the perfect devotional setting for the “sing” portion of our daily family worship.
Ryken first has the hymn written out in poem format. Second, he explicates the hymn in great detail and beautiful language. Last, he provides a passage of Scripture that either the hymn writer based their poem on, or which closely describes it.
Ryken first has the hymn written out in poem format. Second, he explicates the hymn in great detail and beautiful language. Last, he provides a passage of Scripture that either the hymn writer based their poem on, or which closely describes it.
February 19, 2022
The author takes 40 hymn texts and studies them from a poetic standpoint. Each reading concludes with a scripture. I enjoyed this book but, although it’s formatted as a devotional, it’s too academic for me to think of it as a devotional. Still enjoyable to read and helpful to think through the richness of the older hymns which are at risk of dying out.
September 1, 2020
This is not a devotional book but it certainly refreshes your sense of devotion and worship to God. It explicates the poetry of 40 select hymns, just the sort of writing you would expect from a literary professor. You will see these old hymns with new insight.
November 25, 2020
I read through this slowly, one hymn at a time. Reading these hymns as individual poems made me think about the words and overall structure in a really different way than when I've sung them. This book makes for good devotional reading.
December 19, 2020
This was a good book, not what I expected. I was hoping it would be more about the authors and why they wrote the hymns but it was more an analysis of the writing structure. It had some information about the authors but not as much as I was hoping for.
July 31, 2023
I’ve always loved old hymns - and have often studied their lyrics/history. The content is really good - probably worth 4 stars - but the overly dramatic narrator almost ruined it for me (or at least made me drop a star).
December 7, 2024
Love Leland Ryken. Love the concept of this book. But for me, it leaned too heavily on poetic technique without going deeper. I’d like to have seen more about the theology of these rich hymns and a more in depth look at the scriptures that inspired them.
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