Title: Then Sings My Soul
Author: Robert J. Morgan
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: 2003
Pages: 308
Then Sings My Soul (book review)
Most people who grew up in the church and are over the age of forty probably remember singing many different hymns in the church services. Many who have sung those hymns can probably still sing most of them by memory to this day. Although many still remember those songs, most do not know any history behind the writing of those hymns.
Robert J. Morgan set down to write down a brief look at the stories behind the writing of 150 songs that were very popular for many years in the church, some of which are still popular and well known. For each song he put a copy of the complete song on one page and on the adjoining page tells its story.
One of my personal favorite hymns, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, was written by Joseph M. Scriven. Robert tells of how Joseph was to be married and suddenly his fiancé dies, and then after leaving his mother to live in another nation and do ministry there, his mother faces a major crisis. He wrote a poem that became the words of this song. Joseph fell in love again, and again this one died of a sickness before the wedding could occur. Later he also became very ill and delirious. Under the delirium he walked outside and fell into a creek and died. Through it all, he maintained that he had a friend in Jesus despite all the troubles in his life.
With each song there is a story that brought about the song. Some are very sad, and others are very joyful circumstances. In all of the stories, they point a person back to God, who He is and what His word says.
This book is an easy read and will bring back many memories of songs once sung for those who grew up in the church that sang hymns. Robert also encourages the reader to worship God and sing a song from one’s own heart with one’s own words.
I also encourage you to read this book and begin to worship God anew as you see what God has done in your own personal life. Find the song that mirrors what you have gone through or are desiring to tell God or others about and sing it.
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