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All you have to do is watch the evening news – or watch it on your phone throughout the day – and panic can set in about the stability of our future and this country.
War, disease and an increasingly difficult economy can make anyone uncertain, anxious or fearful about their future.
Yet, in all its forms, worship can reset our hearts and minds to things above (Colossians 3:2) and remind us that this earth is not our home (John 15:19). Ephesians 5:18-19 commands us to be “filled with the Spirit, speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and singing heartily with the Lord” not only as our witness in this world but as our survival in the dark. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that reinforce God’s unchanging love and faithfulness, his sovereign power over all creation, and his ability to help us overcome, can build our faith during days when fear of future might otherwise consume us.
Whether it’s psalms set to music, old hymns returning, or new songs especially relevant to what’s happening today, here are some worship songs to bolster your faith when the future seems uncertain.
The Solid Rock
Originally composed by William Bradbury over 160 years ago, this classic anthem has undergone several renovations over the years. However, his original lyrics by Edward Mote still ring true today and provide comfort in these ever-changing times.
My hope is built on nothing less than the blood and righteousness of Jesus
I dare not trust the sweetest frame but I lean completely on the name of Jesus
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is flowing sand
All other ground is flowing sand
This song reminds us that “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in difficulties. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth changes, and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2).
We need this reminder that he is our rock, not our roller coaster, our immovable and ever-reliable rock of refuge in these uncertain and ever-changing times.
Great is your faithfulness
With words by Thomas Chisholm, this old hymn reminds us of God’s faithfulness from eternity to eternity. Based on Lamentations 3:22-23, this song reassures us that “His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.”
What a comfort to know that, according to this song of worship:
There is no shadow to turn with you;
You do not change, your compassions do not fail;
As you were, you will be forever.
In an uncertain economy that is sure to get worse before it gets better, we can have confidence in praising him for his consistent loyalty and singing:
Morning after morning new mercies I see
Everything I needed, your hand provided –
Great is their faithfulness, Lord, to me.
The battle belongs
Proverbs 21:31 tells us, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Kristi Foss, a longtime leader currently serving at Thrive Church in Central California, said, “A lot of the songs are about overcoming a battle. Because of COVID and other situations, people are dropping out of church or finding that their faith is something they really need to take seriously. Because of this, she sees a resurgence in people’s faith and a desire to worship God for who he is and all he can do.
“A lot of the new songs today aren’t as cliched. Worship songs are now taking a deeper path. I think it’s because of what 2020 has done. There were a lot of songs that came out about fear and hope and about God being in control.
One of the new songs his congregation is holding back is The battle belongsrreleased in 2020 by Phil Wickham, who encourages us with these lyrics:
When all I see is battle, you see my victory
When all I see is the mountain, you see a mountain moved
And as I walk in the shadows Your love surrounds me
There’s nothing to fear now ’cause I’m safe with you
So when I fight, I fight on my knees
With my hands raised high
Oh God the battle is yours
And every fear I lay at your feet
I will sing all night
Oh God the battle is yours
And if you are for me, who can be against me? Yeah
For Jesus, there is nothing impossible for you
When all I see is ashes, you see beauty
thank God
When all I see is a cross, God, you see the empty tomb
Almighty fortress, you precede us
Nothing can resist the power of our God
You shine in the shadows; You win every battle
Nothing can resist the power of our God
Never walk alone
A constant encouragement to believers is Hebrews 13:5, where we are told that God said, “I will never forsake you, and I will never forsake you.” Hillsong’s Never walk alone by Ben Fielding, Hannah Hobbs and Jenn Johnson reminds us of God’s promise never to forsake us, that we have an inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6; Ephesians 1:11-14), and that He is our strength and shield (Psalm 28:7).
The chorus boosts our confidence with these words:
I never walked alone
I have never been abandoned
you are my legacy
You are my strength and my shield
And I trust
You go before me
You are my liberator
I know I never walk alone
The song praises God for his faithfulness, that he is strong and able, and that he is our providence. It also contains this reminder:
Every hour
Every minute
You were always there
you are a believer
And you always will be
In every triumph
Every failure
You are faithful to me
you are a believer
And you always will be
Even if we don’t want to believe it, we have to realize that the world will never be perfect. However, it is comforting to know that God and those uplifting hymns will always be there to calm us down and sustain us.