and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (cross-archive)

I try... I fail miserably, but I try to truly sing the words during our home fellowship. To not sing with the mouth only, but with the heart.

Sometimes this resolve pays off wonderfully, as I learn to praise God.

Other times, I find I must not sing. Or cannot.

This last Sunday, I had a little episode of the latter.

I sung the first verse of "America the Beautiful" automatically. And then woke up. As in, woke up from the automatism we fall so easily into.

What is this I'm singing?

A sentimental hymn about America? During church?

It felt like idolatry.

I wondered if any of the early Christians sung hymns like "Rome the Beautiful."