Can a hymn heal you?

Have you ever experienced tears rolling down your eyes when you hear a hymn or a song of praise? I have been listening to hymns since I was a kid, but there was this one time when I had returned home when I was around 20 years old. I had just returned from the hospital where my mom was undergoing chemo. I thought I would just say hello to Snadden at his home, and his mom happened to be listening to Don Moen's praise and worship songs. It was on the computer, and it had the lyrics displayed as subtitles, and for the first time, I sat in front of the computer reading the lyrics. I hadn't heard these songs before in my life, so I kept listening to them while everyone went about their chores around me.

By the third song, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. I wasn't sad; I don't remember feeling anything, but those words were doing something to me. It was like the floodgates had been opened. The dam was about to burst. I had never experienced this before. If you know me, I am not someone who cries easily, especially not in public. By the 5th or 6th song, the tears turned to howling, causing Snadden to jump out of his seat. He asked me what happened, but how could I explain? Absolutely nothing had happened. I couldn't control it; never had I cried like that. Soon, everyone in the house was wondering what had happened to me, but they waited, and I am glad they did. Because it felt like there was a dam somewhere deep inside me that was overfull and waiting for relief, and these words were opening the dam, releasing the pressure. It was what my soul wanted to hear, and no one had ever spoken those words to me before.

After completing the album, I stood up and left, went home, and felt like a whole new person. My soul was so happy. I danced, I got on my knees, I felt like God had lifted a weight from my chest and my soul was delighted. Soon after that, I got a call from my mom that she was coming home that day. It wasn't as planned; she was supposed to have stayed another two days. It thrilled me even more. That very same day, I made my mom listen to those songs; they had a similar effect on her. Now I know some may say, well, she wasn't healed by it. I would say, not all healing is seen on the body; some of it is felt deep in your soul.

It was only later I understood, and the lyrics that uplifted me so much were nothing but passages from the Bible; some of it was Psalms that David sang to King Saul to bring comfort to his troubled soul. Its no wonder they say singing is like praying twice. Till today, I find some excuse to drive everyone out of the house just so I can listen to my favourite worship songs and let my soul weep for joy. I have a problem praying; I am never able to find the right words, but these hymns and worship songs help me say what I deeply want to express to God.

If you haven't tried listening to hymns or praise and worship songs, here are my favourites: Above All, 10,000 Reasons, In Moments Like This, Set Me Like a Seal on Your Heart, What a Beautiful Name, How Great Is Our God, You Are Good, and Worthy Is the Lamb. Let me know if you feel as blessed as I feel listening to it.

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