Do I Really Have To Sing?

Family Worship: Part 6

Hypothetical Man: “Mr. Mouw, in each of your articles, you mentioning “singing” as one of the main parts of Family Worship. I understand why we should be reading the Bible, discussing the text, and praying… but do I really have to sing?”

I get it.
For a lot of different reasons, men sometimes have a hard time getting comfortable singing in front of other people.

Maybe they don’t think they’re a very “good” singer.
Maybe they don’t want to look foolish.
Maybe they don’t know the songs well. Or can’t read music. Or don’t remember parts of the lyrics.

Sadly, many modern men don’t consider singing to be all that “manly”, and get uncomfortable when they are forced to sing.

Whatever the reason… I’m aware that aversion to singing is one of the reasons why some families have a hard time starting “Family Worship”.

So the question remains… “Do I really have to sing?”

And the answer is…

No. Of course not.

You don’t “have” to sing. Gathering your family together for a time of Bible reading and prayerful reflection is a wonderful thing! Doing devotions together after a meal is awesome.

It’s much more important that you’re doing “something” than that one part is keeping you from doing “anything”.

That said… I’m definitely going to use all the rest of this article to try and convince you why including singing in your Family Worship is an awesome and helpful thing!

Why should we include singing in our Family Worship? I can think of a few different reasons:

1. “Worship” Includes Singing

Traditionally, “Family Worship” has included singing because “Corporate Worship” includes singing. And they are done for the exact same reasons. If you boil down Sunday morning worship to it’s core, essential ingredients, you’ll find singing included along with the reading and preaching of the Word, prayer, alms, and the sacraments.

In fact, singing is sort of like the glue that holds these things together.

Singing gives us a way to, all together as a body, respond to our Lord in unison, in prayer. We’re meant to be using the words of the song as our words, connecting them to our hearts and singing them to God.

Our songs are meant to be based on God’s Word. Singing scripture gives us more experience with God’s Word. It helps connect God’s Word to our heart. Music has a way of navigating to our hearts quickly, in a way that reading or hearing might take longer to reach.

It’s not at all hard to imagine that God created music specifically for religious reasons.

God loves our worship. And expressing our worship through music and song has always been a key part of worship to YHWH.

The Bible is full of examples of God’s people singing as part of their worship. Psalm 100:1-2 instructs, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!”

Throughout Scripture, we see the saints lifting their voices in praise, from the Israelites in the Old Testament to Paul and Silas singing in prison (Acts 16:25). Including singing in Family Worship aligns with this biblical pattern and connects your family’s worship to the practices of the church across the ages.

2. Singing “Embeds” Biblical Truth into Our Memory

Music has a unique way of embedding truths in our hearts and minds.
The lyrics of hymns and worship songs are often rich in theology and Scripture, making them excellent tools for teaching. When your family sings songs filled with Biblical lyrics and/or Biblical truths, these ideas stick with you.

When you walk out of church, is it a quote from the sermon that you find yourself naturally reciting throughout the day, or is it one of the songs that you find yourself humming?

Whether it’s a simple children’s song about God’s love or a classic hymn like “Amazing Grace,” singing helps your family remember and internalize core gospel truths.

3. Singing Fosters Unity and Joy

There is something profoundly unifying about singing together as a family. It allows everyone, regardless of age or ability, to participate fully in worship. Singing together can also lift the spirits, filling your home with joy. When voices unite in praise, it strengthens family bonds and fosters a sense of shared faith. Even if someone in the family isn’t musically inclined, the act of singing together can still bring joy and build unity as a family worships God with one voice.

4. Singing Engages the Heart and Emotions

Singing allows families to engage not just with their minds but with their hearts.

It taps into the emotional side of worship, allowing for the expression of joy, gratitude, repentance, and awe. Songs often evoke feelings that words alone cannot. Whether it's a joyful song of praise or a more solemn hymn of reflection, singing creates space for the whole range of human emotions, making worship more heartfelt and personal.

5. Singing Helps Create Lasting Memories

Songs often have a way of staying with us long after the moment has passed.

We already said that songs linger throughout the day, but that’s not all…
Songs can trigger memories from much longer ago than just one day or one week!

When your family sings together regularly in worship, those songs can become treasured memories. These songs may be recalled much later in times of celebration or hardship, serving as anchors of faith. Many Christians have fond memories of hymns sung with their families in worship, and those memories often shape their faith throughout life. By singing together, you create a lasting spiritual heritage that your children can carry with them into adulthood.

Again, I get it. Nobody wants to look foolish.

But sometimes God calls us to “foolish” things. (See 1 Cor. 1:18-25)

In fact, seeing their dad worship God through signing DESPITE THAT DAD BEING A POOR SINGER can show children a powerful commitment to worship.

In times of cynicism, we can sometimes wonder, when a person is a great singer, whether they are singing to praise the Lord or singing to hear themselves sing…

When a person isn’t a good singer, that question doesn’t come up!
We know that it’s their love for God that’s driving their song.

Our children need to see us do faithful things poorly.
They need to know that God loves our obedience, despite our imperfections.

There will be lots of things within the Christian life that they might not love or be all that good at…

But we praise God all the same.