I've posted some thoughts about the recent Memorial Service for Tim Keller - CLICK HERE. One aspect of that service that really captured my mind and heart was the choice of hymns - made by Tim himself - for congeregational singing. I was happy to discover that he included his reasons and reflections on each of the for the service in the service bulletin, which you can read in full by CLICK HERE.
Update on August 18: It looks like I was not the only one taken by Tim Keller's chioce of hymns. CLICK HERE for a post on ChristianityToday.com by Dr Francis Collins - former head of National Institutes of Health and personal friend of Tim - entitled: The 6 Hymns Tim Keller Picked For His Memorial Service.
Otherwise, I have pulled out those statements for you to read below. I've included references to the hymns from the Lift Up Your Hearts hymnal that we use at Celebration-Harderwyk with the LUYH # reference and page references to the bulletin itself.
Ponder and be encouraged in the gospel. All that follows is written by Timothy J Keller and taken from the service bulletin:
A Service of Praise to God
In Gratitude for the Life and Service of Timothy J. Keller
August 15, 2023
Introduction to Music - p. 3
The hymns sung in today’s service were chosen by Tim Keller and he spoke about why he chose each one during a worship service held at the National Institutes of Health during his treatment in April. His words of introduction from that time of worship have been transcribed and added before each hymn in today’s program.
Hymn — Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise - p. 4 - LUYH # 579
I chose each hymn and there’s an order to them. So the first one: Immortal invisible God Only Wise is a tremendous depiction of who God is and his attributes. It’s really all about God. Who is he? And what’s really interesting is some of the lines in here summarizing the most important Christian ideas, I’ve never seen it summarized better.
So for example. We’re here at a cancer hospital, and sometimes you want to say: God, what in the world, are you up to? What’s wrong with you? And the last line [in the hymn] is this—“Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.” There’s a tendency for us to think there’s a darkness in God and we’re smart instead of saying, well, wait a minute, no, He’s more light than we can handle. And the darkness is in us. ‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.
Hymn — Amazing Love, How Can It Be? - p. 6 - LUYH # 695
How do you connect with God? Do you actually have a personal relationship with Him? This hymn is by Charles Wesley and this is the key to the Great Awakenings, and to personal awakening as well.
Hymn — How Firm a Foundation - p. 10 - LUYH # 427
The next three hymns are resources that God gives you. So you’ve met him (in the first two hymns). This next hymn, How Firm a Foundation, connects you to the first resource, which is God’s word.
We learned to love this hymn because Elisabeth Elliott loved it. It was a favorite hymn of hers and you’ll see why. Betty was our teacher at the time of our wedding and she just said expect suffering. Since she had had two husbands die we took her seriously.
By the way, this is also Isaiah 40. In fact you should read Isaiah 40 afterwards. We had it as the recessional in our wedding because we expected suffering. Because we expected to be helping people in suffering. It’s a paraphrase obviously, but basically it’s what God is saying to Israel. But I’ll tell you, Kathy and I memorized it and used it on each other over the years. We gave a vow to each other from Psalm 34, verses 1-3 and it is engraved inside our wedding rings.
It says: I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together. So, we wanted to praise God in the way that afflicted people were helped.
Hymn — Jesus Lives and So Shall I - p. 14
This hymn gives us the hope for life after death. It should not be sung at too slow a pace, or it will sound like a dirge. So keep it brisk, and remember it’s describing our hope for the future. There’s nothing that can happen here that can’t make you better. It says at the beginning of the last verse: Jesus lives, and death is now but my entrance into glory.
Hymn — For All the Saints, Who from their Labor Rest - p. 18 - LUYH # 254
This last one is talking about the saints, for all the saints. It’s really wonderful in talking about how we’re all going to be gathered together. Verse 5 is interesting because the idea is that, when you’re here, you’re in the middle of a battle. But the distant triumph song is at the end. We know that there’s a new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. And that there will be perfect justice. Are you in the middle of the battle? And it’s like, “when the fight is fierce, the warfare is long, steals on the ear, the distant triumph song; and hearts are braving and arms are strong.” That’s made for you.
Hymn - There is A Redeemer - p. 21 - LUYH # 883
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