Hymn

A hymn is a special kind of song meant for showing love and respect, often through prayer. These songs are usually sung to a god, a group of gods, or to someone very important. The word hymn comes from an ancient Greek word, hymnos, which means "a song of praise." People who write hymns are called hymnists, and the act of singing or creating hymns is known as hymnody.

Hymns are not just for one religion. While many people think of them in terms of Christianity, hymns are also important in other religions around the world, especially in places like India where they are known as stotras. We even have hymns from very old times, from places like ancient Egypt and Greece. Some of the oldest pieces of written music we have today are hymns with words in Greek.

Hymns can be sung with or without instruments, and collections of them are called hymnals or hymn books. In ancient Greek stories, there is a goddess named Polyhymnia who is connected to hymns. Whether in a church, a temple, or another quiet place, hymns have been a way for people to express their feelings for thousands of years.

Origins

Ancient cultures have long used special songs called hymns to express praise and devotion. Some of the oldest known hymns come from places like Sumer, Egypt, and India. In Egypt, a famous hymn was written by the Pharaoh Akhenaten to praise a sun god. The Rigveda is a collection of ancient Indian hymns, and the Book of Psalms contains hymns used by early Christian communities.

In ancient Greece, hymns were written to honor their many gods. The Homeric Hymns are some of the earliest examples from around the 7th century BC. Later writers, like Callimachus, also created hymns that have survived to today. Over time, these ideas spread and influenced how people in many cultures used music for worship and praise.

Christian hymnody

Christian hymns are songs of praise directed to the Christian God, often referring to Jesus Christ. They have been a part of Christian worship since the earliest times, with early Christians singing psalms and hymns for mutual encouragement. These hymns are used in both private devotions and corporate worship services.

Hymns are written for special occasions such as Christmas, Easter, and other holy days. They can also be used to celebrate Christian practices like Baptism and the Eucharist, or to honor saints, especially Mary, mother of Jesus. The writing and singing of hymns have evolved over time, with different traditions and styles developing in various Christian denominations. Today, hymns continue to be an important part of Christian worship, with both traditional and contemporary styles being used in services.

Hindu hymnody

The Rigveda is the oldest collection of hymns in Vedic Sanskrit, with over a thousand songs used in religious ceremonies.

Many important Hindu hymns and collections include Naalayira Divya Prabandham, Ram Raksha Stotra, Saundarya Lahari, Shiva Stuti, Shiva Tandava Stotram, Tirumurai, and Vayu Stuti.

During the medieval era, the bhakti movements grew very strong. Poets and holy people like Basava, Chandidas, Dadu Dayal, Haridas, Hith Harivansh, Kabir, Meera Bai, Namdev, Nanak, Ramprasad Sen, Ravidas, Sankardev, Surdas, and Vidyapati wrote beautiful songs in local languages. These songs, called bhajan and kirtan, became very important and were treated like holy writings. One famous example is Sankardev, an Assamese teacher from the 15th–16th centuries, who wrote and sang borgeet songs.

Further information: Stotra, Rigveda, and List of suktas and stutis

See also: Vedic Chant, Bhajan, and Arti (Hinduism)

Sikh hymnody

The Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, is a collection of hymns (Shabad) or Gurbani. It describes the qualities of God and why people should think about God's name.

The book is divided into sections called Angs and uses different music styles called ragas. It is the most important guide for Sikh prayers and worship.

In other religions

Further information: Buddhist chant

In Buddhism, singing sutras is a special way for Shin Buddhist followers to show their faith. These songs may include parts from important Buddhist texts and teachings by famous Buddhist teachers like Nagarjuna and Shandao. In Nepal, people still sing these songs today as a way to show respect and ask for good things like health and happiness.

Further information: Classic of Poetry

In ancient China, people wrote poems and songs that were very important. These are found in a book called the Classic of Poetry. A wise man named Confucius thought these poems were very valuable and they tell us about old music and culture.

Further information: Nasheed, Sufi music, and Qawwali

In Islam, music has special rules. For a long time, only simple drums were used and no string instruments or women’s voices. Today, in places like Turkey, people add music to their worship. In Pakistan and Southeast Asia, a style called qawwali is popular. It uses instruments like keyboards and drums and the songs can be long and include many parts.

Further information: Bhaktamara Stotra

In Jainism, people sing hymns called stavan or bhajan to honor special teachers. These songs are written in many languages and follow poetic traditions. One famous hymn is the Bhaktāmara-stotra, which praises the first Jain teacher.

Further information: Piyyut and Psalms

In Judaism, there are special songs called Zemirot that people sing during prayers and meals, especially on the Sabbath. These songs have been written over many years and come from different places. Sometimes people use instruments like organs, but singing together is very important.

Further information: Kojiki, Engishiki, and Man'yōshū

In Shinto, a type of sacred music called Mi-kagura is used in ceremonies. This music is very old and comes from stories about the gods. There are different kinds of kagura, some for special leaders and others for everyone.

Further information: Gatha (Zoroaster)

In Zoroastrianism, there are special songs called Gathas that were written by a prophet named Zarathushtra. These songs are very old and are used for deep thinking and understanding important teachings.

Appreciations

Some people think that poems about deep, spiritual feelings can be very special, but they also believe that poems written just for religion might not always be the best poetry. They say that while there are wonderful religious poems out there, it’s hard to find poems that are both great poetry and great religious messages at the same time.