That old perennial topic of hymns and songs is once again prompting thought, so here are two examples of worst Baptist hymnody I know of, written by the guy who fought the corner for singing in Baptist churches in the seventeenth century - next time someone comes up with something awful, remember these gems...!
Our wounds do stink and are corrupt,
Hard swellings do we see;
We want a little ointment, Lord,
Let us more humble be.
Repentance like a bucket is,
To pump the water out;
For leaky is our ship, alas,
Which makes us look about.
Both by Benjamin Keach.
Comments
My faith is like a bar of soap -
I'll use it when I'm keen.
My faith is like an old tin bath ,
May falsehood find it clean!
I'll scrub - away with grime and sin!
I'll scrub without - and then within!
And when I'm clean as a new pin
Then scrubbed by Christ I'll be!
This was going to be a hymn expressing Baptist sentiments, but then I realised immersion in an old tin bath would be extremely difficult.
Theology is of course what often gets left out in the search for a rhyme, but at least it's now more ecumenical.
But it does make you more sympathetic to the traditionalists who didn't want to have their sensibilities offended by lowbrow stuff like hymns.
Pierce my ear, O Lord my God!
Are you sure the first one isn't another advert for viagra?