I’m grateful for the life and ministry of Timothy Dudley Smith who has died, aged 97. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/…/timothy-dudley-smith…
Whilst people talk about the likes of Graham Kendrick and Chris Bowater as the fathers of contemporary worship,, we might consider Dudley Smith as the grandfather of it. Like many, I grew up singing his hymns and am thankful for his ability to put our praiseful thoughts into words.
Potential Christian songwriters would do well to learn from Dudley Smith. If I could highlight three important lessons.
- He was first and foremost a pastor before a hymn writer. You will notice that he was a Bishop. This means that Dudley Smith’s hymns helped believers not just to survive through the circumstances of life but to be holy by worshipping.
- This also meant that with a keen theologian’s eye he had a concern for the words first. Dudley Smith’s hymns are doctrinally strong.
- But he had the ability to spot a good melody meaning that his hymns were and remain enjoyably singable
These three factors together make it likely that his hymns will stand up to the test of time and future generations will be singing them, if not “forever more ” at least “to children’s children”
You will pick up the reference to “Tell out my soul there, perhaps his best known hymn
However, my personal favourite, exactly for the sense of comfort in God’s sovereignty in all circumstances is
Faithroots 