A hymn is a song of praise to God. Throughout the Bible we are urged to sing unto the Lord, to praise Him, to lift up our voice to Him. These hymns or psalms contain healing, restoring one to wholeness. This was recognized by devout Christians as long ago as the year 1609, for in Germany this name was then given to the Psalter: "The Pharmacy of David: a powerful-to-heal and well-equipped Art of Medicine from the spiritually rich and holy (literally Psalter" (Hymnal Notes, No. 168).

This apt description fits the Christian Science Hymnal, full of joyous songs praising God for His allness and goodness. We sing them to acknowledge that we know Him and are His children, that all is well, and that in reality nothing has to be healed or changed. The result of this joyous knowing is the harmonizing of whatever seems to be discordant or to need healing.

From the Bible we learn that good alone is real and true, for God made all and called it "very good" (Gen. 1:31). Christian Science teaches that God is not only ever present but the only presence, not only powerful but the only power, that God is Mind, the source of all true thoughts, completely perfect. When we know these facts, the results appear in our lives as health and serenity, for thought determines experience.

It is easy to thank God for His goodness and perfection when all is going well. But our faith is often tested when trouble or sickness appears in our lives. These erroneous conditions are the false evidence put forth by the carnal, or mortal, mind, which Jesus called "a liar" (John 8:44). Its lies are that evil is real and that we are helpless before it. To believe in these lies is to suffer their effects.

In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy tells us on page 15, "Christians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God." Even when in pain or trouble, we should praise God and rejoice in His goodness. Right here is our dominion—to affirm the good and deny the evil; to acknowledge God and reject the devil.

When we can sing hymns in the face of any temptation to despair, refusing to believe in what God has not made, the fabric of lies weakens and disappears, for evil has no source no animation, no sustaining power. When we thank God even before we see the outward evidence of good, we are utilizing our God-given dominion over the earth.

Because evil is a deceiver and mesmeric in its seeming action, a strong effort and real determination and persistence on our part are sometimes necessary to break the spell and enable us to see through the mental confusion that tries to hide God from us. This is the time for singing hymns, for a joyous voice praising God will discourage the devil.

An experienced practitioner known to me used to say when a healing seemed a bit slow: "Sing the hymns! Sing loud and strong!" Usually this was the very last thing I wanted to do, but with obedience came strength, however poor the effort at first. The power of the uplifting words praising God roused my thought to behold and acknowledge the inward joy, the loveliness, of Spirit. With persistence much progress resulted, and healing was forwarded.

One of the many times I have experienced healing from singing hymns was when a turned ankle was causing pain, and I was forced to lie on my bed. This was especially distressing because a house guest was present, and a dinner party had been planned for the following evening. As I lay there worrying over the situation, I reached for my copy of the Christian Science Hymnal (Words Only) on the bedside table and flipped it open to these words (No. 291):

I saw in a flash that belief in something besides God, calling itself a turned ankle, had bemused me. I sang the whole hymn over and over, trusting to the truth of God's love tenderly caring for me and all His children. This replaced the belief of an injured mortal faced with a difficult job. Yielding up the false, personal sense which claimed presence and responsibility, I thanked God for His allness. This acknowledgment banished the pain. Shortly thereafter I was able to get up, and all was smoothly accomplished for a happy occasion.

We can always seek and expedite healing by rejoicing in God's perfection through singing the hymns in our Hymnal. Doing so, we shall follow these words of Paul in Ephesians (5:18, 19): "Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." We rejoice first; then we shall have the evidence and continue to rejoice!