Singing in a Strange Land?

“How could we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psalms 137:4 KJV)

“O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things…Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” (Psalms 98a KJV)

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Songs are a central part of the Black religious experience. Ancestral singing in Africa is well documented. Enslaved Africans in the Diaspora sang spirituals to remind them of their value and connection to God, as well as to send clandestine messages during the Underground Railroad. It was common to sing a song and pray during the Civil Rights Movement before engaging in community action. And Sunday morning remains a time when spirituals, hymns, and gospel music are intermeshed with prayer, sermons, and call-and-response during corporate worship. Singing is also a community-building endeavor in the Black Church as we communicate with God and each other.

Yet given the challenges we as a people have faced over the past few years, particularly since 2020, how can we continue to sing? Police brutality against Black bodies with little accountability, the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Black community, and racism by Karen’s and their significant others might suggest that the land in which we now live has become so strange that a song can no longer come forth. Has the land become so unsafe, dangers so common, and fear and hatred so prevalent that singing is pointless for people who have historically found safety, solitude, and solace in God-given melodies and lyrics?

Our songs and singing are rich! “Take My Hand, Precious Lord”  by Thomas Dorsey, Charles Tindley’s hymn, “Leave It There,” Mahalia Jackson’s rendition of “Amazing Grace,” map songs like “Wade in the Water” and “Steal Away” sung by Harriet Tubman, Edwin Hawkins’ “Oh, Happy Day,” a Dr. Watts of your choosing, “There Is a Balm in Gilead,” by The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett’s “Work It Out,” reminders that “I Never Would’ve Made It” by Marvin Sapp and “Faithful is Our God” by Hezekiah Walker, as well as James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing” are examples of the legacy of songs in the Black Church tradition. This shortlist does not do justice to the musical expressions that emerged based on both our trials and triumphs.

We are reminded in scripture that, as God’s people, we can still sing. We must sing. And we sing because of whose we are and not because of where we are. We must sing because of who God is and what God has done in our lives! The land is strange, but we are still the salt. Moreover, our songs will serve as examples of godly beliefs and behavior to help heal the land. We can’t ignore that part of history in this land was designed to diminish us. Nor can we ignore the rich dimensions of our time and contributions to this same terrain. Unlike the Israelites who lamented over the destruction of Jerusalem, there are still many songs for us to sing! We have too much skin in the game not to continue to let our voices ring out as the world and country begins to rediscover its best self.

In many ways, our voices and songs are part of the consciousness and touchtone in the land that cannot be underestimated or ignored. So, we must continue to sing. And even when we sing songs from our past, moving forward, they will now have added relevance as we understand and re-interpret them through the lens of this past year. As we reflect back, our historic hymns, spirituals, and gospel music will continue to sustain us -  and many new songs will emerge as we continue to reflect on God’s goodness.

Sandra L. Barnes