“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:26 ESV).
On the Thursday night before His crucifixion, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn together after finishing the Passover meal. O what joy it must have been to hear His voice sing praises to God! How wonderful to have been one of the disciples who joined with Him in harmony. But what hymn did they sing?
The phrase “sung a hymn” is “hymneō” (ὑμνέω) is one word in the Greek. Literally, “They ‘hymned’ as they went out.” We don’t have a verb for “hymning,” but we did borrow the Greek for our English word, “hymn.”
What is a hymn? The hymn is a unique form of worship music that usually begins as a poem before music is added. It is easy to sing, metrically precise, and sounds as good to the ear with or without accompaniment. It can be read aloud in private devotions, sung alone or together. Hymns are rich with words and doctrines from Scripture.
There are other types of worship songs. The apostle Paul encouraged singing three types in his letter to the Colossian church. Paul encouraged them to sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in their hearts to God” (Col. 3:16).
So, what hymn did Jesus sing the night before His crucifixion? Jewish tradition called for singing the Paschal Psalms, Psalms 113 through 118, after the Passover meal. These psalms surely fit the definition of a hymn. They also match perfectly with the moment in time that Jesus faced.
Take a moment and read through Psalms 113 through 118. Pay special attention to the words of Psalm 118. Imagine you’re with the disciples as Jesus sings, while walking out into the night through the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem and up the Mount of Olives to pray.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we sing praises to You for salvation. For Your Son has paid for it in full. We sing in worship, sensing Your Spirit singing with us. We marvel that You “rejoice over us with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). In Jesus’ name, amen.