要有诗的形式和结构
第二，道理准确的并不一定是诗，还需要有诗的形式和结构。不能说真理对就行；真理对了，还得有诗的形式和结构。唱诗不是讲道，我们不能拿一篇讲经记录来唱。曾有一首诗，头一句七个字是『真神创造天地人。』这个当作道讲很好，当作诗唱就不行。这是道理，不是诗。圣经中诗篇的诗，都有诗的味道。每一篇诗里面的结构、说法，都是非常细嫩的，都是用诗人的话语来说神的意思。所以，不是每行字句有一定的长短就算诗，必须整个的结构是诗，形式是诗。
要有属灵的实际
第三，一首诗除了需要有真理、需要有诗的形式和结构之外，还需要有属灵的接触，必须摸着属灵的实际。比方：诗篇五十一篇，是一首大卫悔改的诗。我们读它的时候，看见大卫的悔改在道理上没有错，也看见他的话不是随便来的，它的结构是曲折的。同时，我们觉得在它里面有一个东西，有一个属灵的实际，有一个属灵的感觉。那一个，我们不妨称之为诗的负担。他在那里悔改，就是悔改，悔改的感觉充满了那一首诗。我们常常觉得诗篇有一个特点，就是每一次读它的时候，看见它所有的感觉都是可靠的。写诗的人快乐的时候，他就跳起来高声欢呼；悲哀的时候，他就在那里痛哭。不是光有话而没有实际，乃是在话的里面具有属灵的实际。
所以，诗不只要有准确的道理，要有诗的形式和结构，并且也要有属灵的实际的感觉。换句话说，一首诗如果是哭，就应当哭；如果是快乐，就应当快乐。它说到一个东西的时候，要使我们感觉到那一个东西。我们不能唱一首悔改的诗，而里面的感觉不起共鸣，反而越唱越是嘻嘻哈哈。我们不能说我们是在赞美神，而我们自己不是快乐的，不是高兴的。我们不能说一首诗是表明奉献的，而我们的感觉不是奉献。我们不能说一首诗是表明我们在神面前仆倒的，被神打碎的，而我们仍旧感觉自己很好，有可夸口的地方。诗的感觉必须是真实，诗的感觉必须摸着属灵的实际。
一首诗必须真理是准确的，又有诗的结构，同时还要能够叫唱的人摸着属灵的实际，能够叫唱的人摸着诗里面所说的。必须这三点都完备，才能算是一首好的诗。
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Conditions to be a Hymn (2) – Eph. 5:18-19
It Must Have Poetic Form and Structure
Second, truth may not constitute a hymn, but to be a hymn requires poetic form and structure. It cannot be said that as long as there is truth, then it is a hymn. Even with the truth, a hymn must have the poetic form and structure. Singing is not preaching. We cannot use a sermon to sing. There was once a poem, the first seven words of which were “True God created heaven, earth and man”, which is fine as a sermon, but not as a hymn. This is the truth, not a hymn. The psalms in the Bible all have a poetic flavor, whose structure and illustration are delicate, using the words of the poet to express God’s desires. Therefore, it is not necessary to have a certain length to be considered a hymn. The entire structure and form have to be a poem.
It Must Have the Spiritual Reality
Third, in addition to the truth and poetic form and structure, a hymn also needs to have the spiritual contact and touch the spiritual reality. For example, Psalm 51 is a psalm of David’s repentance. When we read it, we see that David’s repentance was doctrinally correct, and we also see that his words did not come randomly, and that their structure was tortuous. At the same time, we feel that there is something in it: a spiritual reality, a spiritual feeling, which we might call it the burden of poetry. The feeling of his repentance filled that poem. One feature of Psalms is that every time we read it, the feelings of poets are reliable. When the poet is joyful, he jumps up and cheers loudly; when he is sad, he cries bitterly. It is not just words without the reality, there is a spiritual reality in the words.
Therefore, a hymn must not only have truth, but also have a poetic form and structure, and it must also have a practical spiritual feeling. In other words, if a poem is about crying, it should cry; if it is about joy, it should be joyful. When it talks about something, it should make us feel that thing. We cannot sing a hymn of repentance without inward resonating. On the contrary the more we sing, the more we laugh. In the same manner, we cannot say that we are praising God without being joyful; we cannot say that a hymn is about consecration without our feeling being devotion, we cannot say that a psalm shows that we have fallen before God and been broken by Him, and yet we still feel that we are doing well and have something to boast about. The feeling of poetry must be real, it must touch the spiritual reality.
A hymn must be in truth with a poetic structure. Meanwhile, it is able to cause the singer to touch the spiritual reality and to allow the singer to touch what is said in the hymn. These three conditions have to be fulfilled to be considered a good hymn.