We sang “Earth and All Stars” in church this morning. It’s just one of those hymns that instantly transports me back to my childhood–specifically, opening services at my Lutheran day school, because I’m certain we sang it almost every, if not every, year.

I realize that the verses of this hymn cover a wide variety of topics–creation, weather, vocation, eternal life, etc. But in my memory, only one verse stands out, and that verse makes this the “Lutheran Education Hymn:”

“Classrooms and labs!
Loud boiling test tubes!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band!
Loud cheering people!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things.
I too will praise Him with a new song!” Lutheran Service Book #817, verse 5

Looking at it, I realized that I’ve also always thought of this hymn as the “exclamation point hymn,” and with good reason. I’m pretty sure there is no other hymn in the hymnal with that many exclamation points in it!