La música cristiana es de origen judío: la liturgia musical de la sinagoga, en particular el canto psalmódico de los judíos como unidad poética musical, fue un legado preciado transmitido del Israel antiguo al cristianismo primitivo, como forma de manifestar tanto a nivel personal como comunitario las creencias religiosas y la fe en Dios.
Once like a bird in prison I dwelt
No freedom from my sorrow I felt
But Jesus came and listened to me
And, glory to God, He set me free
He set me free, He set me free
He broke the bonds of prison for me
I'm glorybound my Jesus to see
For glory to God, He set me free
Now I am climbing higher each day
Darkness of night has drifted away
My feet are planted on higher ground
And glory to God, I'm homeward bound
Goodbye to sin and things that confound
Naught of this world shall turn me around
Daily I'm working, I'm praying, too
And glory to God, I'm going through