The silent worship of North Korean Christians

What would it be like to never be able to sing praises to God at the top of your lungs, knowing that if you did, it might be your last day of freedom—or life?

For most of us, that situation is difficult to imagine. But for the estimated 400,000 underground Christians in North Korea, it is their daily reality. In the communist country, the Bible is forbidden, Christians are fiercely persecuted and the ruling Kim family must be worshiped like gods.

As a result, the church is underground. Bibles are hidden and followers of Jesus don’t know who they can trust. At any time, a neighbor could turn them in, lured by the “reward” of extra food rations. The Word of God is rarely spoken out loud. When the Bible is read, it’s often in whispers.

Any kind of singing is dangerous too. Most Christians never sing out loud—only silently in their hearts. Yet just like us who are free to worship, our brothers and sisters who live in the world’s most dangerous place for Christians [Add link to North Korea WWL page on your website], worship through song is still an integral part of their faith.

In secret messages, North Korean Christians tell us that singing God’s promises and their praises to Him is vital to their survival—bringing them strength, faith and the hope of Heaven.

Recently, one of our Open Doors partners who works outside North Korea shared the precious contents of a package sent to him from a North Korean believer. Inside the package were hymn books—a thank you gift to Open Doors and supporters around the world like you for your faithful prayers. The book included some handwritten verses too:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. Born of His spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song. Praise my Savior, all the day long.

Over decades of walking with North Korean believers, Open Doors has heard the stories of so many North Korean Christians inside and outside the country, and so many of those stories capture worshipful hearts fueled by song.

One North Korean believer, Hee Jin*, shared how on Sundays, her grandmother would invite her into her room, lock the door and hold an almost silent church service. In hushed tones, barely audible, she would sing softly, recite the Apostle’s Creed and speak from the Bible.

Hee Jin was mesmerized by her singing grandmother. “My country has so many problems, but my grandmother always looked so peaceful when she sang,” she says.

To this day, Hee Jin still hears her grandmother’s voice singing in her heart.

Father, I stretch my hands to Thee, no other help I know.
If Thou withdraw Thyself from me, Ah! Whither shall I go?
He shed His precious blood from sin to set me free.
With my heart repenting, I come before Thee.

Whether secret Christians are working in a factory or on the land, resting in a humble home on a floor mattress or lying on a bunk in an overcrowded prison camp, the hearts of North Korean Christians are always singing, always lamenting, always glorifying.

The songs may never be heard by human ears, but Scripture tells us that God hears the hymns of the heart. Every one of them. We know He listens to the sung prayers that rise in silence to Him from His North Korean children.

The vision that God gave John in Revelation paints a beautiful picture: And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel (Rev. 8:3-4).

Today as you sing or hum the words of a favorite worship song, or this weekend as you raise your voice in unison with hundreds of believers around you in worship and praise to Him, remember your North Korean family who are singing silently in a bedroom, a field foraging for food or a prison outhouse, and pray for them:

God, I pray for the underground church in North Korea, my family. I pray that they would be strengthened in their spirit, that they would continue to sing Your praises in their hearts. Please use these songs to give them peace, comfort and strength. I pray for all those like Hee Jin’s grandmother who are leading small churches in North Korea, that they would never give up sharing Your Word. I pray for their protection. I pray that your church would grow wide and deep in North Korea and that I would always be vigilant to pray and sing with my persecuted sisters and brothers. In Your name, Amen.

*Name changed to protect identity

The silent worship of North Korean Christians

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