Chris Tomlin & Ben Fielding Bring 1800 Year Old Hymn Back To Life
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It is not often that an artifact is a song. Found in Egypt and written 1800 years ago, the lyric and musical notations are the oldest surviving Christian hymn ever found - “The First Hymn.” Known by scholars as “P.Oxy 1786”, this artifact was discovered by archaeologists in the ancient Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus in 1918. Grammy-Award winner Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding, two of the most respected Christian composers and songwriters, were invited to bring the oldest hymn ever to be found back to life and resurrect the song into a piece of modern worship music thus giving it back to the world almost two millenniums later. Tomlin and Fielding co-wrote “The First Hymn” using the original 35 words and music found on the small piece of papyrus that was unearthed.
“The First Hymn is a sacred gift passed down from the early Church—some of whom literally gave their lives for this song and for the gospel,” shared Tomlin. “Now, 1,800 years later, we stand in a long line of brave and bold believers, singing alongside them.
“This song reminds us of the history of our faith—it’s not a trend, it’s not a fad, and it’s certainly not 30 minutes old. It’s ancient, it’s historical, and it’s eternal. The worship of the one true God—the giver of all good gifts—has echoed through generations.” Tomlin adds, “I am incredibly grateful and humbled to join my friend Ben Fielding and the Undeceptions Documentary Team in honoring those who came before us and helping bring this powerful hymn back to life—and back into the voice of the Church.”
The song launch comes ahead of the release of a documentary, ‘The First Hymn’, produced by Undeceptions, which features Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding, tracking the discovery of the old hymn on papyrus in the sands of an ancient Egyptian city, and the process of giving it back to the world.
Hosted by Australian historian John Dickson and produced by Undeceptions, the feature-length documentary “The First Hymn” chronicles the First Hymn’s journey from its desert origins to its modern resurrection, as acclaimed composers Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding transform the ancient melody into a contemporary worship piece, culminating in a live concert presentation.
The documentary will be available to download on demand via Wonder in the United States from April 14.
Global video-on-demand will be available from August 2025.