The song that follows the Bible verse should be one that is responsive in nature. Here, the congregation is responding to the presence of God in the divine service. The response hymn can also be considered a response to the Bible verse/sermon theme, so this is an ideal moment to select a song that is connected with either one or both of these.
The response hymn’s lyrics should provoke in-depth thought from each congregant. You may want to consider a song that has lyrics written from a first person point of view to help encourage this in-depth thought. Some appropriate questions to ask yourself when selecting a response hymn include: Who is speaking in the song? If we are speaking, is this a hymn about God or a hymn speaking to God? The answers to these questions can help guide you to the right feeling that should be created for this moment.
Also, keep in mind that this hymn is just a short interlude into the sermon, and should therefore be concise (no more than a verse; 1-1.5 minutes). Examples of appropriate response hymns include: Here I Am Lord; Speak, O Lord; I Stand in Awe, Holy Spirit, O Breath of God, and Show Us Christ.
Either the choir or congregation can sing this hymn. A solo or small group can also be appropriate and impactful. If there happens to be a Bible reading included (usually connected with holidays), a short song could be prepared to follow the reading. You might consider a continuation of the response hymn—perhaps singing another verse at the conclusion of the Bible reading. It can also be an instrumental solo, a vocal solo or small group, or the choir, and should be kept short (no more than a minute or so).