My mother was a music teacher, as was one of my uncles. My sister is a music teacher. My mother-in-law teaches music, as does her only son. We take music fairly seriously in our family.
For years now, I’ve tried to take singing at church seriously. Among other things, I’ve tried to focus on the words of the songs. I’m picky enough that I won’t sing certain lines of songs, sometimes out of disagreement, sometimes just not knowing what the line means (any ideas on “May your kingdom be established in our praises…”?).
One thing that has been very helpful to me is to be conscious of whom I am singing to. Is the song directed to God? Is the song directed to my brothers? I often close my eyes on a God-addressing song, just as I generally do when speaking to Him. When singing to my brothers, I try to look at them.
I like to sing and definitely have my preferences in songs. Above all, I try to “sing with my mind” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15. If you aren’t in that habit, I strongly suggest it. It makes a world of difference.