April 5, 2022 – Reflections on “Singing to the Lord!”
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples! Psalm 96:1-3.
I learned about singing to the Lord, from my Dad. My earliest memory came as I learned to read at 7 years. We sat on the shortest bench near the back door of the church. Dad sat with his knee propped on his other leg, to hold the hymnbook. He pointed in the brown Favorite Hymnbook to the lyrics as we sang them, to teach me to read the lyrics, verse by verse. He taught me to love singing, and then a few years later, Mom taught me how to play the piano. I practiced an hour after school each day. As a teenager, I began playing for our youth Christian Endeavor meetings on Sunday evening. After a while, the other teens began asking if I knew how to play another hymn besides, “Wonderful Words of Life!”
Nothing intrigued me more than learning a new song. As I began searching God’s word, the songs of praise that served as worship, pleas for mercy, from various people like Moses, King David, Solomon, and others as an expression of their hearts and praise to God the Father.
The power of music came more real to me when my husband, Ed, became afflicted with Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. I played hymns for him to hear. In the beginning, he waved his arms, and then as he lost that ability and I could no longer care for him, I always played music or sang hymns for him. Often, I would see his lips forming the words of the hymn.
Music has a way of piercing into the deep parts of our soul that help us to respond to God and His Truth. The gospel alone unites believers to one another, and music is a tool that allows us to become one. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. I John 4:7.
Often as I write, the lyrics of a song wells up inside. Did Mom know, as she chose new song after another to learn, that she also gave me a gift that continues to give? The first song I learned, “Jesus Loves Me”, continues to give me joy. As I sang it to my Ed one day — I realized this children’s song is not just for children. It brings me back to Jesus and His great Love.
When my cup runs over with joy and thanksgiving, I often sing these lyrics, “How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved Yet You gave to prove Your love for me.” (Andrae Crouch).
God created us to use repetition and rhythms to learn math, science, and history. The truth from the lyrics of hymns burrows deep into our hearts and we remember.
Our singing is our witness. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison after they spoke against a fortune-teller. With their feet in stocks, they sang. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Acts 16:25-27.
Amazing how Paul and Silas could sing at that hour after being beaten. Yet God was with them. The jailer believed in the Jesus, and all his household were baptized. Verse 34 shows the power of God. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. Acts 16:34.
We bring ourselves as a sacrifice of praise, rejoicing in our reconciliation to God through Christ. “For the Lord sees not as man sees, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I Samuel 16:7b.
David, the Hymnbook of the Scriptures, wrote seventy-five of the one hundred fifty Psalms. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Psalm 8:1. Praise to the Lord, as in Psalm 100:1-2. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
David’s Psalms also have laments, pleas for forgiveness and God’s protection. Psalms reveal the relationship between God, and His created beings in His image, male and female. (Genesis 1:27)
One morning, my sixteen-year-old son sat at his desk writing. I asked what he was writing. He replied, “The Psalms!” Years later I realized the awesomeness of his reply. Mom often broke into the brief praise, singing when she worked, Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
What was David thinking, when he wrote, Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Psalm 23:1-3.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Psalm 84:1-3.
I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens, you will establish your faithfulness.” Psalm 89: 1-2.