Day 16: Sing and Give Thanks
Scripture Reading: Psalm 30
My mother was an exceptionally gifted, classically trained singer. I, on the other hand, apparently inherited my dad's genes in that area. By most anyone's standards, he had a poor singing voice. But he used the voice he had to sing praises aloud. He was not timid or self-conscious when he sang, and gave no indication of being concerned about what others thought! I am grateful for his example and have tried to emulate it.
Unlike most other religions, Christianity is a "singing" faith. The word "sing" occurs over one hundred times in the Bible--more than sixty of them in the book of Psalms alone. Psalms has appropriately been called the "hymn book of ancient Israel." The psalmists sometimes sang songs of lament and longing. But most often they sang songs of praise and thanks to God. Verses 4 and 12 in today's Scripture reading both tie singing and giving thanks together.
I've often pondered why Scripture places such emphasis on praising the Lord with singing, and why it is that all believers are commanded to sing to the Lord, regardless of their natural ability. There are a number of illustrations in Scripture of the powerful effect of praise through music. (For starters, try 2 Chronicles 20:21-23, where God gave a great victory to the Israelites after the choir held a praise service at the front of the troops marching into battle!)
There is no doubt that the Devil despises Godward praise. We have some reason to believe that at one time, before pride caused him to lose his position, he may have been one of the "worship leaders" in heaven and therefore is particularly repulsed and repelled when God's people praise Him with singing and musical instruments.
When I talk with a woman who is struggling with chronic discouragement or depression, I often ask two questions: (1) Are you memorizing Scripture? and (2) Are you singing to the Lord? I'm not suggesting these are magic "pills" that will make every emotional struggle go away, but I have found these two means of grace to be extremely effective at recalibrating my heart and restoring inner peace.
I have often experienced fresh springs of God's grace as I have exercised faith in singing to Him in praise and thanksgiving. At times, when I am deeply distraught or discouraged, I will open my hymnal and just begin to sing. Songs like "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" or "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" (all stanzas!). Occasionally I am crying so hard I can scarcely get the words out. But as I sing to the Lord, my heart and mind are re-tethered to His goodness and love, and invariably, the cloud begins to lift. In fact, I sing until the cloud lifts.
GRATITUDE IN ACTION
As today's reading exhorts us, "Sing praises to the Lord...and give thanks to his holy name" (v. 4)! Whether it's a cloudy or sunny day in your heart, sing! Right now, if possible. Put on a CD or your iPod headset and sing along with others, or just sing to Him on you own--the Lord will love your "joyful sound"!
Sing praise choruses that are familiar to you, or pull out a hymnal and sing some of those rich hymns by Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby, or Frances Havergal, that we don't sing often enough anymore. (I've listed some of my favorite hymns on pages 225-26.) A friend recently shared with me that she has taken it upon herself to memorize hymns, so she can sing them as she goes about her housecleaning and other responsibilities. Great suggestion!
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