As a mom of three, lullabies were one of my go-to tricks for making a toddler sleep, or hush a crying baby. There is something about singing that calms their mind and relaxes them. According to the Harvard Music Lab, babies react the same way regardless of the language and origin of the lullabye.
Like lullabies, there is something about praise and worship songs that gets us to calm down and be in peace. Singing our praises to our Heavenly Father not only shows our outward worship to Him, it also reassures us of our God’s character helping put our hearts and minds at rest.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” Psalm 46:1-3
The Book of Psalms has the most number of chapters among all the books of the Bible. It is a collection of 150 songs meant to express feelings and supplications towards God. More than half of it has been written by King David, some written by Moses, and some of it written by the earliest praise and worship team of our faith.
“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High” Psalm 9:1-2.
When we sing our hearts to the Lord, we answer to His command to sing to Him. When we come to church actively singing and praising him through our voices, we give the Lord the adulation due Him.
“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! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 96:1-4
Moses’ sister, Miriam, was one of the earliest praise leaders ever recorded in the Bible. After the parting of the Red Sea, Miriam took out her tambourine and led the women to praise God. Like Miriam, we can sing to convey our gratitude to the King of Kings who gets us out of our troubles, frees us from our enslavements, and destroys the shackles of sins in our lives.
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:19-21
When we condition ourselves to praise God in both the good times and the bad times, we will be reminded of our ultimate dependence on Him. We get to glorify Him who provides for us, and who disciplines us for our own benefit. With singing we get to rest secure in His love. We get to be assured that He only wants the best for us and that He will never abandon us. We will know His promises, and we can boldly claim it. We will get to know Him better.
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken” Psalm 34:17-20
Singing praise and worship songs need not only be done in church on Sundays. We can sing to the Lord every day of our lives. We can belt it out in our kitchens, in our shower, even in our car during traffic. There is nothing better than saturating our lives with God’s truth and promises, so make that playlist now and sing on.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to
ponder on Psalm 96 to dig deeper on today’s
topic.
Reflection Question: Do you sing to the Lord even outside church? What is your favorite praise and worship song?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for joyfully listening to my singing voice. I want to worship you, thank you, and glorify you through singing. I may not have the best voice, but it is all for you. Thank you also for assuring me of your love through the many Psalms, hymns, and worship music. Amen.
