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Psalms – Singing Transports Us Beyond This Earth
We should all want to move our singing beyond the boundaries that stagnation can restrict it. Beyond the corridors of our throats and lips. Beyond the sound produced that is pleasing to the human ear. Beyond four part harmony. God has ordained an important role for our singing. Sometimes the church has made it something else. Often music is used merely as a ritualistic warm-up for the sermon or the observing of Christ’s memorial.
There are approximately 165 references to singing in God’s word. There is even an inspired song book ‑ Psalms. Obviously, singing is incredibly important to God.
While I doubt there will be preaching up in heaven, and I know assuredly God will never ask me to preach (Amen?), there will be singing up in Heaven: God enjoys music.
- God wants to use it in the lives of His people to honor Himself.
- Music is a God‑given transportation device. Though physically produced and received, music transcends the physical realm.
- Through our singing, God can lift us to heights unattainable without His help.
So let us move our singing beyond….
SINGING TRANSPORTS US TO A PLACE OF KNOWLEDGE
Music can memorialize events and press them into the consciousness of its hearers, so that they might respond. Exodus 15 contains a song commemorated Israel’s victory over Egypt. Miriam led her female singers to say: “Sing to the Lord. For He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea! (v.21).
Many spiritual songs memorialize the Lord’s memorial supper.
Did you ever wonder why God choose singing? Singing is one of the most natural ways that man uses to remember. How do children learn the alphabet? How did ancient nations record their history? Through songs! Singing spiritual songs has long been a source of memorization of events. This is one of the best ways to teach children (and adults) the Bible. In fact, learning and singing children’s songs is actually spiritually beneficial to adults. Can you name the 12 apostles? I can only do it by singing! Can you name the N.T. books? I still sometimes need to sing them. How many stones did David take to battle Goliath? Five (1 Samuel 17:40). What kind of tree did Zacchaeus climb? Sycamore (Luke 19:4). What was the name of the boy who fell asleep during Paul’s sermon, fell out of the window, and died? Eutychus (Acts 20:9). I have heard little kids give the answer to that last one when even I did not know it.
SINGING TRANSPORTS US TO A PLACE OF PRAISE, PRAYER AND WORSHIP
We have a divinely inspired song book of praise: Psalms. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 speak of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs:
- Psalms/psalmos (5568) – O.T. book (Where; Backward)
- Hymns/humnos (5215) – Addressed to God: Praise and Glory (Who – Upward)
- Spiritual/pneumatikos (4152) Songs/ode (5603) – Kind (What/How – Inward and Outward)
As we can see if we were to read all of both of those verses, our singing both Reaches UP and IN to one another as we sing to one another.
Acts 16:25 – But about midnight [I’m sure though exhausted, they could not sleep] Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns [lit., praying, they sang hymns; “The praying and the praise are not described as distinct acts. Their singing of hymns was their prayer, probably Psalms.” (Vincent, v.1, p.534)] of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
When looking at the entire context, we can see that our singing can also help us to Reach OUT to unbelievers as they are affected spiritually by our singing.
SINGING TRANSPORTS US TO A PLACE OF REMEMBERING
Do you and your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend have a song that you consider “your song?” Many do. It’s a song that brings back memories of when you first met, or a special event, or one that you both liked. For Janet and I it is I Can’t Help Falling In Love with You. She likes the title line; I like the part which says, Wise men say, only fools rush in! We sang it to each other at our wedding. When we hear that song we remember: we remember our wedding, and our love. And she remembers she married a fool.
Bach wrote THE PASSION ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW based upon Matthew 26,27 as a sermon set to music. He intended it as a service in which all would participate and relive the sorrow, meditation, quiet joy and reflection of our Messiah as he prepared to die for the sins of the world. Not every one can preach a sermon on the passion of our Lord, but we all can sing it eloquently.
Many of the Psalms memorialize past events.
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