by David Brenneman
"After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Mark 14:26.
Praise is greatly honoring to God! In the Old Testament account of King Jehoshaphat, God's people faced a seemingly insurmountable enemy who was determined to destroy them. Yet God assured them that they would "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 20:17). The people of Judah
believed God. Their army was led by singers, offering praises to the Lord for their promised victory, and the victory came. When King David led the procession bringing the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, he praised God with all of his strength (2 Samuel 6:12-23). David's praise was pleasing to God, and God's powerful presence remained in David's kingdom to give him victory against every enemy.
Jesus was about to go to Gethsemane and to the Cross, where God's greatest victory would be accomplished. He led His disciples to sing a hymn. The disciples were all about to fail Him, and Jesus was about to be cruelly executed, yet Jesus insisted that they praise God. Their praise looked beyond the cross to God's ultimate victory. Praise is rooted not in circumstances of the moment but in the nature and trustworthiness of God.
You ought to rejoice when God asks you to proceed in the work of His kingdom because you know the victory is already secured. Don't focus on the problems and failures of others. Focus on God's assurance of victory. If you have trouble praising God with a song in your heart as you serve Him, it may be that your focus is not on God, but on your circumstances.
-Experiencing God Day-by-Day Devotional Blackaby and Blackaby
There are days where I wake up with a song, a hymn or just a chorus playing in my mind. Sometimes, but not all the time.
"speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;" Ephesians 5:19-20.
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16.
"Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the Lord, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness." Psalms 96:1-13.
"O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him." Psalms 98:1.
Think there's more than a few places where this is where our hearts are directed?
These are but a few examples. In Heaven we read of praising Him all the time. Revelation speaks of the praising going on around the Throne of God.
When mowing season begins this is a special time of just taking an hour or so to listen to praise and worship music. I can sing along and it won't drive anyone away over the sound of the mower.
In sickness and in health we often hear at times of a wedding vow. Yet when we read of the acts of the Apostles whether they were chained to a wall or on their own. Whether they were not doing so well or they were feeling good, they praised God in their circumstances.
Note the timing of Jesus after the Last Supper...He had them sing before He was betrayed. Peter was on the ropes shortly thereafter. When you consider it, he went through a much shortened version of a Job experience. Both were sifted by Satan with restrictions.
Paul, as we read later, saw the value of praising God in song.
What can wash away my sin...nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again...nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow! No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus!.
Hallalu, Hallalu, Hallalu, Praise Ye the Lord! Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord, Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord!
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O earth– His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! highest archangels in glory; strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children; in His arms He carries them all day long.
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness.
Praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
These and so many more are those that can lift up a soul when life is listing to one side, where and when things aren't going as well as we would like.
While there's something to be said for newer songs the old hymns reach deep inside where many of those don't seem to go.
When we're setting our minds on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world...we find praise happening.
We find a peace that passes all understanding. We find ourselves in a place we cannot explain yet love to be in because it feels like Jesus has His arms wrapped around us just as He did when the children came to Him.
The when and where often can change the ways people see us and make them want to know why we are how we are being.
"But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”" Acts 16:25-30.
Part of our testimony could be our joyful song at the right time to disarm those around us.
While we may not see it, we often make a difference when we least expect it.
In good times and not so good times it's often a song that can turn the tide in how we find success in our walk with Jesus.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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