S95P5 – Our acts of worship: songs of praise
Psa. 95:1-2
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
The first few times he attended service there, he could not believe how wonderful the music was. He dreamt of one day being on that stage helping lead the congregation in songs of praise. The only problem was that he was completely tone deaf. Even when the band was as loud as it could be, and the other parishioners around him were just as loud, he dared not let the sound escape his lips. He worshiped with his heart, and he mouthed the words, but his voice never engaged. He actually thought that his songs of praise would not be well-received by the Father because he did not have the gift of music. The man thought God would be listening to his voice, but He really listens to the heart behind it.
Singing songs of praise is a special kind of worship. There are angelic beings whose purpose it is to worship God with music continually. No doubt their praises sound incredible, but what makes that worship pure is its spiritual power and appeal. The most amazing voice can sing God’s praises with the sole purpose of self-elevation, and that music will not sound good to him at all. The words we sing in our praises cannot be hollow or empty. Those words must come from a true place of worship. They must speak what the heart feels for the Father. Without that connection, it is just music, and we are just pretending. Yes, we want to do all things with excellence, but the goal in singing songs of praise to the Lord is not to sound good. The goal is to honor and move our Father.
I have heard songs that initially grab me with their melody. Some of these songs have been really popular and a great commercial success by the standards of the music industry. Then, a careful listen of the lyrics reveals the intent behind the music, and I realize that those are not words that I want to sing. Those songs have no honor. Singing praises to God with a transparent heart makes good music for him no matter how it sounds to us. The Father just wants to hear the songs of his children worshiping him with the gift of music He has given us no matter how it sounds to us. Father, move us to worship You with songs of honest praise, to honor You and move your heart with our worship.