Thursday, March 9, 2017

Psalm 68 - Cue the Musicians!

A lot, actually it seems like most, of the psalms mention praising the Lord and/or singing God's praises. Psalm 68 is no exception.

3 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.4 Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD — rejoice in his presence!

But this psalm goes further. It describes God going into His sanctuary.

24 Your procession has come into view, O God— the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.25 Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines.

Singers and instrumentalists have always had a very important place in worshiping God. 

1 Chronicles 15: 16 David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals.

In Ezra and Nehemiah we read about how they appointed priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants.

AND.... we read in Job 38 that the morning stars (a choir) sang God's praises as the world was created.(I'm sure they were singing God's praises before creation.)

All of this to say, God loves choirs. When a person is part of a choir he/she is joining in a long line of singers and musicians that have been praising God since the beginning of time. The place of the singers is so important that they appointed singers when they appointed the priests and Levites and temple servants. 

I am so thankful for all of the singers and musicians who give extra time each week for rehearsals so they can present their best as they lead us in worship each week. 

Some of you reading this may need to join a choir - the one at Hilldale or the one wherever you attend church.

It is a high calling to be a singer or musician (instrumentalist) leading out in joyful praise to God. Are you following your calling? 

And....I guess I should say that even if you're not in a choir you should sing - whether you're any good or not - with the congregation as they sing. God is worthy of all our praise. 

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