September 23, 2018

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Why did God create us to sing to Him? This is one of those splendid mysteries of God’s creation. Why did He create the pleasure of food? The warmth of family? The human body with two arms instead of four? At bottom and back of it all, we know that all which God made, He made good and with a purpose. And for His glory.
    Singing is human. You were made to sing, and made to sing to God. It is not inconsequential or negotiable. To not sing to God does not make you more human, but less. To withhold from singing does not restore God’s broken image in your life but further tarnishes it.
    Singing to God is not useless. It is life. Consider how the Bible talks about singing. If you do not sing to God, you cannot please God. But when you sing to God from the heart with others (Eph 5:19-20), you will be doing the very thing you God created you to do. Singing to God with others is like eating together with others: to do it well is to do it for God, and to do it for God is to enjoy God’s work of redeeming all things in Christ Jesus, including in your own particular life.

Singing is worship and obedience to God
Ps 65:1: Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
Ps 66:1-2, 8: 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,
Ps 67:3-5: 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
Ps 149:1-2: Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Heb 13:15: Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Singing is rejoicing in, and because of, God
Ps 9:2: I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
James 5:13:  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Singing is bodily obedience
Ps 109:30: With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

Singing is living
Ps 6:5: Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?
Ps 30:9, 12: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
Ps 88:10: Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you?
Ps 104:33: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
Ps 115:17, 18: 17 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!
Ps 137:3, 4: 3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
Ps 150:6: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Singing is continual as living is continual
Ps 63:6: So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
Ps 104:33: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
Ps 146:1-2: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Singing is giving thanks to God
Ps 30:4: Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
Ps 57:9: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
Ps 100:4: 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Singing is remembering God’s deliverance and mighty works
Exodus 15:1, 21: Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 21 And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Ps 13:6: I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Ps 18:49: For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name.
Ps 51:14: Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
Ps 92:4: For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
Ps 96:1-3: Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Is 35:10: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Is 51:11: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Is 52:9: Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.
Is 54:1: Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
Rev 5:9-10: And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Rev 14:2-3: 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
Rev 15:2-4: 2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

The LORD is your song.
Ps 40:2-3: 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Ps 118:14: The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Is 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Sing to God because of His Word.
Ps 119:7: I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.
Ps 119:62: At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.
Ps 119:164: Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.
Ps 119:171: My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.

Singing to God is calling on all creation to sing to God! (sing about singing)
1 Chron 16:23, 33: 23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. 33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Sing, O earth! Forests, trees sing for joy.
Ps 66:1-4: 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. 4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”
Ps 69:34: Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
Ps 89:5: Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
Ps 96:1-3, 11-12: Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
Ps 98:1-3, 5, 8: 1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together
Ps 148:  Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! 3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! 4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. 6 And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, 8 fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! 9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! 10 Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! 12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children! 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!
Is 44:23: Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.
Is 49:13: Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. Singing is invitation/proclamation to the nations
Singing is declaring God’s work to the nations
Ps 9:11: Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
Ps 96:3: 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

Singing to God is praising God among the nations
57:9: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
Ps 108:3: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

Singing to God is inviting the nations to sing to God
Ps 67:3-5: 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
Ps 68:32: O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord,
Ps 117:1: Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!

Singing to God is declaring to one another God’s Word and work
Ephesians 5:18-19: 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

Singing to God is re-orientation back towards God
Ps 37:1: Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Ps 101:1-4: I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music. 2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; 3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Singing  to God is confessing God’s faithfulness
Ps 59:17: O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.
Ps 63:3: Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
Ps 98:1-3: 1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Singing to God is waiting/remaining steadfast
Ps 57:7: My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!
Ps 84:2 (longing): My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Ps 108:1: My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!

Singing to God is resting in God’s protection
Ps 5:11: But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.
Ps 63:7: for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

Singing to God is warfare
2 Chron 20:21-22:21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.
Ps 22:3: Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Acts 16:25, About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Singing to God is good
Ps 33:1: Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
Ps 92:1: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
Ps 135:3: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
Ps 147:1: Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.