Sing Unto the Lord
This exhortation was given at King's Cross Church (Moscow, ID) on June 25, AD 2023.
Throughout our worship services we sing many songs unto the Lord. If you were to survey the Scriptures, you would find that singing has always been a practice of God’s people.
Beginning in the Old Testament, after Israel passed through the Red Sea they sang a beautiful hymn of praise to God, declaring Him to be their strength and song. King David composed over 70 psalms himself, and introduced songs to Israel’s liturgical worship as he appointed 4,000 musicians and 288 singers to offer praises to the Lord in the temple. And throughout the Psalter, God’s inspired hymnbook, we read again and again exhortations to sing songs to the Lord.
Likewise, in the New Testament, we find Jesus and the disciples singing a hymn after the Last Supper, which was mostly likely one of the Hallel psalms which were sung during the Passover celebration. In Acts we read of St Paul and Silas singing hymns together while behind bars as the other prisoners listened on. And in the Epistles we are instructed to address “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” and to sing praises to God when cheerful.
Singing is an integral part of Christian life and worship.
Now while our singing ought to be beautiful and skillful, we do not sing in our worship services in order to sprinkle in some art or entertainment. Nor are our songs mere educational tools, as means of communicating a message or conveying doctrine.
Rather, the primary reason the church sings is to glorify our Lord. Our singing is doxological – it is us lifting up praises to God. Each Lord’s Day we ascend, by the Spirit, to the throne room of God. And we join the heavenly chorus that never ceases offering praise upon praise in song to the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb. All of this is to be done out of the abundance of our hearts. For as St Paul wrote, we are to be making melody to the Lord in our hearts, which are to be thankful.
So sing heartily unto the Lord this morning. Sing loud. Sing with joy. Sing with thanksgiving. Sing with attention and intention. And may our Lord be pleased to receive it all.