Sing praises to the Lord, o you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. —Psalm 30:4
Unlike most other religions, Christianity is a “singing” faith. The word “sing” occurs over 100 times in the Bible—more than sixty of them in Psalms alone.
I’ve often pondered why the Scripture places such emphasis on praising the Lord with singing and why it is that all believers are commanded to sing to the Lord. There are a number of illustrations in the Scripture of the powerful effect of praise through music. (For starters, try 2 Chronicles 20:21–23, where God gave victory to the Israelites after the choir held a praise service at the front of the troops marching into battle!)
I’ve often experienced fresh springs of God’s grace as I have sung to Him in praise and thanksgiving. At times, when I’m deeply distraught or discouraged, I will just begin to sing. Occasionally I’m crying so hard I can scarcely get the words out. But as I sing to the Lord, my heart and mind are re-tethered to His goodness and love, and invariably, the cloud begins to lift.
Make it Personal
Do you ever sing praises to God outside of church? If not, start today, singing and giving “thanks to his holy name.”