Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Sing to the Lord!

You know those days where you have everything to be thankful for, but not a word of thanks on your lips?  Where there is much reason for joy, but you can barely muster a smile?  When everyone else is skipping about their day, and you don't even want to get out of bed?  

I love the Psalms.  David is so candid about his mountaintop-highs and deep-valley lows.  I like Psalm 42, where David writes, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Hope in God!"   I feel like I can almost hear David's head and heart warring against one another, much like my own does.  My head says, "He paid the ultimate price for you. He loves you. You are redeemed and your biggest problem has already been solved. You are under grace, not law. You have much reason for joy!"  My heart says, "I am fearful. I am discouraged.  I am overwhelmed.  My sin seems greater than grace. God feels distant.  I feel alone. My hurt feels greater than my joy."

You know me – music obsessed.  But to me, music delivers to my heart and soul the truths that my mind knows but my heart can’t believe.  I will sit and listen to a song on repeat sometimes all day until my unbelieving lips can mouth the words and my faithless heart can sing.  I don't think it's any coincidence that after pleading with his heart to rejoice, in Psalm 43 David basically says, "God, you are faithful, lead me to your light, I will come to your alter (a place of worship) and sing to you with the lyre."  David understood the value of music to his wandering soul.  

Today has been one of those days where I feel like I've spent all day coaxing my stubborn heart, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Hope in God!".  So I turned to the best heart communication I know....music.  And this has been my song, today –


Righteous Ruler of the heavens
Holy, holy, our God
Sovereign Lord of all creation
Holy, holy, our God

Every tribe and tongue
Lift your voice as one
He is greatly to be praised

Sing to the Lord, oh my soul
Let the heavens shout for joy
Great is our God
Great is our God

Nations come and bow before Him
Holy, holy, our God
Angels sing now and forever
Holy, holy, our God

Every tribe and tongue
Lift your voice as one
He is greatly to be praised

Sing to the Lord, oh my soul
Let the heavens shout for joy
Great is our God
Great is our God

The heavens shall declare
The glory of our great God

Jesus King, let us adore Him
Holy, holy, our God
["Sing to the Lord", Hillsong]

It’s not complicated, it’s simple.  I guess when God put it in my heart last night He knew that my heart would need something very basic to cling to, today.  I have been blessed to spend much time in strong churches, around godly people, and studying and memorizing scripture.  My problem is not that my head lacks reasons to rejoice.  I know sooooo much truth, but *knowing* and *feeling the belief of those things in the depths of your heart* are two different things.  Every day, I have to pray that despite and in the midst of pain and hurt, the words on my lips and in my heart would be, “He is greatly to be praised!  Sing to the Lord, oh my soul!  Let the heavens shout for joy! Great is our God!”

That's one of the reasons I love this song.  It doesn’t try to give any explanation for why we should sing, why He’s great (‘cause I question it some days!), why He’s “greatly to be praised” – just a command, “sing to the Lord, O my soul!”  Some days I *feel* the reasons to sing and some days I don’t, but “He is greatly to be praised - Great is our God” none the less.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art!