My Heart Sings and So Should Yours!

     Recently, our church music director has been leading a class in Reformation Music in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.  Every session covers a different area of music during this time period.  One of the main components of church worship was Psalm singing either accompanied by the organ or sung acapella.  We listened to clips from You Tube video of congregations and choirs singing these songs.  The purpose was twofold at the time.  First, the Reformers wanted the people to learn Scripture and singing is one of the best ways to retain things in your mind.  Secondly, the Reformers also wanted the people to participate fully in the worship of the church.  Prior to the Reformation, the congregation of the church did not have a personal Bible to read from and most services were said only in Latin.  The Reformers wanted to fully engage both the mind and spirit so that believers would be encouraged to grow in their understanding.  Our local congregation continues to sing Psalms (no longer exclusively) in our traditional service, and there is another branch of Presbyterianism that sings Psalms acapella each Lord's Day and includes no hymns.
     Most of the hymns that were written in those early years after the Reformation were based on Scripture and are still sung today.  Growing up, I remember listening to my mother's beautiful voice as she sang out the words to those hymns.  The memory has not faded either.  Just the other day as I was cleaning, I tuned into an instrumental praise station on Pandora and listened to the hymns played on piano.  I could easily recognize the name of the hymn and start singing the words.  This is why I say that what we sing we most often remember.
     In the Bible, we read about David who wrote many of the Psalms and sang them as he cared for his father's
sheep.  Later, we know that he soothed the soul of Saul by playing music (I Samuel 16:23):  "And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him."  On many occasions when I have had a difficult day, I will spend time singing those hymns which praise the Lord and lift my heart.  Praise and worship in the home does soothe away the irritations of the day.
     Other parts of Scripture show Miriam singing praise to the Lord in Exodus 15:21:  "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.”  The women joined in and praised God with her.  Moses also sang a song of praise to God.  Mary, the Mother of our Lord, rejoiced with a song of praise to God recorded in Luke 1:46-55.  Over and over again, we see examples like these that should encourage us to sing and make melody to the Lord.  When we sing scripture, we are repeating God's Words back to Him.  What a sweet sound in His ears!
     Our daughter-in-law who comes from a great musical family spends time each evening singing prayers with her boys when they go to bed.  These are the things that stick in our hearts and we never forget.  She is making a time of prayer also a time of musical worship to the Lord.
     When I was only six my Grandfather Engel died tragically in an accident, but I remember his funeral.  My mother had told me that he loved "The Old Rugged Cross" which they played that day.  Ever since then, it has held a special place in my heart.  Likewise, I remember very well that my father loved the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" and spent time playing it on our organ at home.  Now when I hear this hymn, I look back on it with joy.  We often tag important events in our life with music so why not make it the music of God?
     Ephesians 5:18-20 reminds us that we are to make music unto the Lord:  "18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  When we have this attitude in us, it will not be difficult to encourage each other, learn Scripture and be lifted up even as we praise the Lord.  May your heart sing today even as mine does so that we can bring glory to our Lord!  Selah!