Every Wednesday
Why Do We Sing in Church?
By Phil Tedeschi
Think about a typical Sunday morning service. What does it look like to you? Does your answer sound something like this: I arrive, I greet a few people, and I take my seat. A few songs are sung (not necessarily by me), we pray, and I listen to the pastor’s message. The service closes in prayer, I greet a few more people, and I go home.
If that’s your take, “Houston, we have a problem!”
As a member of the congregation, your greatest opportunity to contribute to what the Holy Spirit wants to accomplish in our weekly gatherings is to sing. And not just mumble some words. It is your joy and your privilege and your obligation to sing your heart out!
But you may protest, ”I don’t have a good singing voice.” Psalm 98:4 and Psalm 100:1 both command us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” It has nothing to do with keeping the melody or harmonizing.
The Hebrew word used there describes a shout, or even a war cry! But if you actually can sing and just won’t, Psalm 98:4 continues by adding, “make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”) The Hebrew word for “sing” used there means to make melody with your voice or on an instrument. These are directions the Holy Spirit guided the Psalmist to write to all of God’s people!
Lest you think those are just Old Testament worship guidelines, look at what Paul told the Ephesians and Colossians in the New Testament:
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Eph 5: 18-19 ESV)
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV
So, why do we sing? As already stated, we are commanded to praise the Lord with gratitude (Psalm 100) or to celebrate Him as King (Psalm 98). God desires our worship. And one of the chief ways we worship Him is by singing. Beyond worship, singing expresses joy, kindness, and love for our fellow worshippers.
There are generally three audiences unto whom we sing corporately.
- We sing to the Lord as an act of worship and praise for His goodness to us. (Think “Great are you, Lord.”)
- We sing to each other as a form of encouragement and a reminder of His goodness. (Think “All the people said amen.”)
- We sing to ourselves, also as a form of encouragement, and to remind ourselves of His specific rule in our own life. (Think “Bless the Lord, o my soul. . .”)
If you’re not participating in the song service by lifting up your own voice – no matter whether your voice makes a glorious sound like a warbler or sounds closer to the scratching of fingernails on a chalkboard - you’re not only failing to obey God’s scriptural command, you’re missing out on the blessings of encouraging yourself and others!
So next Sunday, after you’ve greeted a few folks and taken your seat, be intentional to make a joyful noise unto the Lord! It might just make you - and those around you – smile. And it will surely put some much needed joy in your heart!