Be the Hymn of Praise

Worship God with all that you are.

January’s Awakening, Day 14

The prophetic spirit orders that God be praised with cymbals of jubilation and with the rest of the musical instruments which the wise and studious have created, since all the arts are brought to life by that breath of life which God breathed into the body of man: and therefore it is just that God be praised in all things.

 —Hildegard of Bingen

Look at the very birds on earth—how they shame us!

Dear little creatures, if you watch them when they are singing, you will sometimes wonder how so much sound can come out of such diminutive bodies.

How they throw their whole selves into the music, and seem to melt themselves away in song!

How the wing vibrates, the throat pulsates, and every part of their body rejoices to assist the strain!

This is the way in which we ought to praise God.

 —C. H. Spurgeon

One day all Christians will join in a doxology and sing God’s praises with perfection. But even today, individually  and corporately, we are not only to sing the doxology, but to be the doxology.

 —Francis Schaeffer 

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:3–4 NIV

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:1–2 NIV

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. Psalm 47:1 NIV

Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:1–6 NIV

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. Psalm 109:30 NIV

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18b–20 NIV  

            Praise and worship should encompass the best of all that you are in reverence and awe. Individually and corporately, playing all sorts of musical instruments, singing, respectful dancing, shouts of joy, sometimes quiet, raising hands lifted high, clapping, standing, bowing, kneeling, or prostrate before the Lord—all these and more may be part of your devoted worship of the Lord. It should be done from the heart and with the proper mindset and always with due respect to the Lord and respect for those around you as well. It need not be reserved. We cheer quite boisterously at beloved athletic games, why not be exuberant towards the One who spared nothing for you? Be the hymn of praise, don’t just sing it.