Praise and
Thanksgiving
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The
Psalmist’s Final Warning
“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 tambourine and
dancing, praise him with strings and
flute, praise him with the clash of
the cymbals, praise him with
resounding cymbals.” Psalm 150.
Thanksgiving
in Song
How early in the
world’s history do we read of
singing?
“Where your you
when I laid the Earth’s
foundation? Tell me if you
understand. Who marked off its
dimensions? Surely you know! Who
stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set, or who
laid its cornerstone – while
the morning stars sang together and
all the angels shouted for joy?”
Job 38:4-7.
What did Israel do
when delivered from Egypt?
“The Moses and
the Israelites sang this song to
the Lord: “I will sing to
the Lord, for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider he has hurled
into the sea. The Lord is my strength
and my song; he is my salvation. He
is my God, and I will praise him, my
father’s God, and I will exalt
him.” Exodus 15:1,2.
How
did the angels manifest their joy at
Christ’s birth?
“Suddenly a great
company of the heavenly host appeared
with the angel, praising God and
saying: “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests.” Luke
2:13,14.
Counsel
on Acceptable Singing
How
are we told to come before the Lord?
“Worship the Lord
with gladness; come before him
with joyful songs.” Psalm
100:2.
(See also 2 Chronicles
29:30.)
How
did the psalmist say God regards such
service?
“I will praise
God’s name in song and
glorify him in thanksgiving. This
will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and
hoofs.” Psalm 69:30,31.
What
instruction did Paul give concerning
singing?
“Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly as you
teach and admonish one another with
all wisdom, and as you sing
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to
God.” Colossians 3:16.
(See also Ephesians 5:19; James 5:13;
Psalm 149:5,6.)
Note – Music,
like poetry and flowers, is elevating
and refining in its nature, and
should thereafter have its place in
the worship of God, and in the life
and experience of God’s people.
It is adapted to every mood and
feeling of the human soul, and many
times has reached hearts when other
means have failed. Next to prayer,
music seems to be best adapted to
worship.
“The history of
the songs of the Bible is full of
suggestion as to the uses and
benefits of music and song. Music is
often perverted to serve purposes of
evil, and it thus becomes one of the
most alluring agencies of temptation.
But rightly employed, it is a
precious gift of God, designed to
uplift the thoughts to high and noble
themes, to inspire and elevate the
soul. As the children of Israel,
journeying through the wilderness,
cheered their way by the music of
sacred song, so God bids His children
today gladdens their pilgrim life.
There are few means more effective
for fixing His words in the memory
than repeating them in song. And such
songs have wonderful power. It has
the power to subdue rude and
uncultivated sympathy, to promote
harmony of action, and to banish the
gloom and foreboding that destroy
courage and weaken effort.” E.G.
White, Education pp. 167, 168.
Music
of the Future
In
vision, what instrument did John see
the saints have?
“They held
harps given them by God and sang
the song of Moses the servant of God
and the song of the Lamb.”
Revelation 15:2.
And
what song are they to sing?
“And sang the
song of Moses the servant of God
and the song of the Lamb:
Great and marvelous are your deeds.
Lord God Almighty. Just and true are
your ways, King of the ages. Verse 3.
(See Psalms 87:7.)
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