Music has been a part of worship for thousands of years, and rightly so.  As one author puts it, “the links  between worship and music are deep-seated, for they both spring from a God-implanted desire to search for truth and order.  Music is a manifestation of that search in the mental and physical realms, worship is its expression in the cosmic.  What is more, God has ordered … creation in such a way that the unfolding of its truths is profoundly satisfying.  As the Westminster Confession put it:  ‘[Our] chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy [God] for ever.’

“Worship (literally ‘worth-ship’) is a fundamental human characteristic.  It is, at best, the acknowledgment and celebration of God's utter perfection.”*

There are times when we really catch a vision of God and are overwhelmed by God’s beauty, majesty and pure goodness.  At such times ordinary words are just not enough!  We struggle to express the inexpressible.  One outlet is music.  Music can somehow reach deeper places and touch emotions that prose can not reach.

The psalmist must have been in such a place when Psalm 96 was written.  It bubbles over with joy and praise for the Holy One.  It invites everyone to sing a brand new song; a song of praise to God; a song that tells the story of God’s saving acts for God’s people; a song that sings of God’s honor, majesty, glory, and strength.  It is to be a song of such ecstatic worship that even the earth, the sea, every field and every tree will join in singing praise to God.  God, the One who is coming to set things right and to judge fairly with truth.

As you worship this week, try to shut out the world’s noise and quiet your mind.  Listen, if you can, with your heart.  In particular, open your heart to the power and mystery of discovering God in new ways in music.  Really see and experience the words of familiar lyrics you may have sung before out of habit.  Allow the Holy Spirit to reach you through rhythm and melody.  With the psalmist, allow yourself to be swept up in the holiness and beauty of the living God who is the sovereign of the universe, but who also cares for you.

revclay

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O sing to God a new song;

                sing to God, all the earth. 

Sing to God, bless God's name;

                tell of God's salvation from day to day. 

Declare God's glory among the nations,

                God's marvelous works among all the peoples. 

For great is God, and greatly to be praised;

                God is to be revered above all gods. 

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

                but God made the heavens. 

Honor and majesty are before him;

                strength and beauty are in God's sanctuary. 

Ascribe to God, O families of the peoples,

                ascribe to God glory and strength. 

Ascribe to God the glory due God's name;

                bring an offering, and come into God's courts. 

Worship God in holy splendor;

                tremble before him, all the earth. 

Say among the nations, "God is sovereign!

                The world is firmly established;

                                it shall never be moved.

                God will judge the peoples with equity." 

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

                let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

                let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before God;

                for God is coming, for God is coming to judge the earth.

God will judge the world with righteousness,

                and the peoples with God's truth.