Our God commands us to sing.
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
– Revelation 5.11, 12
[The angels] proclaimed and exalted him without cease, as was fitting,
and gave thanks to the Lord in splendid song –
out of love and free will, not simply from inborn nature.
– Columba, Altus Prosator, Irish, 6th century
The angels in heaven sing to the Lord not because that’s what angels do – like wolves, baying at the moon.
They sing to Him because they choose to, so filled are they with admiration, wonder, gratitude, love, and joy. They cannot contain themselves, but spill out in ceaseless splendid song to exalt their Creator and Lord.
The saints in heaven, similarly motivated, sing continuously to the Lord as well. And, again, not because it is required; rather, they delight to sing to the Lord, and He delights in their singing. Believers who are not prone to singing to the Lord are missing a clean bet way to please and delight Him, and to strengthen the bonds of their relationship with Him.
Our God commands us to sing. He has given us ample reasons to break forth in joyous song. He provided an entire book of songs for us to use in praising Him. The saints from every age before ours were much more engaged in singing than we in our day tend to be. We have lost the joy and power of singing to the Lord as an integral part of our regimen of spiritual disciplines.
Yet singing is one of the evidences that we are filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5.18-21). For just that reason, they who sing often to the Lord, making a joyful noise to their Savior and King, are apt to find the Spirit of God making Himself right at home in so agreeable an environment.
Why deprive yourself any longer? Sing to the Lord, sing in splendid song!
Psalm 96.1-4 (Mit Freuden Zart: “All Praise to God Who Reigns Above”)
Sing to the Lord! O bless His Name! All nations tell His glory!
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story!
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised –
Fear Him, and sing His glory!
Lord, let ringing echoes sound Your praise as we sing with joy to You! Adapted from Columbanus, A Boat-Song
