English Standard Version (ESV)
How Awesome Are Your Deeds
To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.
66 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2 sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
2 sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
5 Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7 who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7 who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
8 Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
A friend and I were talking about worship recently. We both are musical and enjoy singing in church; however, we both found ourselves with certain pet peeve pertaining to worships in the church. Thus this post was born with my thoughts on worship and hymns.
1) We need to sing with passion. If the song is a dirge, bring a contrite spirit to the song. If the song says,"Shout for joy!" They need to hear you four pews ahead of you. The choir or music leaders are there to lead us in worship, but the congregation needs to follow. I too find myself singing words without fully contemplating what they mean. I have sung songs without heart, but I am the one missing out. Worship is my time to contemplate and rejoice in my savior and all He has done for me.
2) As I get older and (by the grace of God) wiser, I find myself caring less about how you sound. God did not make everyone a singer. I get that. Yet I can find more heartfelt worship in the off key little kid singing at the top of his lungs or in the old and broken voice of a 90 year old man who truly seems to understand the words of his favorite hymn. Whatever rags we have to offer Christ are treasures. No I don't enjoy off key or pitchy, but I am moved by the passions of my brothers and sisters in Christ.
3) This is worship, not a performance. There are times for that. Congregation please participate and bring spirit and passion to hymns and spiritual songs. Share in the gift that God has given to you of worship.
4) Bring intentionality to worship. Read the poetry of the lyrics and understand the truths that we sing each week. Bring thought and prayer to the lyrics. I recently was on a missions trip and the leader asked the group to pick a song to sing with the local church. He asked us to pick a song that we were singing vertically, meaning one sung directly to God. I appreciate him being intentional in the kind of worship he wanted to share with our fellow believers.
Gracious and Merciful Father, as I start this new year, abide with me. Be with me in the decisions I make and the passions I pursue. Keep You ever before me so that I might not sin against You. May I be able to rejoice in work You do in my life this coming year. Amen.
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