Teaching Joy With Music--Part 2

Teaching Joy With Music—Part 2   

Yesterday we discussed briefly that the Ancient Levite musicians taught the Word of Jehovah with joyful singing of the Word.  Psalm 27:5 & 6 also tells us about joyful singing and playing of sacred music:

Vs. 5   For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion [5520, cok (soke) a tabernacle, a protected place] in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. 

Vs. 6   And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifice of joy; [8643, teruah, acclamation of joy, jubile, rejoicing, shouting] I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the LORD. 

            In the time of trouble David prayed that God would hide him in a protected place.  He further stated that God would lift up his head.  Did David feel like praising God?  Probably not, but in verse six David declared that in the midst of trouble he would give God the sacrifice of joy.  Although he probably did not feel like it he declared I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the LORD.

            We church musicians are probably the must emotional, moody people on the face of the earth.  We go from the highest joy to the slew of despond in a matter of moments.  When we hit bottom emotionally then it is time to give God the sacrifice of praise. 

            We know that a sacrifice costs us something or it wouldn’t be called a sacrifice now would it?  When we are in our highest moment of joy our musical offering doesn’t cost us nearly as much as it does when we come to Sunday morning worship so low emotionally that we believe that we could walk under a closed door without bending over at all.

            When we look at the Hebrew word Teruah and understand that it means that in the time of trouble David declared that he would not merely sing the praises of God but that he would SHOUT the praises of God.  You probably are thinking now, Mr. Wolf, I’m just not like that.  I don’t shout even when I’m happy.”  Well, I say to you, get like that because it’s in the Bible.  If you pucker up in choir like a green percimin, when you are going through heaviness, you are not acting like a Bible believing Christian. On the authority of God’s Word he has promised to see you through your heartache, sorrow, and depression if you will shout his praises whether you feel like it or not.