1Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise God in his fortress, the sky!
2 Praise God in his mighty acts!
Praise God as suits his incredible greatness!
3 Praise God with the blast of the ram’s horn!
Praise God with lute and lyre!
4 Praise God with drum and dance!
Praise God with strings and pipe!
5 Praise God with loud cymbals!
Praise God with clashing cymbals!
6 Let every living thing praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Reflection
When our children were young, we were at Disney and went to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. It was a dinner and a show for about 200 people with old time songs and skits. The highlight of the night was when the audience was told to pick up their large metal spoons and metal washboards and bang on them as loud as possible in time to the music. As the actors sang, other actors yelled over the din, “I can’t hear you, louder!” Everyone banged their spoons harder, and sang at the top of their voices. It was pure joy, everyone was laughing and had a great time. In a world where children – and adults – are told to sit still, listen and be quiet, it was as if they could finally be totally themselves, and make a joyful noise together.
What would a worship service be like without music? We can’t imagine. Whether we are caught up and moving to the music of our praise band, or swaying to the our favorite hymns played on an organ, music speaks to us in worship, and we speak through music to praise God. As children, youth and adults, we sing, play chimes, bells and all types of musical instruments to praise God in worship. Making a joyful noise to praise God is what we’re created for, it brings us and God great joy.
We were created to praise God. We experience connection as a community when we praise God together through music. Worship doesn’t mean we’re spectators watching a performance, worship is our active participation in praising God. When we worship God, we experience the movement of the Spirit in our hearts, we are lifted up and encouraged, and we experience the peace and joy of Christ that passes all human understanding.
The writer of Psalm 150 commands us to praise God and make a joyful noise! Psalm 150 is the last psalm (song), and the writer makes it the culmination of all the 149 psalms that came before it, those psalms that poured out all the human emotions we experience in this world. The psalms speak of God’s attributes of faithfulness, loving kindness, and holiness. The psalms express humanity’s suffering, fear, anger and doubt as we struggle to remain faithful to God through life’s difficulties. Psalm 150 is the ultimate triumph of what it means to be God’s children – and not only us, but with all of God’s creation, we will worship and sing praises to God, now and for all of eternity.
by Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering & Prayer
Every worship service hits differently depending on what is happening in our lives. But what would it be like to be intentional about going to worship with our faith community to move and sing and to give ourselves up in praise to God? Are we acting as spectators or as participants during our worship time? This week, maybe start your day with the psalmist’s words: “Praise God!”
Prayer: Holy and loving God, we give you praise with our music: with every voice, bell, musical instrument, to make a joyful noise. With all of our hearts God, together we worship you, for all that you have done for us, and with all of creation we praise you God, now and forever. Amen!
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