“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear: break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst did not travail with child…” Isaiah 54:1
David and Isaiah were great singers. We know this to be so because of their writings. They both speak of singing, breaking forth into singing. Isaiah would write, “Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth.” (Is. 42:10) He would even write of “mountains and hills” which would break forth into singing, and “…all the trees of the field clapping their hands.” (Is. 55:12) Why is the subject of singing so meaningful, uplifting, and effective in God’s purpose and plans? It is because it is the testimony, the witness of a wondrous God and Lord, and His marvelous works. Singing is that expression of faith, the certainty of God’s working and blessing “…on this earth as it is in heaven.”
But, how is one to sing, especially in a world where there is so much that militates against the knowledge of God and Christ? The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, “…I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” (1 Cor. 14:15) As in the case of prayer, where the Spirit of God helps us in our weaknesses, our infirmities, to pray, so He does so in singing. Prayer seems to be that wondrous means of God to bring to bear the blessing and power of God to operate His will on this earth, and in the hearts and lives of men. Singing appears to the be the testimony, the proclamation of faith in God to see it brought about and realized with thanksgiving and praise. The more a person, or a nation, grasps something of God who is, “…Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6), the more the subject for prayer, praise, and rejoicing is the response. The joyful expression of such victorious faith in the Victorious Lord, and His wondrous works, is brought about in us by the Spirit of God, according to the truth as it is revealed in Jesus, is SINGING, in the Spirit and with the mind, in truth. So, we have David, not only a writer of Psalms, or songs, but a singer. We have groups designated in the service of worship as “singers,” even sometimes going forth into battle before the soldiers themselves. Why? Being directed by God, through the prophets, they are testifying to the soon coming, and realization of the victory of the Victorious God over all the power of the enemy.
What about the church? What is to be the action and response of the church, the living body of Christ on this earth, in the face of the enemy, difficulty, and opposition, for Jesus did speak of the “gates of hell” defying the church? We find that God has given to the church a wealth of knowledge concerning singing. He has also revealed that singing is a means to faith, and the maintenance of faith. Let us remember that on the eve of the apprehension of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His trial, and crucifixion, He and His disciples, during the last supper, sang psalms, or songs of faith. He then, in a very real way, “…went forth to war.” However, the song had been sung, and the heart had been committed to finish the work that God had given Him to do.
In Paul’s letter to the believers in Colosse, he wrote, in the context of walking and communing with Christ, putting on the love of God by faith, that the believers were also to “…let the peace of God RULE in their hearts.” (Col. 3:15) God’s peace would be their guide. They were also to let, “…the word of Christ dwell” richly in their hearts. Over all this life of peace and instruction in God’s truth, they were to, “…teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16) The believer is called to sing.
Dear Father, Fill us with singing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.