Third Wednesday of Advent

Makes Me Wanna Sing

Read Psalm 98: 1 - 6
Today’s passage is a Psalm of celebration for the Kingship of God through music.  This particular Psalm was the inspiration behind Sir Isaac Watts hymn “Joy to the World.”  

The Psalmist invites the people of God to sing.  He did not call His people to sing any old song, but he called the people to sing a new song.  This new song should be sung because God has done marvelous things.  God always does marvelous things and He deserves to be continually praised for them.  God is to be praised for his right hand and holy arm.  This is symbolic for God’s salvation.  The right arm represents God’s strength and power and his holy arm represents His intervention.  Through God’s almighty power and intervention salvation is attained. 

The Psalm continues to sing about how God has revealed or uncovered his salvation for all to experience.  He has done this for his righteous name sake.  He showed his power in salvation to the Israelites and then He made his divine power of salvation known to the Gentiles.  In God’s mercy, He brought salvation to Israel.  He made a promise to the nation that He would be their God and they would be His people; and God remembers that promise.  As a result of God’s faithfulness, the nations have seen this marvelous work of salvation.

The response is an invitation for all of humanity to join in singing this song of celebration.  However, they are not called to praise only with their mouths but are called to joyfully make a noise to the Lord.  “Joyful noise” – shout, war cry, a shout of triumph, to shout in applause - to the Lord.

The Psalmist encourages the use of instruments to praise God.  Play your instruments with heartfelt joy and complete praise to God.  The use of instruments in music is not intended to be a time for the musician to show off his talents, but is genuinely to play with all he has to the Lord with joy.  Perform for an audience of ONE.
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