Section
13
Prayer and
Public Worship
Chapter 148.
The Value
of Song
1. HOW early in the
world's history do we read of singing?
"Where wast thou when I laid the
foundations of the earth?
. . . when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted
for joy?" Job 38:4-7.
2. What did Israel do when delivered from Egypt?
"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord,
. . . The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation:
. . . and I will exalt Him." Ex. 15:1,2.
3. How did the angels manifest their joy at Christ's birth?
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:13,14.
4. How are we told to come before the Lord?
"Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing."
Ps. 100:2. See 2 Chron. 29:30.
5. How does David say such service is regarded by God?
"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with
thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or
bullock that hath horns and hoofs." Ps. 69:30,31.
Page 626
6. What instruction did Paul give concerning singing?
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. 3:16. See also Eph. 5:19; James 5:13; Ps. 149:5,6.
NOTES.-Music, like poetry and flowers, is elevating and refining in its
nature, and should therefore have its place in the worship of God, and
in the life and experience of God's people. It is adapted to every mood
and feeling of the human soul, and many times has reached hearts when
other means have failed. Next to prayer, music seems best adapted to
worship.
"The history of the songs of the Bible is full of suggestion as to the
uses and benefits of music and song. Music is often perverted to serve
purposes of evil, and it thus becomes one of the most alluring agencies of temptation. But, rightly employed, it is a precious gift
of
God, designed to uplift the thoughts to high and noble themes, to
inspire
and elevate the soul. As the children of Israel, journeying through the
wilderness, cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids
His children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means
more effective for fixing His words in the memory than repeating them in
song. And such song has wonderful power. It has power to subdue rude and
uncultivated natures; power to quicken thought and to awaken sympathy,
to promote harmony of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding
that destroy courage and weaken effort."-
"Education," pages 167,168.
"O that we might sing evening and morning, and let song touch song all
the way through! O that we could put songs under our burden! O that we
could extract the sense of sorrow by song! Then sad things would not
poison so much. Sing in the house; teach your children to sing. When
troubles come, go at them with song. When griefs arise, sing them down.
Lift the voice of praise against cares. Praise God by singing; that will
lift you above trials of every sort. Attempt it. They sing in heaven,
and among God's people on earth song is the appropriate language of
Christian feeling."-
Henry Ward Beecher.
7. What instrument did John see the saints have?
"I saw. . . them, . . . having the harps of God." Rev. 15:2.
8. And what song are they to sing?
"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
and the song of
the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty;
just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints." Verse 3. See Ps. 87:7.
OUT of my heart I sing a song,
O world so great and grand!
But hearts are weak, and hands reach out
For the touch of a kindly hand.
O song that I sing, I pray you bring
To some sad soul thy balm;
Fall soft, I pray, like the breath of May,
Or the touch of a loving
hand.
I sing for hearts that ache and break,
I sing for hearts that are true;
O world so vast, O world so wide,
I sing my song for you!
Preparing For Eternity
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