Praising God More - We Would be Happier, and He More Glorified

“O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,

and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”

- Psalm 107:8 -

"If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies - common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun, for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the raiment we wear. Let us praise him that we are not cast out among the hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise him, in fact, for everything which we receive from his bounteous hand, for we deserve little, and yet are most plenteously endowed. But, beloved, the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God’s redeeming acts towards his chosen are for ever the favourite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ-our shackles of guilt have been broken off; we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can antedate the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Even now by faith we wave the palm-branch and wrap ourselves about with the fair linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we not unceasingly give thanks to the Lord our Redeemer? Child of God, canst thou be silent? Awake, awake, ye inheritors of glory, and lead your captivity captive, as ye cry with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Let the new month begin with new songs."

- Charles Spurgeon's Evening Meditation for December 1st

~Brittany

Serving God Through Music and Singing

Some in our family is reading through the Bible chronologically this year, which is neat, because it provides a nice overall perspective.  This morning, as I was read in 1 Chronicles, I read some commentary notes on part of it by Matthew Henry.  It was very good, and brought out some really neat thoughts.  I wanted to share them here for all of you, hoping you'd enjoy reading it as well.  It was a great encouragement to be God-focused with our music, and to put our best into singing the praises of the Lord.  May the rest of your week be blessed!
~Brittany

Matthew Henry’s Commentary Notes on 1 Chronicles 25:1-7:

Observe, I. Singing the praises of God is here called prophesying (1Ch_25:1-3), not that all those who were employed in this service were honoured with the visions of God, or could foretel things to come. Heman indeed is said to be the king's seer in the words of God (1Ch_25:5); but the psalms they sang were composed by the prophets, and many of them were prophetical; and the edification of the church was intended in it, as well as the glory of God. In Samuel's time singing the praises of God went by the name of prophesying (1Sa_10:5; 1Sa_19:20), and perhaps that is intended in what St. Paul calls prophesying, 1Co_11:4; 1Co_14:24.

II. This is here called a service, and the persons employed in it workmen, 1Ch_25:1. Not but that it is the greatest liberty and pleasure to be employed in praising God: what is heaven but that? But it intimates that it is our duty to make a business of it, and stir up all that is within us to it; and that, in our present state of corruption and infirmity, it will not be done as it should be done without labour and struggle. We must take pains with our hearts to bring them, and keep them, to this work, and to engage all that is within us.

III. Here were, in compliance with the temper of that dispensation, a great variety of musical instruments used, harps, psalteries, cymbals (1Ch_25:1, 1Ch_25:6), and here was one that lifted up the horn (1Ch_25:5), that is, used wind-music. The bringing of such concerts of music into the worship of God now is what none pretend to. But those who use such concerts for their own entertainment should feel themselves obliged to preserve them always free from any thing that savours of immorality or profaneness, by this consideration, that time was when they were sacred; and then those were justly condemned who brought them into common use, Amo_6:5. They invented to themselves instruments of music like David.

IV. The glory and honour of God were principally intended in all this temple-music, whether vocal or instrumental. It was to give thanks, and praise the Lord, that the singers were employed, 1Ch_25:3. It was in the songs of the Lord that they were instructed (1Ch_25:7), that is, for songs in the house of the Lord, 1Ch_25:6. This agrees with the intention of the perpetuating of psalmody in the gospel-church, which is to make melody with the heart, in conjunction with the voice, unto the Lord, Eph_5:19.

This good work of singing God's praises Samuel revived, and set on foot, but lived not to see it brought to the perfection it appears in here. Solomon perfects what David began, so David perfects what Samuel began. Let all, in their day, do what they can for God and his church, though they cannot carry it so far as they would; when they are gone God can out of stones raise up others who shall build upon their foundation and bring forth the top-stone.