Category: music

God’s Night Shift: Psalm 134

temple-etching

Temple Guards, Praise the Lord

A song for going up to worship.

134 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
    you who serve at night in the Temple of the Lord.
2 Raise your hands in the Temple
    and praise the Lord.

3 May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion,
    he who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 134, NCV

This remarkable Psalm is part of an elite group known as “the Psalms of Ascent.” These 15 were sung as the congregation of Israel went up the steps of the temple in Jerusalem. They would sing each in “rounds” with each other. As you can well imagine, this made the ascent slow, but meaningful.

As you read the three verses, I get a picture of worshippers turning back and blessing the Levites. This takes place at the very end of the day. The Levites, and other godly ones who lived in the Temple, (remember Anna and Simeon, in Luke 2?)

Commentary

V. 1, “Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who serve at night in the Temple of the Lord.”

The first significant thought is “Lord” mentioned three times. The word is the recognition of someone’s status and standing. We call Him Lord, because He is that (and more).

The second has to deal with the Levitical “night-shift.” They served and guarded the Temple during the wee hours of the night. They probably cleaned, stacked wood, sharpened knives and maintained the Holy Place with its needs.

There was no real glory working the night shift. There were no people to serve. The crowds were for the day shift. (Here’s a weird thought– think “Disneyland at 2:00 a.m.”) There was also a contingent of non-Levite people ministering to the Lord as well. They had no duties, and only the priests could serve through their work.

V. 2 “Raise your hands in the Temple
and praise the Lord.”

I’ve worked nights before. It’s a real adjustment. You never feel like you’ve had enough sleep, and it is really hard to be positive and cheerful.  I could get pretty grouchy at times.

But an exhortation is given, a shout and a blessing as the crowds leave. “Raise up your hands– and praise Him!” It is as the work, although necessary, would be secondary. The worship however, was primary. We need to hear that.

V. 3, “May the Lord bless you from Mount Zion,
he who made heaven and earth.”

To be blessed (made “lucky”) by our Creator and Lord is pretty profound. As a kid who read a lot, I think of “fairy dust.” I know better now, but to be blessed by God is deeply significant.

To summarize, I believe this Psalm is speaking of those in the church who are doing “hidden service.” No one sees them really. They go about there duties quietly, and purposefully. The only recognition is from God– who sees all.

I must encourage you to keep on. There are more than you think who see your hidden ministry to the Father.

*

ybic, Bryan

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Worship Practice Starts Now: Psalms 150

Praise the Lord with Music

 1 Praise the Lord! 

    Praise God in his Temple; 
       praise him in his mighty heaven. 
 2 Praise him for his strength; 
       praise him for his greatness.
 3 Praise him with trumpet blasts; 
       praise him with harps and lyres.
 4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing; 
       praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
 5 Praise him with loud cymbals; 
       praise him with crashing cymbals. 
 6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. 

    Praise the Lord!

Psalms 150, NCV

There exists an orchestra here, a certain symphony of praise. So many are escorted into this, and yet not enough are praising Him. These six verses give us a deep variety of instrumentation to choose from. Everything must be accepted, and brought into this certain place of blessing Him loudly.

There are 12 certain approaches listed in this psalm. Twelve ways to worship, who go on to create a deep harmony within each other. None of us operate on our own, but as believers are ushered into music practice. All of a sudden, we are much more than “spiritual musicians.” We are quite corporate, or at least should be.

Recently, I’ve gotten hooked on the Jazz musician, of Miles Davis. His work seems to be always a conundrum of a jazz and blues, but always several instruments working together, weaving a wonder that is exquisiteness at it’s best. He teaches me of how the Church weaves a certain connection between people.

Psalm 150 brings everything together, as we read it we should think “together.” We have “worship tools” that enhance what we want to do. Harps, tambourines, and flutes are some of what we play. All are invited as we excel in something more than the mundane or ordinary. We will never be elevator music or “Muzak.”

Psalm 150, the last psalm should really be the first psalm. (But I won’t make a federal case of it.) The throne room of God is not simply a visual place– it is just as much an auditory one. We do see things, but we also hear things, which are wonderful in themselves. Get ready dear ones, for a concert which will not disappoint, that is going on, without us, in the heavenly places.

*

ybic, Bryan

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Is Your Worship Worthy? Psalm 92

Born to Worship

Born to Worship

Psalm 92

A psalm. A song to be sung on the Sabbath Day.

1 “It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
    your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by the ten-stringed harp
    and the melody of the lyre.”

This particular psalm was used on ‘Shabbet’, or the Sabbath. It contains the elements needed for a congregation to enter into corporate worship. When we come together– we should celebrate in such a manner that pleases the Lord God.

Corporate worship is significant. It knits us together in places we never considered connecting with another. The Bible really advances, in quite a few places, a mutual blending of voice and instruments. But, it is something we must be taught. It is hardly automatic. But it is necessary.

Commentary

V. 1, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to the Most High.”

This verse plainly states the core benefit of “goodness”. We are to weld this to “giving thanks”. Believe or not, but God is recruiting people who want to be worshippers. The word, “good” carries within itself, the idea of health, healthiness, and salvation.

Many things are corrected as we worship. We come forward to sing praises, and suddenly we are healed from many things inside of us. In a sense, we are recalibrated when we worship. And some of it, has to be on a corporate level.

There is no room to negotiate this. The psalmist says it is good– I think we should take him at his word. It seems if you really want to be “good”, you must learn to worship. This is a transformational thought; try to dilute it and you end up all wrong.

V. 2, “It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
    your faithfulness in the evening,”

There is such an intelligence embedded here. Again the psalmist has us to reiterate what we have learned in v. 1.

It is good. Whether you know it or not, each of us need to proclaim things from the spiritual realm. You may have a quiet, or a brash personality. It doesn’t matter. The word, “proclaim” means “to announce, exhibit or declare.” These words, like cogs in a machine, mesh with God’s love. It would seem we are to declare His unfailing love (and faithfulness) in the morning when the sun rises– and in the evening when it sets.

V. 3, “accompanied by the ten-stringed harp
    and the melody of the lyre.”

The musical instruments listed are not known to us. I personally like a Strat and drums and piano. A bass and cello are great.

But this leads us back to the idea of corporate worship. I can’t play an instrument. I can’t really sing worth a ‘plug-nickel’. The key word here in verse 3 is “accompanied.” That means more than one– corporate.

&

ybic, Bryan

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New Songs, and Parasites: Psalm 144:9-11

Sing to Him

9 “I will sing a new song to you, O God!
    I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp.
10 For you grant victory to kings!
    You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.
11 Save me!
    Rescue me from the power of my enemies.
Their mouths are full of lies;
    they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.”

Psalm 144:9-11, NLT

When something is ‘new’ it just seems better. When you drive a new car off the lot, the feeling you have can’t be compared to anything else. Several months ago, I bought a pair of red shoes. (I liked them so much I wanted to wear them to bed.) A new jacket, or snazzy shoes and life is just more enhanced somehow.

There are a lot of ‘new’ things in the Bible. New wine, new name, new covenant, new clothes, new king, new creation, new heavens, new earth, new life and there are many others. Suddenly having something that is fresh and new, can be a bit of a challenge. We are unfamiliar with this ‘new thing.’ (And we were just getting comfortable with the old!)

Commentary

V. 9,  ”I will sing a new song to you, O God!
    I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp.”

David’s heart was a singing one. He sings when things are ‘good.’ He sings when things are ‘bad.’ I’m sure as a proficient musician he understood music– what it could do, its innate power to lift. I would also imagine that David was a walking musical library. He knew all the songs worth knowing; the chords and melodies used.

David wants to sing “a new song to you,  O God!” Nothing but a new song would do. I suppose old songs are fine and good, they often evoke something from our past experiences. I love to sing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” I draw from it, and my spirit and eyes are lifted up.

But there are times– special moments, when we venture into the new moment. That spot is dewy fresh and different, it has just come into being. It is also strange. (I think this is the place where a “new song” is at its best.)

V. 10, “ For you grant victory to kings!
    You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.”

There is nothing like a ‘near-death’ experience to swell our shrunken hearts with  gratitude. And David was given “victory” for a present. He unwraps it, and decides the moment is perfect to write that “new song” he’s been thinking about. He knows that God is fully responsible for this victory, and saving him from certain death.

V. 11, “ Save me!
    Rescue me from the power of my enemies.
Their mouths are full of lies;
    they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.”

David doesn’t just ‘get up and brush himself off.’ Rather, (almost in a parasitical way) he latches unto God and won’t let Him go. We can go and drain this verse of its deep feelings, but we would be poorer for it– perhaps missing its true meaning.

David discerns correctly the ‘spiritual landscape’ of this moment. He hangs on to the Lord. David understands the power that wants to destroy him. His biggest enemies don’t carry a sword but instead they use their tongues– their words, and speech to press an attack on David.

Sing the old songs, but consider singing a new song as well.

888

ybic, Bryan

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Teaching the World to Sing: Psalm 67:1-4

Art by Lynda Finch

For the choir director: A song. A psalm, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

1 May God be merciful and bless us.
    May his face smile with favor on us.  Interlude

2 May your ways be known throughout the earth,
    your saving power among people everywhere.
3 May the nations praise you, O God.
    Yes, may all the nations praise you.
4 Let the whole world sing for joy,
    because you govern the nations with justice
    and guide the people of the whole world.  Interlude

This very liturgical psalm was part of the temple ceremony. Within it we learn much about entering the presence of God, after all that is its exclusive purpose. When we learn to read this way, we are tutored on how to behave in the presence of royalty.

This psalm was meant to be sung. It carries all those unique attributes that sets it apart. Most of Jewish temple singing was almost exclusively “antiphony.” What this means is the choir would alternate verses, each taking the lead from the other. They would also step up the temple stairs, while singing. All of it was done from memory. Often a musician would lead with a lyre, or what ever stringed instrument they had.

Commentary

V. 1, “May God be merciful and bless us.
    May his face smile with favor on us.  Interlude”

If you recognize this verse it’s because it is the High Priest’s blessing of Numbers 6:24-26. This prayer invokes God’s blessing on His people.

24‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’

Invocation is a powerful way of communicating God’s grace and kindness. It bestows prosperity and goodness, to worship God as good, to receive his goodness and announce it to others. The theme of “blessing,” saturates this definition.

However, it is not “magical,” but it is “covenant.” Our God is intensely committed to us through this mechanism. We celebrate His faithfulness, by our obedience to Him through His Word.

V. 2, “ May your ways be known throughout the earth,
    your saving power among people everywhere.”

Reading the blessing in V. 1, we find ourselves asking what our next step is to be.  Simply put, we are blessed so we can be a blessing. We really shouldn’t see ourselves as the “reason” God’s favor is given to us. V.2 is best understood as our prayer on behalf  of God for “people everywhere.” Many blaspheme God, because believers give out sin and darkness, instead of light.

V. 3, “May the nations praise you, O God.
    Yes, may all the nations praise you.”

This is the Christian worldview. And it is the nations that belong to Him. God doesn’t share the nations. I recently read an article that suggested that Haiti had satanic connections, and was therefore cursed. I find that very hard to believe. God loves people, He loves Haitians. God loves the culture of Haiti.

V. 4, “Let the whole world sing for joy,
    because you govern the nations with justice
    and guide the people of the whole world.  Interlude”

This is the direction we are heading. The countries have a certain destiny to fulfill. It’s ironic, but everyone is to sing. What started on the steps of the temple is meant to reverberate through to the nations. We are meant to sing.

ybic, Bryan

Art Courtesy of Linda Finch

http://lyndafinchart.com/index.html