You Need To Sing
‘You need to sing.’ I imagine you’d expect a statement like that from a devotional series like this or from your worship pastor, musical friends and the like.
Singing is one of my favourite things to do.
You’ll find me constantly humming a tune, whistling, singing or full on belting my lungs out. I have even been known to burst into song in the middle of a café as I join along with the ‘background’ music. I regularly make it to the first chorus before I even know what I’m doing and look up to find people staring at me!
With a quick Google search you’ll find the online community has researched the healthy benefits of singing. Allow me to pass on this exciting news about singing; it releases endorphins, improves cognition, increases life expectancy, lowers blood pressure, tones up facial muscles and diaphragm, increases empathy for cultures, creates a sense of community, improves memory, and boosts immunity. (Lifehack.org)
So why wouldn’t you sing!?
Aside from these physical benefits, singing makes a great contribution to your spiritual life when you join your voice to the melody of God’s goodness.
The Psalms promote this lifestyle of singing and in chapter 96 (read the whole chapter if you can), after urging people to sing a ‘new song,’ the writer implores us to ‘Each day proclaim the good news that He saves.’ (v2)
Proclaim, Publish, Tell. These words sum up our role as ‘Heralds.’ A ‘herald’ is someone who runs ahead with the news of something that is about to happen or has happened.
And we run ahead with the good news that Jesus has won the battle on our behalf, and that He is alive! Like your local newspaper (which is called ‘The Daily Herald’ here in Australia), we’re getting the word out of the goodness of God. This is no longer a rumour or a hidden thing, we’re very public with this message.
As we sing, we are heralds. Humans tend to forget things, right? We’re prone to leaving wallets behind, keys in the car, our children at church, and important anniversaries! We need reminding about those things which are important in our lives.
Songs remind us. Singing refreshes our memory of God’s Goodness.
Just think about the songs you’re singing lately in your local Church. What truths about God have you been reminded of? What aspect of God and His passion towards you did you need to have refreshed in your mind?
I love the lyric ‘Your Praise will ever be on my lips.’ It echoes the psalmist’s attempt to keep the important things, like God’s truth and authority, on the forefront of His people’s minds.
Not only do we need reminding. There is a whole generation of people who have not heard this headlining story! Our songs have an evangelistic and discipling effect.
You and I proclaim things every day. We wear brand name clothing, we agonise over our social media posts, and we evangelise our new fads in conversations with friends. How much more should we give attention to the proclamation of our Great God.
I have heard countless stories of people’s hearts being softened to the gospel through worship. People who’ve been tearfully disarmed as melodies of truth touch their ears for the first time. Verse 9 & 10 of Psalm 96 say, ‘Let all the earth tremble before Him… Tell all the nations, “the LORD reigns!’
Our songs are powerful, and this is not a power own its own, it is a power that comes from the One we sing about. Singing melodies, repeating these choruses and allowing the truth of God to go deep in our hearts and minds forms us into His image.
Singing makes us image bearers of the one we sing about and better disciples of His way.
I pray you would let this devotion improve your singing. Not in skill necessarily, but in volume, frequency and intentionality. Sing often, sing loud and sing boldly.
You need to sing.
Luke Taylor
Luke heads up all things worship at Hope United Church in Central Coast, just outside of Sydney, Australia. He’s been working on staff as the worship pastor ever since Mark & Darlene Zschech planted the church six years ago from Hillsong. Luke’s songs include ‘We Remember’ and a beautiful cover of ‘O Holy Night’ which features on Darlene Zschech’s latest album. He is married to Aimee. You rock Luke!