Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who, like me, His praise should sing?
—Henry Francis Lyte
When we become aware of the enormity of God’s greatness—His holiness, His creative power, His faithfulness to rescue His people from troubles and forgive their sins—how are we to respond? Throughout the Scriptures (and throughout this morning’s service) we find a simple answer: sing! The Call to Worship from Isaiah 12 commands us, “Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously,” and “Shout for joy” (Isaiah 12:5-6), which we follow by declaring “O sing a new song to the Lord” (O Sing A New Song—Psalm 98). Other hymns and psalms call us to “join the everlasting song” (All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name) and to come to the Lord with “thankful song” (O Come Before The Lord, Our King—Psalm 95). We are inspired to sing because “Christ is Lord of Heaven and Earth” (How Can I Keep From Singing?), and Jesus’ gift of redemption “makes the woeful heart to sing” (Fairest Lord Jesus). Many of these same sentiments can also be found in the sermon text from Psalm 33: “Shout for joy” (vs. 1), “make melody to Him” (vs. 2), “sing to Him a new song” (vs. 3). We are coming together in the presence of the God who made the heavens and the seas, who gave life to all who live there, who sees all the deeds of mankind, and delivers our souls from death. His greatness demands that we “raise [our] voice unto the Lord, our God.”
—Henry C. Haffner
