“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His, we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name! For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” – Psalm 100:1-5

What makes you sing? Or for those who are not singers…what makes you shout? What makes you get up off the bleachers and throw your hands up with joy? A touchdown? A goal in the last seconds of the game? Do you get excited about God? When you think about how much He loves you, how He has forgiven you, does it make you want to stand up and shout? The people of God need to be a singing people! That is why the Scripture is full of verses that challenge us to be encouragers to others. We are called to JOY!

The Book of Psalms is full of songs that express a whole range of emotions. The writers tell of their frustrations and struggles and celebrate their victories. But, all of them point us to the God who can handle it all. It is the longest of the Bible with 150 chapters and each one is filled with emotion and truth. They are all beautiful poetic expressions that make it one of the most popular Books in the Scripture. They were written as songs and for thousands of years believers have put these ancient words to music as a vehicle of praise and worship. They are timeless!

What do all these reveal to us about our God? First, God lives and breathes through the creative arts in ways that mere words cannot contain. Music, art and poetry dive below the surface to draw us in emotionally as well as intellectually. The Psalms reveal how God deals with us when we are angry or when we are afraid. We can find comfort in times of despair and strength when we are weak. We discover that God is a present help in our most vulnerable moments.

Also, as we read the Psalms we see that God knows how we feel and understands what we are going through. The comfort that the writer receives from the Lord will often bring us the same peace. So, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4) and we are comforted.

Most importantly, God loves to hear us sing…make a joyful noise…shout out loud! Take a moment today and find a reason to praise the Lord. It shouldn’t be too hard. The more you do that the easier it gets! Maybe adding the reading of a Psalm each day would be beneficial. Sing to the Lord a new song! Praise His name! Enter His courts with praise!

“This is the day the LORD has made! Let us rejoice and be glad” – Psalm 118:24