Musical Moments

I’ve been thinking about musicals a lot lately.  My husband and I re-visit the same discussion every time one comes out I want to see. He always says musicals are ridiculous.  Silly. Over-the-top.  Unrealistic.  And I get it: we don’t randomly burst into song in our daily lives.  If something like a scene from a musical actually transpired in front of us in real life, most of us would take a few steps backward, look around awkwardly, and make for the nearest exit.

But then, I found an argument for the musical way of life in Scripture.  There are moments in which godly people, overcome with love for God, cannot help but stop what they are doing to lift up a song of praise to Him.  Moses, Miriam, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Paul all did it, and of course, there is King David.

I was reading Psalm 18, which was sung when David was given victory over Saul.  While I do not know the entire context, I know David was not one to sit quietly and write a poem.  My guess is that he sang this loudly, in front of many, and he probably danced while doing it.  The next thing I noticed was the sheer grandness and depth of the language:

In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

Forgive me, but this is no namby-pamby, Christian radio-friendly song.  This is a declaration of the power of our God.  He continues:

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?

This is an epic of a song to glorify the one true King.  This is the kind of worship God desires.  David was called a man after God’s own heart not because he was the most well-behaved guy, but because he poured out his life in adoration and devotion to God.  Everything he did was done with a posture of praise, and not just any “Thank you Lord for this day” praise, but the kind of big, all-encompassing praise which scatters the enemy.  In victory, David praised God; in frustration, he praised God; in sorrow, he praised God.

I hope that I can aspire to praise God the way David did, in a way that gets as close as humanly possible to the way He deserves.  I never want to be accused of holding anything back from Him who holds nothing back from me.  To the rest of the world, it may look silly, over-the-top, and unrealistic.  But we know it is the most natural thing for those who have found the Love of our lives.

Other than Sunday morning worship time, what ways do you praise God extravagantly?

Amy Ford is a native Nashvillian, recovering middle school teacher, now stay-at-home mom to two. When not looking for a bathroom for the three year-old or a place to feed the baby, she enjoys writing, women’s ministry, and people-watching with her husband.

 

2 replies
  1. Kacey Randolph
    Kacey Randolph says:

    This is such a great post Amy! The kids and I enjoy blasting worship music as loudly as possible throughout the day in the house & especially in the car. 🙂 The louder the better – no excuses made! 🙂

    Reply

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