Lifting Song to God

“Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:15-18 NIV

When we join in song at church, we are coming from so many different angles. Some people are joyous and have dreams coming true in their lives. Some are feeling that the darkness is just about to consume them, and this visit to church is the only speck of Light calling them in for a rescue. Others have huge choices before them, and they know that the decision will be a path-changer, and a life-altering one.

Our hearts are in a myriad of conditions on any given Sunday. Perhaps I don’t want to sing, yet the band begins, the words are posted, and my mouth is loosed:

Daily daily I surrender

Grace for today is all that I need

Surprised by Your mercy that’s new every morning

Awaken my heart to sing

Awaken my heart to sing

I will trust where You lead

I will trust when I can’t see

Morning by morning great is Your faithfulness to me

Now I am confronted with my beliefs. I am confronted by declarations that I want to be in agreement with.

“Daily. Daily I surrender?” [Well, no, I certainly haven’t been acting surrendered. But it’s a new day—I want to surrender, God!]

“Grace for today is all that I need.” [Oh Lord, I need new grace today—not what You gave me yesterday—it’s long gone. And not tomorrow’s grace, because I have no idea what I will need, but I definitely need You, GOD!]

“Surprised by Your mercy that’s new every morning.” [Every morning, Lord! Wow, You are so faithful to me!]

“Awaken my soul to sing! Awaken my soul to sing!” [If You awaken me, it will rattle me from this depressed, aimless slumber in my mind, Lord! So—yes, awaken me!]

“I will trust where You lead” [You are leading me. This isn’t some wild free-for-all. You have purpose for my life—and You will lead me there in Your will.]

“I will trust when I can’t see” [No, I do not see where this is going, but You do, God. I will trust You. I am choosing right here and now to trust You when the future looks blurry. You have it all in focus.]

“Morning by morning/Great is Your faithfulness to me.” [You just never stop. God, just as You have set the sun to come up today, and every day that I’ve ever been alive, You will be faithful! You WILL be faithful!]

And just like that, the worship song has become a tool. Almost like a crowbar, opening a rusty treasure chest. The hymn takes a corner of my heart, begins to pry it open and there within the beaten chest, the treasure is shining once again.

Thank you, God, for the joy of meeting together to lift songs to You. What a day and age that I have been born into! May I not take it for granted that we are able to assemble together in public in America. Thank You for the gift of song. You have made us to open our mouths and hearts and sing to You. You have taken this broken heart and bathed it in your truth once again. I praise You because Your goodness amazes me. You bring me back to life over and over again. Amen.

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