WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE???

 "Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is beautiful for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. SING TO HIM A NEW SONG; play skillfully and shout for joy!"                       ~Psalm 33:1-3

For 33 years while King David ruled over Israel and Judah, he had a tent pitched to house the Ark of the Covenant, which represented God's presence in Israel. It was a place of worship, prayer, repentance, atonement, rejoicing and lamenting. David, being a musician himself, constructed the instruments that were to be used in the tent (1 Chronicles 23:5) by 4,000 musicians from the tribe of Levi. Under the instruction of 3 chief worship leaders (Asaph, Heman and Jeduthan), these musicians were to use these instruments and their voices to prophesy throughout the tent (1 Chronicles 25:1 & 6). 

This was David's understanding of worship. In his day as he was a young boy tending his father's sheep, there were no projection screens or hymnbooks, no PA systems or camera gear. He didn't have a Spotify account or Apple Music to find new tunes with. He had his heart...his voice...his hands...and his relationship with the Good Shepherd. These were his tools of worship. He sang songs to the Lord that echoed the words in his heart to the Father. He sang songs of praise, songs of grief, songs of joy, songs of war, songs of victory and defeat, songs of sadness and frustration. AND, if you look at the format of the Psalms, they didn't follow the song format rule book with a verse, a chorus, another verse, a bridge that goes on forever that leads back into the chorus possibly with a drum solo. Nope. David's words, melodies, tempos were birthed out of what God was doing in that moment with David.

This is how David formatted worship in the tent. These 4,000 musicians were on a 24/7 rotation for 33 years. The tent was never without musical worship and prayer. Many of the Psalms we read came from these moments, from these musicians in the tent.  When David wrote in Psalm 33, "Sing to Him a new song," he used the Hebrew word, "cherar," for SING which means, "to stroll around like a minstrel." Because, again, there were no PA systems in the tent to project the sound, the PEOPLE had to carry the sound of worship wherever it needed to go as they walked around the tent. 

What kind of sound did they carry? David said to sing to God a NEW SONG. Not a prefabricated song from another famed worship leader. Not an old hymn that has stood the test of time. But a NEW SONG. I don't think there's anything wrong with singing songs from other churches or hymns of old. But what is David talking about here?  If he tells us to sing a new song, then that means there a new song to be sung and what is that?

We're given a hint at the other end of the Bible in Revelation 4-5, which in my opinion, is one of the most incredible worship scenes in all of Scripture! Jesus' disciple, John, while exiled on the island of Patmos, sees heaven's throne room in a vision. In his lifetime, he has probable seen several different throne rooms...but those were no comparison to this throne holding the King of kings. Imagine his wonder and awe. Imagine the sounds, the lights and the colors as you read these chapters. Imagine the 24 elders, the 4 living creatures - who are a representation of all of mankind and creation bowing down giving adoration to Jesus. 

In this scene, Jesus is doing a new thing that no one in heaven has seen before. He opens the scroll, something that no one in heaven or on earth was worthy to do. And they were undone. 

          "And they sang a NEW SONG, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain and by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."  Revelation 5:9

This is the new song they sang. It had never been sang before. It was created in that moment as a response to what Jesus did in that moment. They didn't go searching for an old song that would fit that moment, because an old song wouldn't work. They sang a new song based on their personal experience they were having with Jesus NOW. God did not dictate to the elders and the creatures what words they should sing to Jesus. He didn't dictate because worship is love, and love can't be dictated. A love language must be chosen and personal. 

Worship is a personal response to what YOU experience in God. There is nothing wrong with worshiping to songs written by others...obviously I do this all the time! But this cannot be the foundation of my worship lifestyle. My foundation must be built on an intimate, abiding, responding relationship with Jesus Christ. What I know personally about God is what I have to give back to Him in an offering of praise. I cannot give to Him what I haven't personally received or experienced. In Romas 12:1 we are told to be a LIVING sacrifice. I can't let another person do that for me. It has to be my praise, my worship that I bring. Not a copycat. I have a love expression to offer on earth and in heaven that is unique to my personal relationship with God. And you do, too. Stop looking for a new move of God. Stop looking for the next great worship song or praise expression. YOU are the move of God. YOU are the strolling minstrel bringing God glory in your home, at work, at school or wherever you go. YOU are the current moving revival and every devil in hell will not be able to stop what God is going to do through your life. 

So, here's some homework for this week:

Take a moment...choose ONE event in your life where you know God was working. What character of God does that event reveal about Him? Write those things down. Then, take those characteristics and turn them into praise and worship. Declare to Him who He is based on what you witnessed. Give back to Him what He's given you. Turn your testimony to praise. 

I'd love to hear these testimonies turned to praise. Feel free to comment below with your personal praise expression!