With a Song in My Heart
by Sue Martindale
“Praise the Lord, my soul. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as l live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord.” –Psalm 104:1, 33-34
I am convinced that at my birth, my foot began tapping to the beat of whatever music the angels were playing in the background of that hospital birthing room seventy-one years ago. And it hasn’t stopped tapping and moving to the beat of any type of music ever since, although hip hop did give me pause to figure it out.
But it’s not just the beat of music that my soul feels; it is the words of the songs, especially when I listen to Christian music on K-LOVE radio, my personal playlist, or in worship on Sunday mornings. I FEEL the words. To me, they are more than lyrics sung throughout the service; they are prayers and praises to my Heavenly Father. My heart welcomes the words into my soul and out of my lips comes a prayer to my Lord.
It doesn’t matter whether the songs are contemporary praise songs or ancient hymns from long ago; they somehow soak into my being. I am always pleasantly delighted when I am reading Scripture and come across words that I recognize from a song. Many times, right then and there, I will look up the song online and listen to it. Here are some of my favorites:
“The Blood” (by Bethel Music, Jenn Johnson, and Mitch Wong ‧ 2022; and sung here by Kasie Foster, North Palm Worship) is a current praise song we’ve been singing at the 9 o’clock service. It takes me deep into self-reflection as I am in awe of God sending His Son to erase my sin as though it never happened.
“Everything changed, it's getting harder to recognize / The person I was before I encountered Christ / I don't walk like I used to; I don't talk like I used to / I've been washed from the inside; I've been washed from the inside out. / Hallelujah, hallelujah; I know it was the blood / Could have only been the blood…”
Though the words speak more to someone new to a relationship with Jesus, they remind me each time I sing it that I, too, am daily washed of my sins by the blood of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11b, Paul states, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” What an awesome reminder of who I am and whose I am. No matter how far I stray from where I had intended to go, God’s mercy, through Jesus Christ, draws me back to where I belong, in the arms of my Father.“How Great Thou Art” (by Carl Boberg, 1886, and sung here by Chris Rice) was one of the first hymns that brought me to tears by the time I finished singing the final chorus. It’s not inspired from any particular Scripture, but it still packs a punch for me: it acknowledges God’s creation in verse one; God’s Son, Jesus Christ, dying on the cross for my sins in verse two; and then in verse three, it confirms that when my earthly life has ended, I will be welcomed into my heavenly home. How Great Thou Art! It gets me Every. Single. Time. I am not worthy, but God’s mercy and love endure forever, allowing me access to what I don’t deserve.
What hymns or songs of praise are you taking to heart as you sing them in worship or as you listen at home or in your car? Are you turning them into prayers of praise? Prayers of gratitude? Prayers of need for the mercy and grace only God can provide? The Holy Scriptures continue to be written into songs by people who have turned to God’s Word for inspiration.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music” (Psalm 98:4). If the lyrics of our worship songs or hymns speak to you, sing out, whatever your musical ability. God enjoys hearing from you, whether you are singing in worship, in your car, or anywhere else when you have that song in your heart.
Another couple of my favorite songs drawn from Scripture include: “Better is One Day” (by Matt Redman), taken from Psalm 84; “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (poem by Thomas Obediah Chisholm, music by William Runyan), drawn from Lamentations 3:22-23; “Turn, Turn, Turn” (a folk song by The Byrds, 1965), inspired by Ecclesiastes 3.
I could go on…instead, take a moment and see how many songs and hymns you can think of that were inspired by Scripture. Pray over them as you look them up!
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Holy Bible which has inspired many a poet and musician to turn your Words into music. “May these words of my mouth (spoken or sung) and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Amen.