Sing as Thanksgiving (2 Chronicles 7:6)

2 Chronicles 7:6

 

The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the Lord that King David had made for giving thanks to the Lord—for his steadfast love endures forever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite them the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.

 

            It is not only that Israel obeyed God and made sacrifices to show their thankfulness to God.  They also did something that God has commanded time after time after time.  They sang.  They played instruments.  They listened to one another.  They made music for the glory of God.

 

Psalm 33:1-3

 

1     Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!

Praise befits the upright.

2     Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

3     Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

 

Ephesians 5:17-21

 

17     Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18     And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19     addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20     giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21     submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

 

            I can say with total confidence that God wants us to be a thankful, singing people.  We are to sing new songs and old songs.  We are to sing with instruments and all kinds of music.  We are to sing with joy.  Honestly, we need to do a better job at this.  We need to do a better job of rejoicing with one another and singing the praises of god.  We need to learn to love singing new songs and old songs, fast songs and slow songs, hymns and worship songs, piano songs and guitar songs and all sorts of songs that declare the truth of the glory of our God.

 

            When the people sang of God, they said, “for his steadfast love endures forever.”  They sang songs of thanks to God for his kindness, for his love, for his character, for his faithfulness, for his saving grace and covenant-keeping love.  When you get a glimpse of God’s glory and when you remember what God has done to show you his goodness and kindness, you should offer him thanks.  And one of the ways that we can be a rightly thankful people is for us to sing songs of thanksgiving to our God.