The question for today in the worshipper’s corner is, “Why do we sing to God?”

I think this is a good and reasonable question to ask. Thousand of congregations around the globe sing to God. Why do we practice this form of activity in the church?

The people of God have made it a practice of singing to God long before the birth of the New Testament church. There are nearly 200 songs found in the Bible. The first recorded song that appears is in Exodus 15. That’s not to say that the people did not sing to God before then. It just happens to be the first song recorded.

The song is entitled “The Song of Moses.” This song was written and sung as a response to God for delivering the Israelites from slavery and the pursuit of the Egyptian army.

The song begins…You can read the full song here: Exodus 15

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Exodus 15.1b (esv)

The song resumes as Moses describes:

1. Who God is
2. What God has done
3. Why they put their hope in God alone

This outline is still used by songwriters today. So, in response to our question for today, I believe this song can provide some answers for us.

WE SING TO GOD BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS

In the opening verse of his song, Moses testifies that the Lord is “my strength, my song, my salvation, and my God. In other places in Scripture, we read testimonies by other writers that the Lord is their rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, shepherd, stronghold, helper, keeper, etc…

So, we sing not only because of who God is but because God is these things in our lives. This is how we see Him. These descriptions of God give us a high view of God. They remind us of our dependency on God. They remind us of His sovereignty and His will to save His own. 

Why do you sing to the Lord? How do you see Him? Who is God to you that would make you sing to Him?

This leads us to the second part of the outline:

WE SING TO GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE

What did the Lord do for Moses and the people of Israel? He delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians. Notice how Moses describes the work of God’s salvation for the Israelites. In context, the people of Israel were pinned between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. The Lord told Moses to raise his staff and they witnessed how the Lord parted the waters of the sea and the people of Israel were able to cross over on dry ground to the other side. When they all safely arrived then the Lord caused the sea to fall on the army as they were pursuing the Israelites (Exodus 14).

This is how Moses describes what the Lord did in Exodus 15:

• He cast Pharaoh’s chariots and host into the sea. (v.4)
• Your right hand, O Lord…shatters the enemy. (vs. 5-6)
• In the greatness of your majesty, you overthrow your adversaries. (v.7)
• You send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. (v.7b)
• You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. (v.10)

Then Moses goes into a time of contemplative praise by singing:

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.”

Exodus 15.11-12 Esv

What had the Lord done in your life that deserves praise? How did He save you from your sin? What did He give you in exchange? How is the Lord working in your life now?

We sing to the Lord, not only for who He is, but what He has done. Remember, we were once “dead in the trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2.1). Yet, “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us…made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2.4-5). If it were not for the Lord, we would all still be dead in our sins. As Paul stated, “carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph. 2.3).

We sing to the Lord because He saved us from sin and death. Praise the Lord! Because of this, we sing of the hope we have in Him alone.

WE SING TO GOD BECAUSE WE HAVE PLACE OUR HOPE IN HIM ALONE

Now Moses sings about how the Lord has led them. The terror of Pharaoh’s army is behind them, they have before them the promise of hope. The promised land. Moses writes:

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode…You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.”

Exodus 15.13,17 esv

Likewise, for those who have trusted in Christ Jesus alone for salvation, the Lord has promised to bring His own to His holy abode in heaven to be with Him for the ages to come. To His holy sanctuary which His very hands have built. Notice what the writers in the New Testament say:

Jesus stated:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?… I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

John 14.1-3 esv

In Revelation, John records what he sees by giving us this description:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband…no longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads…and they will reign forever and ever.”

Revelation 21-22 esv

What are you putting your hope in? Is your focus on the prize before you, which is heaven? Or is your hope set on this world?

We sing to the Lord because we have the hope of eternal life and heaven. Just as Moses and the people of Israel experienced it, so too for those in the rest of Scripture who wrote songs about the greatness of God’s work of grace in their lives. We also sing about how the Lord brought us out of darkness and into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2.9).

We are chosen by God to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, so that we may praise Him for who He is, what He has done, and why we have placed our hope in Him alone (1 Peter 2.9a).

When you go to church or in your private time of worship, think about these things.

It is a sad testament when the people of God do not sing to Him. It says a lot about your relationship with the Lord.

Some have excuses, but none are valid. We are commanded to sing, and if we have breath, we are to praise the Lord! (Psalm 150)

It is my prayer that you will sing with others in the church this coming Sunday. There ought not to be one silent voice in the New Testament church today.