Psalm
92 is sub-titled, “A song. For
the Sabbath day“. It reminds
me how music today is used to drown out the noise around us. With
the growing use of personal music players, you can literally have 5
people in a car or room for hours and have zero interaction. Instead
of music drawing people together, it can isolate and separate. That
just does not seem like a good thing to me. In stark contrast the
psalm begins, “It
is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name“.
Making music is inviting and creates unity. It is pretty rare to
see a group of people singing together without smiles on their faces.
The psalm also provides a central focus, “to
proclaim
Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night“.
There is nothing forced in these words. There is a sense that he
has to let the joy out in an expression of song. “You
make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord;
I
sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How
great
are Your works… how
profound
Your thoughts!”
Frequently I find myself driving in rural areas with my only
companionship being a car radio. I find that the love song is found
in every genre of music. They often sing of lost love and heartaches
and wrong choices. The psalmist exalts his love so others might know
the same soul-stirring joy. Maybe it is time to stop singing alone?
There
is a rabbinical legend that this song was first sung by Adam at
creation. If you believe in love at first sight, you may have
wondered how others could not see the beauty. The psalm continues,
“The
senseless
man
does
not know,
fools
do
not understand“. I
think he sees others with their eyes downcast unable to hear the
melody that God creates all around us. He seems to be perplexed and
saddened that many continue to march to their own drumbeat. He
observes, “The
wicked spring up like grass… evildoers
flourish,
they will be forever destroyed“.
Yet he keeps singing with the hope that some might hear, “You,
O Lord, are
exalted
forever“. I know
people observe our actions, but we should not be silent in speaking
out the truth when we see so many disconnected. What song is your
life singing?
The
psalm closes with the benefits of being loved. Studies show that
people in love are more optimistic, healthier, and more willing to
give. He writes, “You
have
exalted
my horn“.
I believe this describes how the male ego needs bolstering. A man
will slay dragons for a woman that believes in him. Encouragement is
not held back, but “poured
upon me“.
He begins to see the world differently, “My
eyes have
seen
the defeat of my adversaries“,
and, “The
righteous will flourish“.
This kind of love has a key ingredient; it is “planted
in the house of the Lord… in the
courts
of our God“.
1 Corinthians 13 describes this kind of God-centered love. “Love
is patient, love is kind… it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs… always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres“,
and adds this kind of love “never
fails“.
Similarly the psalm says this kind of love, “will
still bear fruit in old age… will stay fresh and green“.
Make no mistake about the source of his harmony, he knows, “The
Lord is upright; He
is my Rock”
(and country and pop, and hymn and rap and soul and gospel). Maybe
it is time to unplug and hear the sound of God’s call on your life?