STRIKE UP THE HOLY SPIRIT BAND
Sing for joyH7442 to God our strength; make a joyfulH7321 noise to the God of Jacob. Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
Psalm 81:1-2
The preamble of this psalm is a call to worship. Often, we come to worship reactively because it is expected of us instead of choosing a spirit of joy beforehand. Why does the psalmist exclaim joyfully? God is his energy, his vitality, and his vibrancy. Because God is our strength, we can use every instrument that makes a sound to praise Him: voices, pianos, guitars, drums, trumpets, clarinets, flutes, tambourines, etc. There was a member of the church where we worship who, due to cerebral palsy, was “non-verbal.” However, when the choir and/or the instruments would lift up praise to the Lord, he would lift up his voice in a joyful shout. The congregation could not understand his words, but they could sense the praise in his heart as he worshipped his Lord; and God understood his praises perfectly. Now in Heaven, Darrell is praising His Lord with the joyous words his earth-suit prevented him from using when he lived among us. In our flesh and self-effort, we are weak; but when everything we are—our entire being—is submitted to and released to God, the strength we depend upon is God’s and God’s alone. And His strength will never fail us as we endeavor to fulfill His purposes for our lives.
For further insight into God’s strength through you, look up the following verses: Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 40:9, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 3:16, Colossians 1:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:3 and one of our favorites:
Philippians 4:13 (AMP) I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]
A band is a group of musicians working toward the common goal of making music with various instruments and/or voices. When you worship with your local congregation this week, think of yourself as a part of a “Holy Spirit Band”. Together, filled with the Holy Spirit, you will play and sing joyfully to the praise and glory of our Lord. The people on the platform are the lead worshipers, but each worshiper (including you!) is an important part of the ensemble.
Father, may we march to the beat of the Holy Spirit praising You joyfully every day! May we care less about what others think of our ability to play or sing and more about how much our “joyful noise” is music to our Lord’s ears!
Join in with the “Hallelujah Band” sung by the Gaither Vocal Band.
Sing along with Russ Taff on “Trumpet of Jesus”.