When I was a young adult, I used to help in the children’s ministry in my local church. We always started out with lively and God honouring worship led by a great team. One day as I stood among the kids during worship, the lead singer stopped to speak about making a joyful noise unto the Lord. How no matter what we sounded like, if we put our hearts into it, God would enjoy it. He then asked for those of us on the floor to come up to the front.
After we got up there, he shocked us by saying we would be leading the next song. I was horrified! None of us had any musical experience- or musical talent at all. He handed me a guitar: I’d never played a guitar! And my singing was out of tune. ‘This was not going to be pretty,’ I thought. The worship team left to stand amid the kids and they informed us when to start the familiar song we were supposed to sing and play to.
Totally unskilled and making an un-tuned cacophony of noise we did our best to worship God. Everyone joined in if I remember right... and overall it didn’t sound as bad as I originally thought. I truly thanked God that it was only one song, and we were relieved of our positions. The lead singer came back and spoke some more about making a joyful noise to God and how it was sweet to His ears even if it wasn’t to ours. I’ve never forgotten the lesson I learned that day. … O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Ps. 47:1
-clap, sound an alarm
…Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob. Bring a song, and give the timbrel, the pleasing lyre with the harp. Blow the ram’s horn… Ps. 81:1-3a TIB
-sound an alarm, shout, sing, play the tambourine, harp, lyre, horn (purpose of shofar- to give alarm or signal)
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Ps. 98:4-6
-make a joyful noise- shout, split the ear, sound an alarm, break out in joyful noise, shout, make music, use trumpets, horn
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Ps. 150:3-6
-praise- boast, rave about, celebrate: blast of a horn, lyre, harp, tambourine, dance (yes, it really says dance!), stringed and wind instruments, differing cymbals.
As you can see, worship can be joyful, noisy, full of differing musical instruments and can include clapping and dancing. Sing with all your heart whether or not you think your voice is good: if your heart is in it, God will be pleased. Worship is a time to praise our great and holy Lord for all He is and has done. Let’s celebrate Him by making some noise!
J !!! PRAISE THE LORD !!! J