Theology & Life

Singing is not my forte. If the pitch gets high enough, there’s simply no way I am going to match it—no matter how hard I try. Then I wind up sounding like the cat on my back patio at 2 a.m. the other night, screeching constantly and keeping me awake. It’s quite unpleasant.

In the same vein, there was a woman that sat behind my wife and me when we attended our first church that had the same singing talent as I did. Not only was she never on key, but she was also one word behind everyone else. But my goodness, did she sing her heart out!

Just because we are not great singers doesn’t mean we shouldn’t sing. To the contrary, the Bible tells us explicitly to “make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Ps. 100:1). Joyful doesn’t necessarily mean pretty — but full of joy! It is “good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting” (Ps. 147:1). Even more, singing can be the one thing that can pull us out of a funk.

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Sometimes, if you begin to sing in a halfhearted mood, you can sing yourself up the ladder. Singing will often make the heart rise.

When you’re down in the dumps; when things just aren’t going your way; when the darkness won’t lift, the simple act of genuine singing of praise to God can lift your spirit. Or, as Spurgeon noted, it will “make your heart rise.”

Singing is therapeutic in a spiritual sense. It is a tremendous help, a sweet solace when we are stricken with affliction. When suffering shows its fangs, we must sing. I told my oldest, Jovi, to “dance your heart out, kid,” as she left for dance class recently. In the same fashion: Christian, sing your heart out! When times are tough, when the waves of life are stressful, don’t be afraid to belt a song out as loud as you possibly can. Sing to the Lord, for He is good!

I always had the hardest time getting the courage to really sing in church before my wife and I began attending the church were members of now. I was simply apprehensive for people to hear my voice. I still am, in a sense. You won’t see me leading worship! But as we gathered around others who were unashamed to sing loudly, I let go of my pride and insecurity and have no problem singing loudly in service or elsewhere. It’s worship. (It helped that you could hear others singing and it wasn’t drowned out by the worship team.) Don’t worry about what others think — worry about why you’re singing.

And I’m not solely referring to the local church service (although that’s primary). Sing in the house; sing with your family during devotions; sing with your spouse; sing in your car! God wants to hear our joyful noise of praise to Him, for He certainly is worthy of it.

There’s one song right now that makes me sing louder than anything else, and that’s All-Sufficient Merit by Shane and Shane.

These lyrics get me every time: I’m dressed in my Lord Jesus / a crimson robe made white / no more fear of judgment / His righteousness is mine.

That’s just one example, of course. There are so many good songs out there. But the point remains: Christian, don’t be afraid to sing — and sing loud! Make a joyful noise to the Lord! We want to make sure we do what Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (ESV).

What we believe about Christ should come out in praise through “songs and hymns and spiritual songs.” When we “let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly,” it’s only natural for praise to come out via song.

Friends, sing your hearts out. Or as Spurgeon said, “Sing yourself up the ladder.”