Praise in Verse
Scripture: It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. – Psalm 92: 1-4
Hallelujah, by Amy MacDonald, written by Leonard Cohen
Music, whether instrumental
or vocal, is a boundless form of communication.
It exceeds our capacities for thought, reason, logic or deliberation. It
viscerally moves us to feel, to believe, to dream, to contemplate; it expands
our minds and adds flavor to our imagination; it has the power to bring unity
or to separate, to create boundless joy or profound sorrow ; it is, quite
simply, the heart’s connection to the soul and their melodic dance before the
Lord. It is small wonder when I
discovered the college love of my life was tone deaf I summarily dumped him!
I recently read that when
composing our worship music, Hallelujah, lyricist Leonard Cohen actually wrote
and edited the text for five years and wrote over 80 verses. For decades, singers have perused these
multi-verses, choosing only the ones which fit their style and message. This
song, therefore, has a unique capacity to speak to both singer and audience.
The writer of this Psalm
echoes the God be praised, “Hallelujah” spirit of the song. Overcome by the
supreme superlative that is the nature of God, she sets a worship agenda
designed to last all day and all night.
Imagine how different our lives would be if our response to every jot
and tittle that make up our day was a heart/soul felt “ God be praised! Hallelujah!”
What a change in perspective and lift to our hearts would be the result
of such purposeful worship. Hey girls, that’s music to my ears – let’s
give this idea a try!
Prayer: Lord of All
Music, sing new songs of life to us and make us respond with choruses of
gratitude! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
The Reverend Dr. Cynthia McCullough
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