Psalm 98

Music Celebration Sunday

May 7, 2023

Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III

“[God] has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.”

Prayer: The music of the spheres sings your song, O God! Thank you for breathing that song into us. It delights us to worship you through the music you composed for us. It is a beautiful and profound gift. Thank you. Amen.

We are enjoying such music, such joyful sounds, even the power of God’s Presence through the music offered today by all our musicians—vocalists, instrumentalists, directors. Every single one. And the grand finale is yet to come! How cool is that!

Every person who participates in our music ministry is offering something to God. Some part of themselves. Some gift endowed to them. Maybe it’s a singing voice. Could be the talent needed to play an instrument. Even the ability to arrange music. I would say that the love of music is offered to God today. Because each person singing a new song is doing it from their heart and soul. It goes one way; out from them to God. And, it goes out from them to us.

Those of us not directly involved in the music ministries. You see, we too, are involved in the gift-giving to God, because we sing the songs of our hearts right along side our musicians. We also are actively listening. We’re taking in their music. We’re tapping out feet and clapping our hands. We’re participating. 

So, we celebrate and thank God for each person in our music ministry and for all of us. We’re making our own joyful noises, singing our new songs together. And it all goes out from us to God. It is all for God.

And all that is right and good. Because I believe God loves it when we give God our praise through music. I think God enjoys our best efforts to shower our holy God with the blessings of the songs in our hearts, the joyful noises on our lips.

But here’s the thing I encourage you to remember today. That this is not a one way street! While we’re singing our songs to God, God always is singing a new song to us! And it’s a song God has sung throughout all generations, throughout all our lives, and continues to sing to each of us today.

It’s a song that has a melody with the lyrics “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31: 3) And “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” (Romans 4: 7). And “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 20:16). And “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). You see? God remembers to give us and all people holy love. Love that is incessant. Presence that is constant. Steadfast. Faithfulness that is rich with God’s fidelity and loyalty. No matter what.

That’s God’s song for the ages. For all time. It’s a song God sings to every single one of us. It’s a song about the victory God won for us and all people through our Lord, Jesus Christ. God’s resurrection power sings that song!

It’s up to us to hear that song. To take it in. Let its power of unconditional love move us. Stir our heart and conscience to love God more. To love one another. More. To love ourselves. More.

I hope that’s a profound reason why every single one of us sings to God. Because God’s song of love and faithfulness sings to us.

And we sing back to God. We’re on that two-way street. God sings to us. We sing back to God. God and people. People and God. We’re singing God’s song for the ages. Together. Thanks be to God. Amen.