Sing Praises

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.” James 5:13

Have you ever noticed that music surrounds our everyday lives? You can hardly go to a restaurant, department store, or even a doctor’s office without encountering music. Advertisers use music to sell products. Teachers use music to help students remember information. Who doesn’t know the ABC song? We have devices to listen to music in our cars, in our homes, on our phones, and even on our alarm clocks. Music has the power to influence moods and behavior. In many ways, music is used to enhance our lives and express the emotions we feel.

James says if you are happy, you should sing praises. Music is a key ingredient in our worship. Singing praises to God is a natural outflow of a heart that is full of joy. The Bible contains over four hundred references to singing and fifty direct commands to sing. All throughout history, God’s people were singing. So why sing? Why does God enjoy our songs? One reason might be that God himself is a singer. In Zephaniah 3:17 God exalts over his people “with loud singing.”

When we are happy we should sing praises because we worship a God who sings and He wants us to be like Him.