The fact that we have a hymnbook in the center of our scriptures has always impressed me. That placement makes sense to me as a pastor. Poll any random sample of people leaving the sanctuary on Sunday morning. Most won’t remember the Bible verses that were read or have the first idea of what the sermon topic was. But they will tell you every hymn that was sung—and offer a strong opinion about them!
We seem wired for music, and the Christian faith places it at the center of its worship life. The Psalms capture the various moods, convictions, hopes, and dreams (both realized and dashed) of the people of Israel in the form of song. Put into writing for the first time in the Babylonian exile, these songs helped preserve the faith of the Israelite people and gave them strength in the midst of the most trying of circumstances. Like any hymnbook, some songs are not well known, but others have been written into our very souls.
Psalm 145 may not be one that we know by heart, but it begins an important section of this hymnbook that is dedicated to the praise and adoration of God. The psalmists acknowledge that we may have our laments and complaints. But in the end, God is our creator. Therefore, the worship and praise of God must be at the center of our lives.
How do we do that? Perhaps the last verse of Psalm 145 gives us a good place to start. We don’t have to have all the answers. We don’t have to be particularly talented. However, our mouths can speak the praise of the Lord. We can sing God’s praises. It may not seem like much, but those kinds of songs have a way of catching on. It’s the kind of song that can change the world!