Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. Exodus 15:1-2
Singing is one of the most impactful activities in human existence. People write and sing songs for a wide range of reasons: joy, pride, anger, sadness, education, praise, etc. It is little wonder that the Lord expects His people to sing praises to His name, as singing connects with the inner person in a way nothing else does. The book of Psalms is one of the most popular books in the Bible because of its impact on the human heart and mind. With such a powerful tool in our spiritual toolbelt, it is worth taking a little time to ponder the things God has given us to sing about through His divine providence.
The first song recorded in the Bible, part of which is cited above, gives a glimpse into the mood among the children of Israel after their exodus from Egyptian slavery. The opening line, “I will sing to the Lord…” should be a consistent mantra among the redeemed. Why were they singing to the Lord? “For He has triumphed gloriously!” How had He triumphed? He had thrown the Egyptian army into the sea and triumphed in a most spectacular way (15:3-12). The children of Israel were not merely singing about God’s might; they were singing because He deployed His might to redeem them from slavery and lead them into His holy habitation (15:13). By delivering them to freedom with His mighty hand, He gave them a song.
Another beautiful example of this phenomenon is the song of Mary, in which she magnifies the Lord following the birth announcement of Jesus by the angel Gabriel. Understanding that the Lord was about to save His people through the child she would conceive through the Holy Spirit, her spirit burst forth into praise. This song has many parallel themes to that in the song of Moses and Miriam. “He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy…” (1:51-54). He gave her a song.
So many other examples could be cited from the biblical text, but these illustrate the power of praise in drawing hearts nearer to God as they ponder His care for them. No doubt this is a key reason why God instructs Christians to sing praise to His name (Ephesians 5:19-20; Colossians 3:16). As with every other commandment of God, this is given for our good (Deuteronomy 6:24; Hebrews 12:10-11). Thankful hearts are pliable when confronted with necessary changes. If we all go back and ponder the numerous enemies from which God has delivered us, our spirits should burst forth into praise as well. The greatest enemy from which He has delivered us is spiritual death prompted by sin (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Ephesians 2:1-9; Revelation 2:10). That is the thrust of the hymn by the same title as this article. So, let us always remember these things, and join me as I say, He gave me a song.