Sing for Joy - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 18

Sing for Joy
By Whitney Hopler

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” – Psalm 95:1 NIV

If you ever see me driving on a road or walking on a nature trail, you may catch me singing. I often sing while doing chores at home too. For years, I sang in church worship groups and in school and college choirs. And yes, like many people, I also love to sing in the shower. There’s something about singing that brings me joy. Usually, the songs I sing are praise songs since I love to worship God by singing to him. Singing helps me notice God’s presence with me. While I know with my mind that God is always with me, I know that with my heart while singing. God’s love reaches me as I reach out to him through a song. I sing no matter what circumstances I face or how I feel. I sometimes sing more when I’m feeling down than when I’m feeling upbeat. Why? Because I know that by the end of a song, I’ll feel better than I did when I began. Singing makes me more aware that God – the source of my hope and help – is right there with me. It’s as if I’m opening my soul to joy when I lift my voice in song.

The act of singing is more than just an expression of emotion. It’s a powerful way to connect with God and bring ourselves closer to him. Through singing, we can open our hearts and minds to God’s presence and allow him to work in and through us. Singing can help us find joy by focusing on the present moment, where we can notice God’s presence. Psalm 16:11 (CSB) says of God: “In your presence is abundant joy.” The fact that God chooses to be with us is something to celebrate! There’s no greater gift than our all-loving, all-powerful God choosing to be in a relationship with us. Psalm 95:1 encourages us to “sing for joy to the LORD” and “shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” We should celebrate the fact that God is our firm foundation – our source of strength and stability. Knowing he is steadfast and faithful, we can turn to God for joy and help in all situations.

As we sing and shout for joy to the Lord, we express our gratitude and praise and reinforce our relationship with God. We can deepen our connection to God through worship and experience his love and grace more profoundly. This verse also reminds us that worship is not something we do alone. It invites us to come together as a community to sing and shout for joy. Doing so can encourage and uplift one another, strengthening our bonds and faith. Psalm 98 describes all parts of creation singing a song of praise to God. Verse 4 of that psalm in the English Standard Version urges: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” When we sing for joy to God, we will be able to enjoy his awe-inspiring presence with us, wherever we are.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
As you reflect on how singing to God can bring you joy, consider these questions:

How does singing to God make you feel?
When have you experienced a shift in your mood or perspective while singing to God?
When you join others in your church to sing to God during worship services, how does that help you notice God’s presence?
How does singing to God strengthen your faith in him?
What is one of your favorite worship songs, and why?
How can you plan to incorporate more singing into your prayer life with God to cultivate more joy?

Further Reading:

Whitney Hopler is the author of the Wake Up to Wonder book and the Wake Up to Wonder blog, which help people thrive through experiencing awe. She leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Whitney has served as a writer, editor, and website developer for leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She has also written the young adult novel Dream Factory. Connect with Whitney on X/Twitter and on Facebook.