This last week our worship team was practicing for the Sunday evening service. We thought we were done when the drummer, Isaac, asked if we could practice one of the songs just one more time. The song was Let Me Tell You Who Jesus Is. As we practiced, Isaac was trying a few different things on the drums. It was the best I had ever heard him play. During that song the Holy Ghost just moved into the church sanctuary in a very profound way. I told Isaac it sounded great and then I exclaimed, “I love it when musicians worship!”
When musicians worship with their instruments rather than just playing songs, God moves. God inhabits the praise of His people.
Psalm 150
3. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
I don't pretend to know the ways of God, but I do know He takes delight when the musicians worship.
The Hebrew word for praise in these verses is Halal. It's defined, to praise, to sing, to boast. I believe this would mean doing your very best when you play your instruments, not for the people who hear you, but because you are playing to and for Him.
Psalm33:2. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
Psalms 34: 1. I Will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
In 2 Chronicles 20 is the story of King Jehosophat and the battle between Judah and Ammon and Moab. The Lord told Judah that He would fight the battle for them if they would follow His instructions. In this story I see instructions for musicians to be ready to worship.
They sought the Lord with fasting. Vs 3
They trusted God and had faith. Vs 15
Humble Prayer : they fell to the groud and worshiped Vs 18
They believed in God and His Word. Vs 20
They sang and praised in the beauty of holiness. Vs 21 and 22
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
Be more than a musician: be a worshiper of God.