The Songs We Sing

The procession of the Ark from portable object to a permanent institution continues, having now arrived in Jerusalem. The band is in the building, with King David having organized the instruments and singers to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel (V4). So far, we’ve defined worship as ascribing ultimate value and worth to something in a way that engages the whole person: mind, emotions, will. But what is actually happening as we sing? What are the dynamics underneath it all? Using a compilation of Psalms, what we could call history’s first mixtape, we see the underlying process of worship.

Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Worship writes, “In truth, we are never not worshiping. At any given moment, we’re directing our affections, attention, and allegiance either to the one true God or to idols that can never satisfy, comfort, or rescue us. That means I come into every Sunday gathering already worshiping something. I don’t have to wait for the right chords to be played, the right words to be said, or the right “atmosphere” to develop.” Meaning, it’s never a question of if worship will happen on Sunday mornings, but what will be worshipped. Through examination of the verbs seeking, remembering, forsaking, and saving, we can learn to understand and articulate what is taking place in us as we sing.