Psalm 104:33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. I. THE PSALMIST'S DETERMINATION. 1. That he will sing. He felt that God had given him a voice capable of singing as well as of speaking; that the power to utter sweet sounds in song, and the ear to delight in sweet sounds in song, was a noble faculty of his nature, and that this faculty was to be used in the Divine service. 2. That he will sing to the Lord — not for his own gratification and pleasure merely, nor to amuse his friends. He believed God heard his voice in song as much as He heard his voice in prayer. 3. That he will sing to the Lord as long as he lives. II. It is instructive to observe HOW OFTEN, AND IN HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS SINGING IS MENTIONED AND ENJOINED IN THE SCRIPTURES. 1. It is enjoined by Scripture command and precept. Moses and Miriam, David and Asaph, all unite in similar precepts, — "Sing unto the Lord all the earth, sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him," is the burden of their frequent utterance. Gospel precept accords with Old Testament command. The apostles are careful to exhort to the practice (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19). 2. Singing is enforced by Scripture argument. We always find this duty of singing to the Lord linked to and connected with other moral duties. The psalmist unites singing and prayer together. In the same psalm we read, "O come, let us sing unto the Lord," "O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Here singing and prayer are conjoined (James 5:13). 3. Singing is enjoined by Scripture example. Moses both pens a psalm, viz. the 90th, and sings a holy song. Miriam led a number of Israelitish women in a joyful song of triumph to the Lord. David earned for himself the title of the Sweet Psalmist of Israel, alike for the psalms he composed and sung. Asaph and Heman, Jeduthun and Ethan, were eminent for the service they rendered to the psalmody of the Temple-worship. Turning to the New Testament, we find the singing of sacred hymns enjoined by the highest example of all (Matthew 26:30). The apostles were addicted to the same practice (Acts 16:25). (J. Shillito.) Parallel Verses KJV: I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.WEB: I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. |
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