Summer Songs

“I will sing to the Lord all my life.”  Psalm 104:33

Something about summer makes us sing. 

From the rhythm of oldies hit “Sum Sum Summertime” through classic reminiscing in “Summer of ‘69” to recent exultations of “What Time Is It?  It’s Summertime!” the anticipation of relaxed schedules, lazy evenings, and fun vacations tempts even the least melodic among us to hum a happy tune.

“Is anyone happy?” James inquires. “Let him sing songs of praise,” he then advises(James 5:13). The joy in our hearts should flow through our mouths, and we should sing to the One who is worthy and wonderful and who has blessed us with abundance and delight. But music is not to be reserved for days of sunshine alone.  We should sing in the storms and in the rain, pouring out our struggles and sorrows to the One who is worthy and wonderful and who walks with us through the mud of this life and dries our tears in the next. As Elton John aptly crooned, “Sad songs they say so much.”

Never have happy or sad songs said so much as they do in Psalms—the hymnbook of the Bible. Through the verses and refrains in the 150 songs of Psalms, the cries and cheers of many musicians are recorded for us to read, hear, and take to heart.  Some stanzas were composed to celebrate a specific day or special circumstance.  Others were penned as learning aids of something new or as reminders of something old.  But most are the spontaneous offerings of honest hearts.  The words are raw with passion and pain, and the candid lyrics lace together the awe of God and the awfulness of life. This summer my prayer is that devotions about some of the Psalms will lead you to take a closer look at the entire album.  I pray that you will listen and learn.  And I hope that as their psalms become your songs, you will find yourself singing along.

During these days when the tilt of the earth invites longer and brighter rays from the sun, may the inclination of our hearts be the same.  May our delight and distress find harmony in the One who is holy. And no matter the season of our soul, may we sing.