About this episode
Establishing a Mission Statement
In Psalm 33:3, David outlines a simple plan for producing an excellent worship ministry.“Sing a new song unto the Lord, play skillfully and shout for joy.”
“Sing a new song unto to the Lord”
David's first command is to sing a new song. Why should we sing new songs in corporate worship? This is a question I have commonly been asked. Biblically, we should sing new songs to God because Lam. 3:22-23 declares that the Lord’s mercies are new and fresh each day. New and fresh mercies warrant new and fresh praises from His people. It is a most human desire to express love for another through creativity.
Readers who are married will understand the following analogy well. As a husband, I desire to show my wife daily how much I love her. During the course of our time together, I have perceived these certain gestures that my wife finds to be more lovingly affectionate than others.When I make dinner for my wife to show her how much she means to me her heart melts. It's as if this simple gesture is like a drug for her love language; it intoxicates her. Let's pretend that I use this same gesture to show my affection for 30 years. After 30 years of marriage the food will no longer taste as good and my gesture will no longer have the effect it once had. Love desires to be creatively pursued.
“Play Skillfully”
David then commands his readers to “play skillfully.” Improving one’s skill as a musician is a matter of stewardship. Practice occurs at home... rehearsal happens on Wednesday nights.God has given us a finite amount of time to be about our Father’s business. Diligent attention to gaining the knowledge needed to further develop as a worship leader is one way to maximize one’s allotted time. This commands worship leaders to be students of music and leadership. Ezra 7:10, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”
“Shout for Joy”
It is impossible to shout for joy in corporate worship if you are not prepared. Your shouts will be shouts of survival ... not joy. David’s placement of this phrase at the end of this verse indicates that our shouts of joy are predicated on completing the first two clauses. As a worship ministry, our practice, rehearsal, and personal learning prepares us to shout for joy in corporate worship.
