Singing in God's Presence

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Romans 11:33-36
• Hymn — To God Be the Glory (#236)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Heidelberg Catechism Reading — Lord's Days 127–129 (Questions 127–129)
• Hymn — Holy Spirit of the Messiah (#401)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Scripture Reading — Psalm 100:1-2
• Sermon
• Hymn — O God Beyond All Praising (#241)
• Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14

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Sermon Title: Singing in God's Presence

Scripture: Psalm 100:1-2

I. Singing Is a Means of Prayerful Remembrance of the Word of God

A. The Psalter is simultaneously the prayer book and the song book of the Bible

1. The Hebrew word tehillim means "praises," and psalmos (Greek) means "song"
2. The first song appears in Genesis 2:23 — Adam's poetic love song to Eve, written in Hebrew parallelism
3. Musical notations in the Psalter (selah, references to the choirmaster, tune headings) confirm its sung character

B. The Psalter functions as a mnemonic device, repeating the words and works of God to sink them into memory

1. Repetition throughout the Psalter is purposeful, designed for memorization through song
2. Illustration: RTS students memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism through song; children at a classical education program singing Genesis 1:1-27 answers

C. Singing is a form of prayer — the Psalter is a prayer book sung to God

1. Corporate singing gives God's people theologically rich, doctrinally sound words to pray every Lord's Day
2. Practical application: read and pray through the hymn lyrics before worship so the mind engages with the content, not merely the tune
3. Singing hymns by Newton, Watts, and Wesley is confessing sound doctrine in unison — the same principle as corporate liturgical confession

II. Singing Is a Means of Proper Response to the Work of God

A. The Exodus is the seminal Old Covenant redemptive event, repeatedly recalled throughout the Psalter

1. The Abrahamic covenant promise (Genesis 15 and 17) — a people, a God, a blessing to all families — begins to be realized as Israel multiplies in Egypt
2. The Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14) establishes Israel as the covenant assembly of God

B. Immediately after the Red Sea deliverance, God's people respond in song — Exodus 15:1: "Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord"

1. The structure of Exodus: redemption (ch. 1–18), covenant (ch. 19–24), dwelling (ch. 25–40) — God redeems so his people may dwell with him
2. Psalm 100:2 — "Come into his presence with singing" is the response of a redeemed people before their God

C. The Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120–134) were sung by pilgrims ascending Mount Zion toward the temple presence of God at Passover, the Feast of Booths, and Pentecost

D. The cross is the new and greater Exodus

1. Paul calls the Red Sea crossing a baptism in 1 Corinthians 10 — a baptism of salvation for Israel, a baptism of judgment for Pharaoh's army
2. In Luke 12:50, Christ calls his death a baptism — he bears the floodwaters of judgment so his people cross over in safety
3. Christ is the greater Moses; we are transferred from bondage to sin and death to the heavenly Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22-24)

E. Singing is a covenant act — the covenantal/dialogical principle of worship

1. God speaks (call to worship, Scripture reading, preaching); the covenant people respond in song
2. Singing is not merely emotional expression but a covenant response to God's covenant act of redemption

III. Singing Is a Means of Priestly Representation in the Worship of God

A. Jesus himself sang — Matthew 26:30 / Mark 14:26: at the Last Supper he sang the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113–118) with his disciples, introducing the fourth Passover cup of praise

B. Christ continues to sing in heaven as our great high priest — Hebrews 2:10-12

1. Verse 12 quotes Psalm 22:22: "In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise"
2. Psalm 22 is a chief messianic psalm: verses 1–18 depict Messiah's humiliation; verses 19–31 depict Messiah's exaltation
3. The writer of Hebrews shows that Christ, having passed through suffering (humiliation), now sings in his exalted state in the midst of his congregation

C. When the church gathers for corporate worship, it joins the heavenly congregation described in Hebrews 12:22-24

1. The assembly includes innumerable angels, the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant
2. Part of Christ's mediatorial priestly role — like the sons of Asaph and the sons of Korah under the Levitical priesthood — is to lead the congregation in worship through song
3. Our earthly worship leader conducts the service, but Jesus Christ is the true worship leader, mediating the praises of his saints to the Father

D. Zephaniah 3:17 — "He will exult over you with loud singing" — the Father himself responds with singing over his redeemed people through the Son

1. An antiphonal picture: the congregation sings; God exults over his people in song through Christ our great high priest
2. Application: when we sing on the Lord's Day, we join the heavenly anthem conducted by King Jesus — think on him as we sing