The Saviour's life on earth was a life of communion with nature and with God…With the voice of singing He welcomed the morning light. With songs of thanksgiving He cheered His hours and brought heaven's gladness to the toilworn and disheartened. CH 162
On the rocks and knolls about his home the eye of the Son of God often rested. He was familiar with the things of nature. He saw the sun in the heavens, the moon and the stars fulfiling their mission. With the voice of singing he welcomed the morning light. He listened to the lark caroling forth music to its God, and joined his voice with the voice of praise and thanksgiving. “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.” This psalm (66th) and portions of the sixty-eighth and seventy-second psalms were often sung by Christ. Thus in the most simple and unassuming way he taught others. YI September 8, 1898
When others are impatient, fretful, and complaining because self is not subdued, begin to sing some of the songs of Zion. While Christ was working at the carpenter's bench, others would sometimes surround Him, trying to cause Him to be impatient; but He would begin singing some of the beautiful psalms, and before they realized what they were doing, they had joined with Him in singing, influenced, as it were, by the power of the Holy Spirit which was there. AH 443
Christ did not come to this world with a legion of angels. Laying aside his royal robe and kingly crown, he stepped down from his high command, and for our sake became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich. This was the plan laid in the heavenly courts. The Redeemer of mankind was to be born in poverty, and he was to be a worker with his hands. He labored with his father at the carpenter's trade, and into all that he did he brought perfection. His companions sometimes found fault with him because he was so thorough. What is the use of being so particular? they said. But he would work until he had brought what he was doing as near to perfection as he could, and then he would look up with the light of heaven shining from his face, and those who had criticized him would turn away ashamed of themselves. Instead of retaliating when found fault with, he would begin to sing one of the psalms, and before those who had found fault with him realized it, they, too, were singing. RH June 1, 1905
The history of the songs of the Bible is full of suggestion as to the uses and benefits of music and song. Music is often perverted to serve purposes of evil, and it thus becomes one of the most alluring agencies of temptation. But, rightly employed, it is a precious gift of God, designed to uplift the thoughts to high and noble themes, to inspire and elevate the soul.
As the children of Israel, journeying through the wilderness, cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids His children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means more effective for fixing His words in the memory than repeating them in song. And such song has wonderful power. It has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures; power to quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy courage and weaken effort.
It is one of the most effective means of impressing the heart with spiritual truth. How often to the soul hard-pressed and ready to despair, memory recalls some word of God's—the long-forgotten burden of a childhood song,—and temptations lose their power, life takes on new meaning and new purpose, and courage and gladness are imparted to other souls!
The value of song as a means of education should never be lost sight of. Let there be singing in the home, of songs that are sweet and pure, and there will be fewer words of censure and more of cheerfulness and hope and joy. Let there be singing in the school, and the pupils will be drawn closer to God, to their teachers, and to one another.
As a part of religious service, singing is as much an act of worship as is prayer. Indeed, many a song is prayer. If the child is taught to realize this, he will think more of the meaning of the words he sings and will be more susceptible to their power.
As our Redeemer leads us to the threshold of the Infinite, flushed with the glory of God, we may catch the themes of praise and thanksgiving from the heavenly choir round about the throne; and as the echo of the angels’ song is awakened in our earthly homes, hearts will be drawn closer to the heavenly singers. Heaven's communion begins on earth. We learn here the keynote of its praise. Ed 167,168
I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. Judges 5:3
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation. 1 Chronicles 16:23
I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. Psalms 7:17
I will be glad and rejoice in Thee: I will sing praise to Thy name, O thou most High. Psalms 9:2
I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalms 13:6
Sing unto the Lord; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Isaiah 12:5
And when they (Christ and the disciples) had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Matthew 26:30
Be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
