Sing with Understanding

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. ⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."

Psalm 32:8-9

Horses and mules must be trained to race, pull carriages, and accomplish labour beneficial to their owners.  A bit and bridle is employed to provide direction and make discernible signals horses and mules can follow.  As intelligent as these animals are, they lack the understanding a human being possesses.  We have been gifted by God to think rationally, solve problems, have detailed conversations, and implement plans.  God did not want His people to be like the horse or mule that merely follow the pull of the reins:  God desires His children to listen, receive instruction, and be guided by the Holy Spirit without harnesses.

I vividly remember buying tickets outside Disneyland years ago and saw three little girls in pretty matching dresses - the oldest sister at least 8 years old - each tethered to their poor mother.  They were so excited before long they had tangled themselves up like helpless dogs chained in a yard.  It was sad to see them pulling on the leads in all directions, seemingly deaf to their mother's pleas, and this poor woman could only hold on for dear life.  She was exhausted before they even entered the gate!  God desires it would be His voice and vision which governs our steps because He has given us more understanding than mere beasts because the Holy Spirit indwells us.

I read this morning in Psalm 47:6-7, "Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding."  It is God's desire we would sing praises unto Him with understanding, knowing who He is, what He has said, and things He has done.  People sing along to the latest popular songs with little knowledge of the artist who wrote the song, the background on what prompted the song, or what the lyrics mean.  All they know is it is catchy and sounds good.  As subjects of our great King who is worthy of praise, God desires we sing praises with understanding.  We ought to know why God is worthy to be praised and the reasons we choose to lift our voices before Him in worship.  We sing because we acknowledge the LORD is our God, He has chosen us, and we are the sheep of His pasture.  We are not to be "sheep" in the sense we just follow along or rattle off rote prayers or passages without thinking, but identifying as sheep because we know Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd, we hear his voice, and intentionally follow him.

In comparison to the Almighty God our understanding is extremely dim at best, but we are to praise God in light of His revelation to each one of us.  We are called to walk according to the light He has provided us, and to lift our voices in song for the glory of His name - not because we have to but because we see Him as worthy and desire to praise Him.  May the voices of angels and God's redeemed rise up in praise before the throne of God as one, an offering pleasing and acceptable to our Maker and King whom we know, love, and obey.