Make God's Praise Glorious!: The Singing Never Ends

Today I will direct the Chancel Choir at Edenton Street United Methodist Church for the final time as their Interim Director of Music. What a joy this tenure has been!

Mulling over what parting words to leave with these dear folk, a verse from the Old Testament book of Zephaniah kept coming to me,

The LORD your God is with you,
   he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
   he will quiet you with his love,
   he will rejoice over you with singing.

                                Zephaniah 3:17

When Josh Dumbleton (Associate Director of Music at Edenton Street) stopped by my office with a decorative setting of the last phrase from that text for the wall of my home office, I took that as a nudge from the Lord to indeed share these words as we end our brief ministry together.

The imagery in that verse is powerful, beautiful, tender, and hopeful. I love the thought of the Lord singing over his children. The song runs the gamut, the FULL BOX of crayons, from a quiet loving setting, to loud rejoicing. In Hebrew, singing, rinnah, speaks of joyful shouting. It may refer to a shout of delight or happy laughter. The happy laughter captured in this photo of the choir at our final rehearsal, is indeed a beautiful song!

Chancel Choir at Edenton Street UMC

God’s rejoicing over us by singing happens in different ways. I’ve been listening this week especially for God’s voice singing over me and have been delighted and comforted by all the songs I’ve heard. In the voice of a choir, many can hear God singing at the same time, place, and in the same song. Certainly the collective voice of the Chancel Choir is not just the singers lifting their voices to the Lord, but a concrete manifestation of God’s song over his children gathered in worship and even rehearsal.

To my Chancel Choir friends, thank you. May you both hear God singing over you, and continue to sing his song over each other and the congregation that gathers in worship. I have grown to love you, and yes, I’ll miss you! And I will thank my God every time I remember you (Philippians 1:3), especially when I have occasion to hear God singing over me through your beautiful voices.

~ ~ ~

The Chancel Choir sings Salvation Is Created for the anthem today:

Here in English by the National Lutheran Choir

Here in Russian (Spaseniyesodelal -Salvation is Created) - Salt Lake Vocal Artists

Today’s Benediction was also used at the church’s Bicentennial celebration in November:

The Lord Bless You - Rutter