God’s Favorite Song

God’s Favorite Song

John R. Petrilli

What’s your favorite song? Couples often have a favorite tune they’ve claimed as “their song”. Vocalists and instrumentalists in concert often close with their all-time favorite song to the crowd’s delight. So what’s your favorite song? For the music connoisseurs possessing a wide range of tastes, the answer will depend on which category of music we’re talking about.

We see from both Old and New Testaments that God possesses a vested interest in music and song. He incorporated it into the worship services of the temple, and commands His creation to sing to Him. It’s obvious that He definitely enjoys music. But can it be that He actually has a FAVORITE song? According to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s tune, “Favorite Song of All”, God DOES have a favorite song. It’s not one particular number, but rather, a category known as praise songs. Let’s walk through the Bible and see what it has to say about this important theme.

GOD’S FAVORITE SONG OF PRAISE AFFIRMS HIS MATCHLESS WORTH AND WONDERFUL WORKS. Psalms 146-147

As we sing the praises of someone or something we’re quick to point out the admirable qualities or features of that person or item. When it comes to the Person of God, there’s no one more admirable nor worth admiring. David understood that and made a big deal out of rehearsing the greatness of God throughout his hymnody found in the Book of Psalms. While many would turn to such favorites as Psalms 23, Psalms 46, Psalms 103, or Psalms 139, I invite you to camp with me in less familiar territory at the end of the Book of Psalms. More specifically, at the final five Psalms, Psalms 146-150. Interestingly enough, each of these final five songs starts out with the imperative phrase, “PRAISE THE LORD!” That pretty much tips the reader off to the goal David has in writing these priceless lyrical works. It is to nurture and invigorate an attitude of praise to God. I guess we might see David’s role here as that of a worship leader who is longing to see God’s people engage in wholehearted, unrestrained praise.

Character is most clearly seen, not so much in what someone says, but rather, what they do. In Psalm 146 God’s matchless character can be seen in all the ways He reaches out and helps the sons of men (5). The Lord is pictured like an omnipotent social worker who attends to the pressing needs of both the poor and the prisoner alike (7). God cares ever so much about the welfare of His people, especially the disabled (8), the displaced foreigner, disregarded orphan and disenfranchised widow (9). Psalms 147 focuses on God’s provision as seen in His personal involvement in the national prosperity, emotional health and spiritual integrity of His chosen nation (2, 12-14). David sings to the God Who performs the meteorological wonder of lofting the clouds above the earth, then timely opening to release their precious cargo of rain droplets to descend upon the hungry and thirsty creatures dwelling below on terra firma (8, 9). Much as we do, the sweet singer must have watched a winter thunder storm, giving all the credit to God as the One and only author of such an awesome sight (16-18).

GOD’S FAVORITE SONG OF PRAISE IS THE DAILY OCCUPATION OF ALL CREATION. Psalms 148

Like all good worship leaders, David shoots for one-hundred percent involvement. He isn’t happy until he’s succeeded in getting every single corner of the universe involved in praising his God. He starts by prodding the angelic assemblage to give praise to their Creator (2). Recall how these heavenly vocalists sang the first Christmas cantata on a Judean hillside the morn of the Savior’s birth (Luke 2:13-14). They will continue lifting their voices to God throughout all eternity (Rev. 5:11-12 ; 7:11-12). David moves from the angelic realms of the third heaven into the astronomical realm of stars and planets in the second heaven. Someone may argue that inanimate objects are incapable of praise. To such I say, think again. According to Job, the stars of the pre-dawn skies celebrated creation day in song (Job 38:7)? Didn’t Jesus clearly imply that something as lifeless as a rock could and would sing His praises should His people fail to do so (Luke 19:40)? Didn’t the Psalmist include the panoply of galaxies and stars when he declared that “the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands”, declaring God’s glory both day and night (Psalms 19:1-2)?

Next David transitions to the first heaven of the upper atmosphere (4-6). The clouds should be praising God for their inception, installation and permanency. Having extended his call to praise God top down from angelic hosts to earthly skies, the psalmist zeroes in on planet earth. Its inhabitants, both great and small, owe their Creator a debt of praise. From the tiniest bug (mosquito praise?) to the mammoth whale along with the sea they swim in, each and every one of them is engaged in offering the sacrifice of praise to their loving Creator (7-8).
Even the hills and trees join in the anthems of praise (9). Finally, the entire creation chorus adds to its membership the human family. Social, economic, chronological and marital status notwithstanding, all are to participate in the most worthy endeavor of praise to our God (11-13).

GOD’S FAVORITE SONG OF PRAISE IS THE CHURCH’S PROCLAMATION. Psalms 149-150

Having succeeded in recruiting the rest of creation into the blessed ministry of praising God, David increases the magnification of his spiritual microscope, and focuses his attention on the Church. Praise songs are the order of the day when God’s people assemble for corporate worship (149:1 ; cf., Colossians 3:16 ; Ephesians 5:19). The inclusion of the performing arts and skillful instrumentation are said to bring delight to the heart of God (3-4). When praise is accompanied by the preaching of the Word (“two-edged sword”), the spiritual impact of complete victory can be realized (6-9). In Psalms 150 David wraps up the entire book of 150 songs and poems with a resounding crescendo of praise. One can almost hear the trumpets blasting and the cymbals clashing as all the stops are pulled out in one gigantic finale of instrumental praise that deafens the ear and delights the senses (3-5). In case David miscued and left something out, he ends on a note of inclusion by urging any entity with the breath of life in its lungs to use that breath to praise God (6)!

Peter describes believers as those who’ve been assigned the holy calling of “proclaiming the PRAISES of Him Who has called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light: (1 Peter 2:5,9). Which brings us to a personal consideration. We need to prayerfully ask ourselves and the Lord the current status of our praise life. Is it healthy or lacking in some way? Do we ration our praise, only engaging in it when things are going well for us? Perhaps we need to take a closer look at just what praise is, then carefully reconsider our commitment to this most rewarding of all Christian endeavors. I hope this excursion through Psalms 146-150 has proven beneficial to you. Along the theme of music, borrowing a phrase from the great composer J.S. Bach, I close with, “Solo Deo Gloria!” (“To God alone be the glory!”)