“…be filled with the Spirit… sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks…for everything…” (Ephesians 5:18-20, NIV)
I’m not someone who has Christian music playing in my house or car much of the time; I honestly prefer silence so I can be alone with my thoughts. However I often, as I go about my day, find myself singing or humming or even whistling part of a hymn or a Psalm refrain or a lyric from a song which was sung at Mass. Doing chores around the house, or driving, or just going out for a walk, when such music is playing in my head or coming out of my mouth, I feel good: joyful and peaceful and, yes, very grateful.
I guess I had never thought about it this way, but the Ephesians passage made me realize that I am singing not just to myself, but to God. My humming, or singing or whistling is my heart is reaching out to acknowledge him and give him thanks for what he has given to me.
Jesus’ sacrifice of love has enabled me to call him Savior, for his generous mercy is always ready to pardon as soon as I ask. He has granted me access to his covenant promises, claiming me and loving me as his very own child. The assurance of his Holy Spirit dwelling – actually taking up residence and living – in my body as his temple brings great peace and joy, for he has deigned to be my constant Companion and Helper. He has even called me his friend!
Whether it’s a phrase from Scripture directly, or indirectly in a song lyric, God’s life giving Word of Truth has been planted in my heart, and the spiritual fruit of that – love, joy and peace – often bubbles up and spills out in song.
Saint Augustine said, “He who sings, prays twice”. What is prayer, after all, but an acknowledgement of God, and a “lifting up of the heart” to him, and what better way to do that than to sing to him, no matter how inexpertly?
We are urged by St Paul to always give thanks for everything. When circumstances are challenging in my life, singing to God can turn my attention away from a merely human perspective and help me to see things through the eyes of faith instead. And that gives me encouragement and hope to go on, for I’m assured that I’m not left alone, that his love surrounds me always.
If singing is indeed “praying twice”, why not sing? Why not “sing and make music in your heart to the Lord”? After all, it’s good practice for what we’ll be doing when we finally see Him face to face in Heaven. Then, all will be glorious and unending praise, and our singing will never stop.
Lessons From Love School 
I often say to my clients, “ You have heard it said that music is the universal language. That’s because music is the language of the universe.” All creation praises the Lord. When the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His disciples for praising Him as He triumphantly entered Jerusalem, His response was, “I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40 NIV ) I believe even inanimate objects praise God with songs unheard by the human ear. Yes, as Psalm 150 declares, “Let everything that had breath praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6 NIV)
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