More on singing

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.”
Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. - 2 Chronicles 20:21-22

Yesterday was a church day. Most of us were in our church services and most of our services including singing songs of praise and worship and edification. Singing has always been important to God’s people.

Here we see singing in a strange setting. God had said that He would fight the battles for the people and He told them on the next day how to array themselves for the fight. He didn’t say to send out the infantry or the archers or the swordsman to the front. He told them to send out the singers in the beauty of their holiness and to sing ‘praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.’

I can’t imagine how the Philistines must have felt when they saw the singers of Judah lead the troops out to battle. I wonder if they chuckled at their ‘good luck.’ I wonder if let down their guard thinking this was too easy.

It still must have been awesome to hear these Jewish singers chanting ‘Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.’ They had to figure that something was up.

But laying that aside, I am amazed by God’s people praising God in the midst of trouble. Surrounded by the enemy they praised God in song. It reminds me of Paul and Silas singing praises at midnight while chained to the prison guards.

For those of us who truly strive to follow Christ there ought to be a melody in our hearts to the Lord. His praise ought to be in out hearts and on our lips, even in the worst of times.