The Joshua Victor Theory

  God’s chosen ones clothed in Christ! Grace and peace to you! Amen. I chose Colossians 3, especially verses 15-17 for our Thanksgiving message, for its connection to thankfulness in our singing and worship. Let’s reflect this evening on “Worship as Thanksgiving”. Hear those verses again: “ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful . 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God . 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him .” Worship is more than just music, but music serves a key role. Music often carries or expresses our emotions. Music also sinks deeply in our heart and memory, more than spoken words usually do. Music can be grand and triumphant for an occasion to celebrate or honor;...

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name! Last week we spoke, sang, and meditated on a deeply personal Psalm—Psalm 42. It was the cry of a soul in distress, and pointed the soul to hope in God, our salvation. This week Psalm 103 begins with individual praise, the soul blessing God and recounting all His benefits—but then the psalm expands our vision to include the whole community praising God. What begins as a solo turns into a chorus of praise to God. This beloved psalm has been paraphrased several times into hymns, including both of the hymns we sing tonight. As the solo turns to a chorus, the singers of the psalm reflect on our human frailty and sin in comparison to God’s eternity and forgiveness; and finally the psalm soars in a closing doxology that calls all creation to praise God. The closing words bring it full circle: Bless the Lord, O my soul! The psalm begins and ends in praise, much like we often pray in church: It is truly good, right, ...