glorious shout it out and glorious make it louder

Rather than focus on praising God, our focus is “What will people think?” Others excuse their lack of joyful noise-making by claiming it is not their personality style. At those times, we are rejecting the opportunity to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. We fear that we might be seen as undignified or fanatical. Often what we term “reverence” is merely “fear of man.” Self-centered reserve is usually the motivation that keeps us from singing aloud, dancing for joy, or lifting hands in worship when it is appropriate to do so. David danced (2 Samuel 6:14) Miriam played the tambourine, singing and dancing (Exodus 15:20–21) the children of Israel shouted and sang (2 Chronicles 15:14) Solomon lifted hands before all the people (1 Kings 8:22) Paul and Silas sang loudly in jail (Acts 16:25) and Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem with loud shouts of joy (John 12:13). Scripture is filled with examples of God’s servants praising Him in a variety of ways, many of them noisy and active. While there is a time for quiet reverence in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 5:7 95:6), God also delights in our outward displays of joyful abandon as we worship Him with all we have.

A joyful noise often includes music, such as singing, playing instruments, and dancing (Psalm 95:1 98:6 149:3 1 Chronicles 15:28). A joyful noise is a bold declaration of God’s glorious name and nature, with shouts, clapping, and other outward expressions of praise. Our world is filled with noise, much of it harmful or distracting. The picture is that of all creation joining together in noisy worship of God.Ī joyful noise is not merely noise for its own sake. For example, Psalm 98:4–6 says, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!” This psalm goes on to describe the sea roaring, the rivers clapping their hands, and the hills breaking forth in song. The verses that follow explain what that means.

Several places in Scripture command us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 66:1 95:1–2 100:1 1 Chronicles 15:16).

Glorious shout it out and glorious make it louder