We give thanks.
Join me for a special series on living intentionally grateful.
Each day this month I'll share what being grateful, on purpose (or with purpose), means to me and what that looks like in my life.
One of my greatest delights in life is the gift of music.
Most specifically, I love to play the piano.
My belief is that God placed within me the desire to make music, with a special fondness for playing the piano. I believe this because I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not love music
or did not enjoy time spent playing the piano.
Sing and make music in your heart. Ephesians 5:19b
I am grateful that God has allowed me the joy of expressing my love for Him through the gift of music.
In the Old Testament, there are seven Hebrews words used that are translated in English as "praise". For example;
Psalm 86:12 "yadah" means to show reverence or praise with extended hands
Psalm 42:4 "towdah" is similar to yadah, but the hands are extended more in thankfulness and agreement, rather than surrender or reverence
Psalm 34:1 "tehillah" is spontaneous singing that flows from our hearts unrehearsed and unprepared.
Psalm 57:7 "zamar" literally means to pluck the strings,
Psalm 148 is a chapter full of "halal" - to be clamorously foolish. To boast.
Psalm 63:5 "shabach" means to address in a loud tone with an attitude of wholehearted praise.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6
We might think of the guitar or stringed bass, harp or banjo as string instruments that are plucked.
But I like to think of a piano as a stringed instrument that I "pluck" with my fingers through the action of touching the keys and then the hammer subsequently striking the strings. I love Psalm 57:7,
"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music."
The following verse, Psalm 57:8 says, "Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn." You can definitely see the zamar praise in this passage.
My heart is grateful that God has allowed me the extra blessing of praising Him on the piano. This blessing is one I do not take lightly. Anytime I am allowed to play the piano, whether privately or publicly, I find myself overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude. Every note I play, every chord, every melody, every song ... is an intentional expression of gratitude.
~ my grateful heart
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