"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely" (Psalm 147:1). "Let the saints be joyful...let them sing aloud" (Psalm 149:5).
The point is this: Where in the church today is the enthusiasm in song that is so fundamental to Christian worship?
In our sadly complicated lives is there no room for exuberant praise in song?
In all our sophistication is it shameful to raise our voices loud and clear in the positive affirmation of faith we profess?
In this age of departmentalization and isolation do we allow the organist, with all the stops out, and a choir that has rehearsed by the hour, usurp the privilege of the congregation to raise its voice in prise to Almighty God?
In these fast-moving times, when the individual is in danger of being lost in the mass of an indifferent society, can we not take refuge in our (though perhaps limited) ability and shout again our confidence in the Lord and proclaim our joy in personal salvation? The hymnal, like the Scripture itself, shows how simple are the great praises to the Lord. We must never let the "hallelujahs" die!
