2 Chronicles 29:25-30: a reflection

25He set the Levites in the LORD’s house with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from the LORD by his prophets. 26The Levites stood with David’s instruments, and the priests with the trumpets. 27Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the LORD’s song also began, along with the trumpets and instruments of David king of Israel. 28All the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29When they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

When Hezekiah restores the worship of the temple after a time of neglect, the scene is filled with music and joy. The Levites are stationed with cymbals, harps, and lyres; the priests with trumpets; and as the burnt offering begins, the song of the LORD begins too, with the instruments and the trumpets, and the whole assembly worships. The passage ends by noting that they sang praises with gladness, and bowed their heads and worshiped. The restored worship was full of music, song, and glad praise.

Notice the character of this worship: it was musical, joyful, and wholehearted. There were instruments and singers and trumpets; there was song; there was gladness; and there was the bowing of hearts in worship. Worship, in this scene, was not a dull, grudging duty, but a glad, musical, whole-hearted offering of praise, the assembly rejoicing before God with song.

That is a picture of worship worth aspiring to. Worship can grow routine, joyless, a mere going-through-the-motions. But this scene reminds us that God is worthy of glad, wholehearted, joyful praise, offered with song and gladness of heart. Bring gladness to your worship. Praise God not grudgingly or dully, but with joy, with song, with a whole heart, as Hezekiah's assembly did, singing praises with gladness and bowing in worship. God is worthy of joyful praise; let your worship of him be full of gladness and song, an offering of a rejoicing heart.

Lord, when Hezekiah restored the temple worship, it was full of music and joy, the instruments playing, the singers singing, the assembly bowing in worship and singing praises with gladness. Give me that gladness in worship. My worship can grow routine, joyless, a going-through-the-motions. But you are worthy of glad, wholehearted, joyful praise. Help me praise you not grudgingly or dully, but with joy, with song, with a whole heart, as Hezekiah's assembly did. Fill my worship with gladness, and let me bow before you with a rejoicing heart. You are worthy of joyful praise; let me offer it to you gladly, with all my heart, singing your praise with gladness.