The Winning Sound

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 ESV). I read all kinds of crazy little surveys. Please don’t think that any of them are particularly “scientific” or accurate for that matter. They are merely interesting. One I saw not long ago was from a study designed to measure the joy that listeners experienced when they heard various sounds. I have no clue why the study was commissioned, nor do I know how it was conducted; however, the results were revealing. Of all the sounds that were played for the sample group of adults in the study, the winning sound was that of a child laughing. It was greater than any of the various kinds of music, the various sounds of birds chirping and singing, and even more pleasurable than the sound of ocean waves rolling into the shoreline. Perhaps it only further shows evidence that human beings are God’s best handiwork in the created world. That thought took me to our reading today. It is a classic psalm of thanksgiving. Further, it reminded me that the joyful movements described in it come alive when we see children captivated by music and singing, praising God through the irrepressible urge to dance with delight. They are blissfully free of the self- consciousness that limits the expressiveness of most of us who are older. The noise of children isn’t always delightful, of course, and those who spend time around adolescents might note that their musical preferences are not necessarily filled with joyful praise. However, whether it is a song of joy on our lips, a lament of confusion or pain, or even a cry for help, our voices are heard by our compassionate God who remains steadfast from generation to generation. Even when one generation struggles just to find a basic understanding of another, Christ holds it all together, assuring us that God understands our deepest hopes and biggest fears. The life of Jesus, his death and resurrection invites us into the embrace of a God whose love can transform and redeem us beyond our imagination. Perhaps you are too inhibited to break out into the kind of song described by the psalmist in public. Well, find a private place and make your joyful noise. I’m not talking about a giggle or a chuckle. Give yourself the wonderful medicine of a good old fashioned belly laugh. After all, what is there that can threaten our good He is working together on our behalf? Give it a try and see if you don’t do better.