O God, my heart is quiet and confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!

Psalm 57:7 (TLB)

I’m “old school.” I prefer well-crafted songs that have a great lyric and a solid melody. As I have composed songs over the years, I tried to never settle for that’ll do. I want every word and every note to be significant when the composing is complete. 

When I finish singing a song, I’m not always looking for applause. Applause is nice but sometimes the biggest compliment an audience can give is to be still and to sit in silence. To me, it means that they got it. They received the message of the song; of what I was offering and digested the message and the meaning. 

This quiet kind of response might be appropriate for sacred songs but also for songs like the impactful, “Bring Him Home,” from the musical, Les Miserables. I love when the spirit of God inhabits musical moments.

In life, I try to want to improve at taking in words and actions of those with whom I engage and give the appropriate response. Too often I find myself interrupting in a conversation before the other person has even finished their thought. Sometimes the best response might be just to sit, be still and let words sink in.

Lord, quiet our hearts so that we can sing Your praise.