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In a grey sky / On a grey day,
A brown lark sang / Her roundelay.
With trembling voice / And quiv'ring wing,
She hovered low / To softly sing.
No sweeter song / I ever heard
Than from the throat / Of that small bird.
She trilled and trilled, / Then flew away,
Into the sky / And sunless day.

From the merchants and the poets we come to the scientists who delve into the meaning of bird song. Not that they are able to explain the songs of birds in purely functional, reductionist terms. Even when resolved to cultivate objectivity and eschew sentimentality, they cannot help conceding that birds sing for the joy of it, and for the necessary release of emotional energy.

Human speech is of course a much more sophisticated medium of communication than the wordless songs and calls of birds. Yet there are similarities between singing humans and singing birds. To begin with, the main outburst of avian song takes place in the breeding season and is associated with courtship and mating. Just so, some of the greatest human songs have always been love-songs, variations on Romeo serenading Juliet. We also resort to national anthems and patriotic songs, to express our solidarity with each other, and to pop music to encapsulate our sense of cultural identity. Joie de vivre also demands musical expression. On occasions of congratulation and celebration it is natural to break into singing "Happy birthday to you," "For he's a jolly good fellow" or "Auld lang syne."

But the most appropriate of all occasions for singing is the public worship of Almighty God. Many people do not know how special — even unique — singing is to Christians. Temples, synagogues and mosques never resound with the exuberant praise of those who know their sins have been forgiven. The joyful song of the redeemed is heard only in Christian churches, and never with greater exultation than in Charles Wesley's hymns like "And can it be?," "Love divine, all loves excelling," "Hark! the herald angels sing" and "O for a thousand tongues to sing."

There was of course singing in the temple worship of Old Testament days, and the Psalter is full of invitations to praise God:

Come , let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him in music and song.
(Psalm 95:1, 2)

Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
(Psalm 96:1, 2)

It is also taken for granted in the New Testament letters that the singing of hymns will be a natural and spontaneous expression of Christian praise. The inevitable consequence of being filled with the Spirit, and of having the word of Christ dwell richly within us, is that we sing "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs," making music with gratitude in our hearts to God (Ephesians 5:18, 19; Colossians 3:16). Christian people are irrepressible in this matter. It would be impossible to stop us singing.

Further, the Book of Revelation assures us that the angels, the created universe and the completed church will finally unite in singing a new song of praise to God, affirming the unique worthiness of the Lamb to open the book of destiny and to receive all honour, glory and praise (Revelation 5). In particular, the redeemed people of God, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before God's throne, will cry out in a loud voice:

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November (Web-only) 2008, Vol. 52