...who with his brothers

was in charge

of the songs of thanksgiving.

               Nehemiah 12. 8

(Praise to God

--not just in feeling,

            or in words,

   but in music--

is that significant,

not just for God's sake,

but in our own growing

       intimacy with Him.

God invented music

   as a strong language

to express our love.

Songs of thanksgiving to God,

      out of our love for Him,

do not change God's heart

                  but ours.

So important on a daily basis,

       in the ancient scriptures,

   that an entire group of people

   were put in charge

                   of praise.)

O LORD,

When we praise You,

You align our hearts

                with Yours.

We are so filled

         with gratitude to You,

we are beyond words.

And that is when

          music takes over.

May praise to You

   be the song

        that never ends.

Help us to be distinguished

           as Yours

by the songs of thanksgiving

   others hear in our lives.