Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
    play skilfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

In the church we are always in danger of losing balance, and running to one extreme or another. We are rather good at creating false dichotomies. For example, there are the people who are really ‘into’ praise and worship. For them, it matters immensely that the church should have a great band (or outstanding organist and choir!!). Whether ‘ancient’ or ‘modern’ in style, the music is the thing for them. At the other end of the scale there are the ‘Word’ people, who would prefer 45 minutes of solid Bible exposition to the same amount of time given over to singing and dancing etc. There is also a danger that some of them may feel a little superior; be rather ‘sniffy’ towards the ‘praise and worship’ bunch. Intellectual pride can be a sin of those who see themselves as ‘Word’ people.

But, what God has joined together we should not separate, and there is a great balance in these nine verses. Note that the call is for joyful singing and skilful playing in response to God’s mighty Word. We must not think in terms of worship followed by the Word, or the Word followed by Worship. Biblical worship has the Word of God at its heart. It is Bible-centred.

It has been said: ‘If you just have the Word you will dry up; if you just have the Spirit you will blow up. But if you have the Word and the Spirit together you will grow up.’

” Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’ ” John 4:23,24 NIVUK