Heman the Singer.
The sermon encourages listeners to become singers of God's song, ministering with praise and worship in all circumstances, and to seek complete surrender and consecration to God.
F.B. Meyer reflects on the life of Heman the Singer, emphasizing the significance of ministering through song both in joy and sorrow. He encourages believers to allow God to instill a new song in their hearts, to be fully consecrated to Him, and to avoid straying into unfamiliar territories where true worship cannot flourish. Meyer highlights the power of singing to dispel darkness and uplift the spirit, reminding us that even in difficult times, a song can bring light and hope. Ultimately, he calls for a life of continuous praise, suggesting that singing can transform our experiences and connect us with the divine.
Text
Heman the singer. 1 Chron. vi. 33.
THIS is a very brief record to put on a man's grave, but a very expressive one. To decipher that epitaph about Heman is to learn a good deal about him. From this clue we might almost construct his entire personality and character. And it would be well if it could be said of us that we had ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Lord.
Would you be a singer ‑‑ not on Sundays only, but always; not with your voice only, but in your heart; not only when the sunshine pours into the open casement through the swaying boughs of honeysuckle, but when the shutters tell of bereavement and removal ‑‑ then remember these rules: ‑‑ (1st.) God must put the new song into your mouth; (2nd.) You must be fully consecrated to Him; for the song of the Lord only begins when the burnt‑offering is complete. (3rd.) You must not go into a strange land, for it is impossible to sing the Lord's song there.
Sing on, dear heart, sing on. There is nothing that scares off the devil so quickly as a hymn. Luther said, "Let us sing a hymn, and spite the devil." There is nothing that so well beguiles the pilgrim's step, and quickens his pace, when the miles are growing long and weary. There is nothing that brings so much of heaven into the heart. Singing makes every movement rhythmic, every service praise, every act thanksgiving. Sing when times are dark, you will make them bright; sing when the house of life is lonely, it will become peopled with unseen choristers; go down into the valley of shadow with a song, and you will find yourself singing the new song of Moses and the Lamb when you awake on the other side.
Sermon Outline
- The Significance of Heman's Epitaph
- The Qualities of a Singer
- The Conditions for Singing the Lord's Song
- God must put the new song into your mouth
- You must be fully consecrated to Him
- The burnt-offering must be complete
Key Quotes
“There is nothing that scares off the devil so quickly as a hymn.” — F.B. Meyer
“Singing makes every movement rhythmic, every service praise, every act thanksgiving.” — F.B. Meyer
“Sing when times are dark, you will make them bright;” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- Make singing a regular part of your life, not just on Sundays, but every day.
- Seek to bring joy and beauty to God's presence through your worship and praise.
- Surrender completely to God, and seek to be fully consecrated to Him.