Dear friends,

We sing songs of praise and worship in the church but have you ever imagined Jesus as a singer. Did Jesus sing?

There is only one instance in the Bible that we can see that Jesus sang a song. It is found in Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26. Both of them wrote, “And when they had sung a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

What is this hymn that they sang? The Passover meal tradition of the Israelites includes singing the Hallel — Psalm 113 to 118. The Complete Jewish Bible translation affirms that what they sang was the Hallel. The singing of the Hallel can be found in  YouTube, and it is sung with with joy and dancing.

What kind of song did Jesus sing? Let me use the word SONG as the outline:

First, Jesus sang a song of Salvation from God.

Psalm 116:5-6 says, “The Lord is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearted;

when I was in great need, he saved me.”

God hears and answers our prayers. God is our savior. In Psalm 114 the Psalmist narrates the history of the Exodus experience. From Egypt to the Red Sea to wilderness to the Jordan River to the Promised Land.

Second, Jesus sang a song of Obedience to God.

Psalm 116:12-14

“How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.  I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.”

We can never fully repay God. But what we can do is to fulfill our vows to the Lord.

Third, Jesus sang a song of a New life in God.

Psalm 115 sings about the gods of other people. They have ears but cannot hear, eyes but cannot see, mouths but cannot speak, hands but cannot touch. Those who believe in this kind of gods will be like them. The Hallel is all about a new life in God. It is a kind of life that fully trusts in the Lord no matter what the circumstances are. You do not trust the idols, the statues, or any amulets.

Fourth, Jesus sang a song of the Grace of God.

Psalm 113:1-3 says, “Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.  From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”

The Hallel reminds us of God’s grace. It is only by the grace of God that we are given the opportunity to live life once again.

May the song of Jesus be in our hearts as we sing to God as our savior, whom we obey, and it is by His grace alone that we have a new life.

Sincerely,

Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Director

Office of Communications