Tune Your Heart

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!

If the thoughts of your heart were a melody, what tune would they play?

Would the notes be out of tune, filled with complaining and grumbling? Would they be ominous, resounding with fear and dread? Would they be dissonant, booming with anger and bitterness? Or would a harmony of gratitude and thanksgiving flow from the reverberations of your soul?

What we read, listen to, watch, and pay attention to (input) directly impacts our actions, attitudes, worldview, and judgments (output). In other words, if we were to strike a guitar string with a pinecone instead of a guitar pick, we’d hear sounds we don’t desire. Likewise, what we meditate on, mull over, and think about produces either notes of peace and praise in our hearts or notes of discord and discontentment.

Some days my soul is completely out of tune with God. When I wake up and tune in to the news first thing, it strikes a note of fear that reverberates through the rest of the day. Often, I don’t even realize the chord has been struck until later, when I’m quick tempered and on edge.

When we become more attuned to the clamors of the world over God’s Word, our hearts become out of tune with him.

While David was hiding from King Saul in a cave, he penned a psalm of praise to God. In the middle of his mess, when his soul was “in the midst of lions,” he could have easily complained or cowered in fear. Instead, David sang a song: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (Psalm 57:7-10).

When you’re stuck in the middle of a stressful situation and you see no way out, tune your heart to sing praise to God. He is merciful to those who seek him, a refuge for those in need of shelter. He fulfills his purpose for us, and he tramples our enemies (see Psalm 138:7-8). We can strike a note of confident praise to the Lord by reminding our souls of his steadfast love and faithfulness (see Psalm 57:3).

Even when we are hiding in a cave of fear, God is still exalted above the heavens. Even when our mouths are glued shut, he is still worthy to be praised. As the hymn writer Robert Robinson describes, God’s streams of mercy are never ceasing and call for our songs of loudest praise.^a We can tune our hearts to sing his grace by inputting gospel truth into our souls. The hope of God’s Word will compose a melody in us that reverberates for all eternity.

Word before World A heart tuned to the words and wisdom of God produces a melody of praise.

Grow in Grace Turn on your favorite worship music today and sing praises to God!