A Joyful Noise

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
in melodious song with the harp.
With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
— Psalm 98:4-6


This psalm bursts with sound. It does not speak of stillness or silence but of a world erupting in praise. All the earth is called to make a joyful noise—not a measured, muted hymn, but an unrestrained cry of delight and reverence. The psalmist names instruments—the lyre, the harp, the trumpet, the ram’s horn—not to elevate their elegance, but to emphasize the fullness and variety of praise that belongs to the Lord. Worship is not limited to a single sound or style. It welcomes volume, diversity, and exuberance.

There is something freeing in the phrase “joyful noise.” It implies that the perfection of the sound matters less than the passion behind it. You do not need to be a trained singer or practiced musician to participate. You need only to rejoice—and to do so without holding back. God, the King, is worthy of such celebration. When we sing with joy, when we play with energy, when we lift our voices in awe, we are responding to His majesty as our Creator and Redeemer.

You might consider whether you have allowed yourself that kind of freedom in worship. Do you believe that your voice—however it sounds—is welcomed by God as a joyful noise? Have you experienced the release that comes from praising Him with full-hearted joy? Or has restraint, fear, or self-consciousness kept you quiet in the presence of the One who invites all the earth to sing?

Today, give yourself permission to praise loudly. You might pick up an instrument and play with vigor or sing your favorite hymn with more abandon than usual. You might even clap, dance, or shout your thanks to the Lord. Whether you’re alone or with others, let the joy in your heart become a sound that breaks forth. Don’t worry about how it sounds—worry only that it’s true. God hears joyful noise as praise, and He delights in every voice that rejoices before Him.


Majestic King and Loving Father,

You are worthy of all my praise—loud, unrestrained, and full of joy. Thank You for inviting me, along with all the earth, to make a joyful noise in Your presence. Free me from fear or self-consciousness that would hold back my worship. Remind me that You delight in every voice lifted to You in sincerity, no matter how it sounds. Fill my heart with joy so deep that it cannot stay silent. Let my songs, my clapping, my shouting, and even my imperfect notes rise to You as a beautiful offering. May my praise honor You, the King of all creation.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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