Making a joyful noise or singing is first mentioned in Exodus 15 when the Israelites had just escaped by crossing the Red Sea. This verse tells us that Moses and the Israelites sang a song and cried out to the Lord because they were triumphant, and the king’s men and horses did not escape the parting of the waters. Pharaoh’s army had been destroyed. Making a joyful noise is more than just singing. It is described as being exultant shouts of victory. It can involve celebrations, playing music, singing, blowing horns, and dancing. It can be exuberant worship, praise, and festivities. The term translates to Hebrew as being a sudden shout or outcry. Psalm 100 tells “all the earth to make a joyful noise to the Lord,” meaning a huge triumphant shout of victory.
In all the various translations of the Bible, singing is consistently mentioned between 350 and 450 times. The word “sing” is mentioned 70 times in 56 verses in the book of Psalms. The joyful noise is an audacious declaration of God’s glorious name and essence. These powers can be expressed by a shout, clapping, and any other outward expression of joy and praise. First Chronicles 15 describes the party atmosphere of the Israelites while they were transporting the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Everyone in Israel was happy, playing music, shouting, and blowing trumpets.
“Singing has been a cornerstone of human expression for millennia, transcending language and culture. But it’s more than just a pleasant activity; the act of singing profoundly impacts our emotions and well-being on a psychological level.” (Bosman, 2024) For reasons that remain unexplained, our bodies produce the chemicals endorphins and oxytocin in our brains. These chemicals are referred to as feel-good or love chemicals. Making a joyful noise requires a certain amount of concentration or focus, which exercises our brain. We feel a sense of achievement when we sing or make that joyful noise. We are social animals and gravitate to groups, and singing together allows a social connection different from a casual visit. Recently, it has been found that people suffering from neurological or emotional disorders are quicker to recovery and rehabilitation when they use singing as part of their treatment and communication skills. Many myths are being corrected with research. It was thought that we only use a small portion of our brain. We now know this depends on the individual and their efforts to utilize their brains. It was also thought that the right side of the brain was used when engaged with music or song. We now know that the entire brain is used while singing in the shower, car, or in the choir. It does not matter how poorly you sing and the noise you make; the brain gets good exercise.
In February 2025, Pope Francis addressed the Italian Sanremo Festival, focusing on the importance of music in building world peace. This festival is a who’s-who of musicians and attendees in Europe. The ancient Greeks believed that the Muses inspired music. A Muses is an inspirational goddess of literature, science, and the arts. The meaning of music has since become ever-changing depending on emotions and memories. Everyone has memories and feelings that are spurred by hearing a particular song. Many people anticipate the bad guy’s arrival when the “Imperial March” music starts. Everyone can visualize Kermit the Frog when the “Rainbow Connection” is played. In 1971, many graduating seniors were listening to Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World.”
Interestingly, our lives revolve around making a joyful noise. We remember events when we hear music, sing when we are happy, and mourn music when we are sad. We sing lullabies to the new babies and have special music played at our funerals. Our lives mimic the Bible in that joyful noise accompanies us from birth to death. The joyful noise in the Bible starts in Exodus and ends in Revelations. The joyful noise in Revelation 19 describes a great noise. Verses 6-8 read, “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
Bosman, L.-M. (2024, 1 8). Psychology Today. Retrieved from The Psychology of Singing: How Music Resonates within Emotions and Well-being: https://www.vanillavocals.com/post/the-psychology-of-singing-how-music-resonates-within-emotions-and-well-being