By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:8)
I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me. I wake up from a deep sleep and have a sing song melody playing in the background of my mind. And here’s the cool part: It’s almost always a Praise and Worship song. It’s as if my subconscious mind is praising God all night long.
“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” (Psalm 65:8)
I’ve become intrigued by this occurrence and noticed it is happening more and more.
The “technical” term for this phenomenon is earworms, defined as a catchy song or tune that continually runs through a person’s mind.
Perhaps the most memorable depiction of this peculiarity can be found in Pixar’s animated film Inside Out. In this memorable film, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness (endearing characters tucked away into a little girl’s subconscious) help navigate and archive emotionally charged memories throughout the little girl’s life. Every once in a while an “earworm” hijacks the little girl’s mind and annoys her subconscious counterparts to the tenth degree. (The motion picture may have been intended for a younger audience, but like me and my husband quickly realized; adults are adequately entertained without any juveniles in the room.)
It seems that the deeper I grow in my relationship with God, the more compelled I am to praise Him… even in my sleep!
I would imagine that our subconscious praise to God is just as pleasing as praises poured forth when we’re fully awake.
“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” (Isaiah 26:9)
I can’t think of a better way to start the day than with the sweet praises of my soul, reverberating across the strings of my heart. “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.” (Psalm 33:1)
May the heart songs of all God’s people join in the chorus of Heavenly Hosts who, we are told, both day and night, make a joyful noise unto the Lord. “Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)
