“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).
We were camping on a woodsy site in Ohio on that June morning when I heard it. Sitting by our tent, listening to the forest sounds, I heard a bird singing a particular pattern of notes. It was a wood thrush, with a flute-like sound. There were three distinct calls: “tweedle dee… tweedle dum… tweedle dah.” Amazingly, the bird repeated all three calls, followed by a set of three different calls. Then he sang both sets over again. I grabbed a pencil and music paper and began to capture the song on paper. I’d never heard anything like this! It was a distinct melody with rhythm patterns and structure. What a wonderful gift from our Creator! As a composer/arranger, I immediately began planning in my head some ideas for a flute piece. I later paired the bird melodies with the hymn tune, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” for flute and piano.
This experience demonstrated for me God’s love of music! He created music: in the melody of a thrush, the wail of a loon, the rhythmic drumming of a woodpecker.
Many of God’s creatures sing out praise to their Creator. They are examples to us. We in turn can respond to God with thanksgiving: “Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God” (Psalm 147:7). Recognizing music in nature and making music ourselves are wonderful ways to express our joy at all He has made.
“I sing for joy at the works of Your hands” (Psalm 92:4).