Music

Memories

Familiar tunes can evoke a range of powerful emotions. These melodies can conjure long lost emotions harkening back to some deep memory. It is amazing the power that the Lord has put into music. I have seen people debilitated by dementia, but still being able to sing their favorite hymn or play their trusty instrument. I’m sure that scientists have studied and theorized some mechanism or material explanation. 

However, maybe the reason is because music reaches beyond the mere physical structure of our brain to our heart and soul. We really have very little understanding of the link between our physical body and our soul and spirit. Even in the pages of scripture, this is not explained in a detailed way. But certainly it could be that as God has formed us as both body and soul, He intended for certain things to be specially powerful in traversing the distinction between the two parts. Since we were created to be worshiping beings this seems like the kind of thing that we should expect to be true.

Meaning

While we often think of music in terms of entertainment, it certainly carries more meaning than that! The right song at the right moment can fill us with joy or help us to grieve or express sincere anger. So the truly great music is usually more than the notes on an instrument, it is a story being told both in rhythm and rhyme. The lyrics that drive the points of the artist home to the soul of the listener. 

This is possibly the explanation of the phenomenal success of the song, “Rich Men North of Richmond” that has blown up on the internet lately. Many people are resonating with the message of the lyrics. The song has garnered a lot of praise and some criticism. The criticism has come either because of political disagreements with the message of the song, or because of the presence of certain course terminology, or because of the hard and frustrated tone. Ironically, it is probably these very elements that have also been the reason that the song has earned so much attention and acceptance.

It is not my purpose in this article to evaluate the song although I will say that there are many insightful and true points being made. But I want to focus on the power that music can have in driving public discussion and galvanizing people in the way they think. This is why jingles and slogans are so popular in advertising because they can gain a loyal following. Even throughout the history of the church, music has been used both in the promotion of true theology and out right heresy.

Majesty

Ultimately, the purpose of music is to praise and worship God. There can be no higher or better purpose for which an instrument or a voice could ever be used. David uses music to extol the attributes of God throughout the Psalms particularly His steadfast love and justice (Psalm 101:1).
We are also instructed that singing is at the heart of our corporate worship when we meet together as the Lord’s people. Paul instructs both the Colossians and the Ephesians about the importance of them singing not only to God but to one another when they come together to learn, fellowship, and worship!

Finally, when the Lord reveals to us a glimpse of the eternal activity of worship around His throne there is a song being sung! God is being glorified as the angels, the living creatures, the elders and the saints are crying out in a loud voice the glory and attributes of Almighty God (Revelation 7:9-12)!

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