Part 2 of the article – “Theology and Practicum for Worship Music“.
Why do we do music in worship at all? What is the purpose of music? What does music help us do?
Music is really a form and means of communication. It has a mysterious ability to communicate to the heart – to inspire, to stir the emotions, to resonate with our understanding. You could say, Music is the language of the heart. Like speech, music has pitch, timbre, rhythm. When used alongside words, music has the ability to enhance meaning.
Poetry also communicates vividness and memorability – making words more powerful, driving them into our heads and hearts so they become precious to us and motivate us to praise and obedience. You see poetry being used even from the first moments of Creation – Gen.1:27 and 2:23 are both in a poetic form.
Put together, music and poetry are used throughout the Bible for these very purposes. In Deuteronomy 31:19,21-22, God told Moses, “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths… And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring)… So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.”
Music and poetry were often used in the Bible at moments of great importance. And similarly, almost every period of religious revival in history has been accompanied by new outpourings of music.
In fact, God himself is musical. God himself is said to sing for his people – Zeph.3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Consider all the different ways music can help us: It can help us: obey God’s Word (Ps.47:6 – it is commanded), learn and remember God’s Word (Col.3:16-17), respond to God’s grace and to the Spirit (Ps.108:1, Eph.5:18-20, 1 Cor.14:24-26), combine biblical doctrine and strong devotion (Ps.33:1-8), express unity in Christ (Rom.15:5-7 – with one voice), reflect the songs of heaven (Rev.5:8-14).