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Music is used to praise God -

Enter any church, regardless of denomination, and you will find some kind of music there.

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Music is used to praise God -

Whether led by a choir, a band, a single musician, or singer, religious melodies are used as a way to praise God. Therefore, they’re frequently included in the act of worship.

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Music is used to praise God -

Ephesians 5:19 emphasizes that songs are a method that can be used to praise the Lord. It reads: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

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Music is a way to glorify God -

This approach is also found in Psalm 105:2, which tells us: “Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!”

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Music is a way to glorify God -

Everything we do, according to 1 Corinthians 10:31, is done to glorify God. This includes the music we listen to and perform. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

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Musical instruments -

According to the Bible, various instruments can be used to praise God. For instance, we can “Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes,” (Psalm 150:4).

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Musical instruments -

There are more references to instruments used to praise God, namely the harp, used by King David of Israel, who was renowned for his skills.

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Musical instruments -

“Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals,” (2 Samuel 6:5).

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King David -

Another reference to King David and music can be found in 1 Chronicles 15:16. It reads: “Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.”

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A lifetime of worship -

Having music in our lives is a way to worship God forever. “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being,” (Psalm 104:33).

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The purpose of songs -

The Lord puts songs in our mouths for a reason. Psalm 40:3 reads: “He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”

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Music as a form of communion with God -

Believers come together to worship God with music. “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation,” (Psalm 95:1).

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Inspirational -

The word of Christ can inspire songs of worship, according to Colossians 3:16. The Bible verse reads: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

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Expression of gratitude -

Music can be used to express our gratitude towards God and his work. "When the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,' that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud," (2 Chronicles 5:13).

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Celebrating victories -

Music has been used for millennia to celebrate victories, including the triumph of God. Moses is known to have sang a victory song, according to Exodus 15:1.

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Exodus 15:1 -

The passage reads: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: 'I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!'”

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Music can enlighten others -

The Bible tells us that music can edify others. The idea is put forward in 1 Corinthians 14:26, which reads: “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

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Marking joyful events -

The return of the prodigal son was celebrated with music, so it shows how it can be used to mark important, joyful events. “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing,” (Luke 15:25).

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Music can affect us positively -

Music can be beneficial when we go through difficult times and generate a positive effect. Acts 16:25 gives us an example: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

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Music can lift us -

Music has a powerful effect and indeed can refresh us and lift us up, like it did with Saul. “And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him,” (1 Samuel 16:23).

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Expressing happiness -

James 5:13 reads: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”

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Used by the Devil -

While music can have a positive impact on our lives, some biblical passages also argue that music can also be used by the Devil.

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Nebuchadnezzar II -

King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, for instance, is said to have used music to convince people to worship his image instead of God.

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Worship the image -

The story is detailed in Daniel 3:15: “Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good!”

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Cast into burning furnace -

The passage continues: “But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

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Beware of songs of fools -

However, the Bible tells us to beware of songs of fools. “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools,” (Ecclesiastes 7:5).

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Draw us away from God -

Some music can draw us away from God. Isaiah 5:12 tells us that: “The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands.”

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Sing with understanding -

Ultimately, we should understand the music we listen to. “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding,“ (1 Corinthians 14:15). 

Sources: (Equation of Hope)

See also: Filthy Fifteen—The controversial origins of the 'Parental Advisory' sticker

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