Friday, August 8, 2014

Music in the Heart of the Believer pt. 1

I love music.  I have enjoyed many different kinds of music throughout my whole life.  I grew up in a musical family, and I enjoy carrying on the tradition with my wife and our children.  There is just something about music that communicates in ways that neither the written word nor the spoken word are able.  An unknown author once wrote, “For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul’s own speech”, and Johann Sebastian Bach took it a step further by saying, "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”  Music combines both the intellect and the soul, the seat of our emotions, into a singular expression of things that are much higher and greater than the sum of the parts of our existence.  

It is perhaps for this reason that the apostle Paul encourages the church in Ephesus to speak to one another in musical language.  In 
Ephesians 5:19 he urges them to “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…”.  Paul instructs his fellow believers to communicate with each other in ways that not only address the intellect, but reach down deep into the soul of man and connect with his very essence.  In this months series of articles for the Pastor’s Forum, I would like to share about the topic of addressing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs.

First, we are encouraged to address one another in Psalms.  The Bible book of Psalms is a rich treasure of song lyrics written by Israel’s second king, David, and others.  In it, we see the praises of God, the recognition of His handiwork in creation and in life.  We see the outcry for vindication and protection of His followers; we see the humble brokenness of the repentant heart.  Sharing the word of God with one another is a life-giving and life-affirming way of echoing the heart of God for His people.  It looks like a friend stepping in with a word of encouragement during a time of great struggle or loss.  It looks like a beautiful card given in gratitude or celebration to a friend at one of the peak moments of their life.  And sometimes it looks like tough love as one reminds the other of all that God has done on their behalf, and that He calls upon them for the surrender of their affections toward Him.  

However, I don’t believe that the apostle Paul was only encouraging believers to quote scripture to each other, but rather that we might speak to each other daily the way that scripture speaks to us.  One example of this may be seen in the way a psalm is often put together.  Hebrew poetry often uses a technique called "parallelism”.  Parallelism uses groups of two or three statements that either work together or contrast with each other to convey an idea.  In other words, a psalmist not only writes of God’s strength, but also the frailty of the enemy.  A psalm not only recounts the history of God’s work on our behalf, but also looks forward to the fulfillment of His promises.


In the same way, our conversation with one another as believers can take on a more meaningful tone as we consider how God works and moves in our lives.  Beyond pithy one-liners and social media memes, we have the opportunity to share in significant ways about how God is working, and why He is worthy of great praise and worship.  We gain a sense of awe at His sovereignty when we consider the preservation of His people amidst great adversity.  We sing the glory of God with our lives when we recognized Him in every aspect of our experience, and share the impact of that realization with others.  Let yourself take part in the great song of the ages as heaven and earth proclaim the glory of God’s handiwork, and His people proclaim the greatness of His love and care for us.  

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