Music: September 2009
Table of Contents
They Sang a Hymn
“When they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:26).
’Twas night indeed; their darkest night;
They deemed it their last night with Him:
Yet, ere they left the chamber bright,
We read that they all sang a hymn.
Their hearts were sad; they would be left:
He whom they loved would soon be
gone:
And they, benighted and bereft,
Would have Him not — to lean upon.
And yet they sang, with voices brave,
And strengthened each his brother
friend:
Their sky was dark, the issue grave;
Their future none could comprehend.
They sang: and if some eyes were dim —
If choking sense nigh stilled the song,
Perchance they may have strengthened
Him —
So soon to meet the rabble throng.
“They sang” — thus speaks the record
true;
“They sang a hymn” that darkest night!
And soul of mine, do thou sing too,
Should tragic mysteries steal thy light.
J. Danson-Smith
The Development of Music in the Bible
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. . . . He hath made everything beautiful in His time” (Eccl. 3:1,11). God created us with senses, and He encourages us to enjoy nature through each of them. Food tastes good for our pleasure, the eye sees color and shapes for our enjoyment, and the ear hears a variety of sounds for our enjoyment and benefit. While we are born again and belong to a new creation, we do not cease to be creatures, whom God would have enjoy natural things. In this life we are never to be dead to nature, but we are to be dead to “sin” which still exists in our bodies. So music is one of those provisions of God for us to enjoy. But like everything else, Satan would beguile us into using what God has given in a wrong and sinful way. In this issue, we address the nature of music and some right times and ways for its use. We notice the difference between music and singing, and why singing has its place even in worship to God.
Theme of the Issue
Music
The Issues We Face
Music has become a vast industry, and it pervades our environment. Advances in technology that invent new sounds that please the ear along with the media networks that make it readily available force us to deal with the issue of what is good and what is harmful about music.
We are faced with many difficult decisions in life, and those who are parents must constantly seek to shelter their young from things that are harmful, including music. As each generation grows up, there are new challenges; it may not be sufficient just to do what the previous generation has done (though there is safety in it when things are unclear). We must evaluate the issues based on the Word of God. It is my purpose to give tools to evaluate why music may be good or harmful, rather than to dictate rules about what music we should or should not allow. This approach should lead us to restrict certain kinds of music.
Personal Preferences
There is a prevalent thought that the difference between the various kinds of music is only a matter of personal preference. One says, “I like one kind of music and you like another. We are all different, so it is right that you have your preference and I have mine.” The issue is not that simple. It is true that we are all different in our appreciation of things, but simply having an appreciation of something does not make it right. God is the judge of what is right and wrong. Moreover, there is good music and there is harmful music. The purpose of this article is to call to our attention the features of music that may make it good or harmful. It is not just a matter of personal preference. The Word of God gives us examples of good and harmful music, as well as right and wrong purposes for its use. To evaluate music properly, we must consider both these issues.
Spirit, Soul and Body
To evaluate music more precisely, let us consider how it affects the three parts of our being — the spirit, the soul and the body. God created us as tripartite beings. Music affects all three parts of our being, and understanding how music affects us is helpful in assessing its value.
We have an example of the effect music has on the spirit, soul and body in 1 Samuel 16:15-23. “Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on a harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. . . . And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” The servants of Saul were looking for a remedy to make him well, but when David played the harp there were three results. The king was refreshed in his soul, he was well in body and the evil spirit departed from him. The three parts of our being are interconnected, and in this case, the remedy dealt with all three.
We have another case in 1 Thessalonians. Some of the Thessalonians were having difficulty learning how to possess their bodies unto “sanctification and honor.” At the close of the epistle, Paul wrote, “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23). God desires that all three parts — spirit, soul and body — be preserved blameless. It is necessary to guard all three, for all three are under attack. Let us consider these three parts of our being, and then how music affects each one.
Our Spirit
The spirit is the God-conscious part of our being, that part which enables us to know God. It is often connected with the mind but is not limited to the mind. “What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” “We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit [Spirit] which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Cor. 2:11-12). The spirit is our state of awareness before one another and God, and only living beings possessing a spirit have that awareness. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16). God communicates by His Spirit to our spirit. Animals do not have it. As humans with a spirit, we have “the state of awareness”; we know, we think, we have both self-awareness and awareness of God. Music affects this part of us. Our state of awareness can be altered by music, even to the point of putting a person into a hypnotic-like trance. We have an example of music having this effect in 1 Samuel 10:56. Saul prophesied when music was played. In that case, the Lord used music to cause him to prophesy by His Spirit, but in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, music was used to cause the people to bow down to the idolatrous image he made.
We are warned of this in Ephesians 4:22-24: “Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and . . . put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Our Soul
What is our soul? It is our moral and emotional nature — our feelings and appetites. It has been said, “Music is the language of the emotions—the soul.” That is what music is all about — it is made to satisfy the soul. For example, when we enter a funeral home sad of heart because of the departure of a loved one, the soft tones of music can have a calming effect on us. This is not necessarily a spiritual issue as much as sorrow of soul.
There is a warfare going on for our souls. “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles” (2 Peter 2:11-12). Music has a power over our souls. We must never let down our guard, giving ourselves over to its influence when our spirit knows it is wrong. There is a proper time to allow the soul to be influenced and there is a time not to do so.
Our Body
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should be kept pure. The body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. Music can have a direct impact on our body, even without the feelings of the soul, though these usually go together. Certain kinds of music affect our body, especially loud bass music or music with heavily punctuated rhythm. Medical studies have been done to describe the chemical changes in the body that music may cause. This reaction in turn affects other parts of the body, such as the brain, the muscles and so forth. As Christians we are to present our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
The Three Parts of Music
Having considered how music affects the parts of our being, let us now consider the parts of music. All music is composed of three parts or elements: melody, harmony and rhythm. There are vast varieties of sounds that compose music, but all of them are formed from these three basic parts: melody, harmony and rhythm. When we compare different types of music, such as classical, country, jazz and rock music, it is readily noticed that the different types emphasize one of the three parts more than the others, and different instruments are used to emphasize the desired part of the composition. These differences enable us to easily distinguish different classes of music. It takes only a few seconds while flipping through the radio channels to know what kind of music is being played, for each one has its own style. The distinction in the types of music develops from the emphasis placed on each of the three parts — melody, harmony or rhythm.
Melody is the first and most important part of music. When a harmony is added, the music takes on a new dimension, and we say it sounds better. If too much harmony is played, the melody becomes obscure. Rhythm is the third part of music, and it should give an orderly tempo to the music. The rhythm affects the body and should be structured so the music flows in an orderly way. Some music is purposely made to be erratic in its rhythm or beat. It has the same effect on the audience. Too much emphasis on rhythm takes away from the more important parts of music.
Regarding rhythm in music, consider how it is used in a regiment of marching soldiers. No general would exchange his drummers for a symphony when he was marching a band of soldiers to battle. He knows that the soldiers need rhythm. He wants to keep them in step without thinking. The soldiers are made to be totally engaged in their bodies, and music with a strong beat is important for them. All musical marching bands use this technique to maintain unison. Rhythm affects the body —our bodies respond to it. There are rhythms that are good for the body and others that are not.
The Right Balance
God has given an order of importance regarding the spirit, the soul, and the body. The three parts of music follow neatly the same order of importance: first the melody, then the harmony, and lastly the rhythm. Wholesome music is composed in a way that gives the melody the predominant place. The tunes we use in our hymns lend themselves well to being played and sung in this way —the melody leads. The harmony should have a secondary place in music and in our singing. For example, if we were to ask someone to play only the harmony for us, we would have difficulty joining together to sing. Rhythm is necessary to keep the music flowing together, and if one person plays or sings out of time with the others it is discordant. The rhythm should be controlled.
The melody of music caters to our spirit. It should be dominant in music. It closely associates with the words that accompany the music. Our spirit is edified when, in our understanding, we relate the words with the melody that is sung. “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also” (1 Cor. 14:15). When our spirit and understanding are together with the melody, we can “with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The harmony caters to our soul and should be secondary in the composition. It should not distract from the melody. If a song is played with too much harmony, the soul can get so taken up with it that the words and melody are left languishing. But, on the other hand, if all harmony were disallowed and the feelings of the soul remained untouched, it would hardly be music. “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” (Col. 3:16).
The rhythm caters to the body. It is natural for us to tap the beat with our foot on the floor while playing or singing. It is natural to our bodies. But if the rhythm takes precedence over the melody and harmony, it is out of balance and can produce bad results. Let us look at an example of this in the Word.
The Noise in the Camp
“The Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. . . . And Moses turned, and went down from the mount. . . . And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. . . . And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me” (Ex. 32:7-26). We cannot help but notice what kind of music or noise was used to lead the people of Israel into this great fall. There were two opinions as to what kind of sound it was. Joshua thought it was the noise of war, but Moses, the more mature one, said it was of them that sing. Needless to say, it was filled with heavy rhythm that was provocative to their bodies, and it led them to shame and idolatry.
Rhythm
Music with a loud or distorted beat provokes sensuality and disorder. Good music has an orderly or regular beat. There are many ways of distorting sounds in music, of adding lyrics that leave the audience with vague imaginations that are harmful. They promote loose morals, teach defiling thoughts and sanction rebellion. That kind of music gives very little place to the melody of the song, and even the harmony is used to emphasize the rhythm. The characteristics of the music we listen to will provoke the same things in us, even without our being aware of it.
The Power of Music
Satan is a master of music. In the Old Testament, he is likened to the three major classes of musical instruments (wind, stringed and percussion). See Isaiah 14:11; Ezekiel 28:13. The enemy of our souls understands the power of music far more than we do. He rules over the hearts of men by means of their seeking pleasure from it. As the prince of this world, he often uses music in his rule over the hearts of men, causing an addiction to it. It is important to evaluate music before we let it get a hold on our souls or bodies. Paul clearly warns us what our position should be when he said, “All things are lawful for me . . . but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12).
Because of the way the enemy holds power through music, those who are more gifted in music or have more appreciation of it need to be the most careful. The potential such have makes them the most vulnerable to becoming victims of the power it can have over those who let down their guard. This is not to say that we should not all be on our guard concerning what we listen to.
The Conscience
In connection with the need to be aware of what we are listening to, notice the two following quotations about how music affects us. The first is from J. N. Darby. He wrote the following to Mrs. Bevan, who composed the hymn, “From the Palace of His Glory”: “As a rule, music is a very dangerous occupation; it cultivates sentiment without conscience.” The second quote is from Leonard Bernstein, the renowned American composer. He said, “Music is something terribly special. . . . It doesn’t have to pass through the censor of the brain before it can reach the heart.” These two prominent men in their field give a common theme. They both say that music affects us without passing through a thought process. The conscience is bypassed. The feelings are reached without dealing with the issue of right and wrong. The Christian sees this as a danger, and the musician sees it as special. They have different objectives, but both realize that the conscience is untouched. For this reason, it is important for us to be careful about what we listen to. It makes us realize in our singing the importance of the melody accompanied by wholesome words.
The Rockers Creed
The November 1988 issue of the Christian Contemporary Music magazine states the following creed of Christian Rockers. This comes from those who compose so-called “Christian rock music.” It says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all music was created equal, that no instrument in itself is evil, that the diversity of music which flows forth from man is but one evidence of the boundless creativity of our heavenly Father.” This thought-provoking and high-sounding creed says that all music is created equal. But though all may have liberty to create music, not all of it is the same quality, nor does it produce the same reaction. The experts in music know how to use music to produce the desired effect. Music filled with rhythm is gratifying to the flesh. It provoked the people of Israel when they fell into fornication. Music that is made for the body and soul is much more dangerous than balanced music. Most rock music and others of its kind do not have much melody; it is predominately rhythm and harmony. This is intentional and the audience is affected by it.
Excessive Harmony
We have noticed the more serious danger of music that has excessive emphasis on rhythm. There is also the danger of music with excessive harmony. In the modern musical world, all kinds of new sounds have been invented that are full of resonating harmony. These new techniques make it possible to fill the ear with music, but when the melody is left in the background, it leaves an uncertainty about what is played. This often is done intentionally with the design to fill the soul while leaving the audience with vagueness of thought. This goes hand in hand with the movement in the world to flirt with immorality or even throw out morality. Along with this kind of music, lyrics are incorporated that are vague, or can be interpreted in various ways, or which only those who are “in the know” can interpret. This music is deceptively destructive to morality, which makes it more dangerous than the same music with lyrics that are blatantly vulgar. This kind of music is like the trumpet that gives an uncertain sound, and souls are filled with emotion but are not helped in spirit or mind. “Even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?” (1 Cor. 14:7).
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:10-13).
D. C. Buchanan
Power of Nature and Power of the Spirit
If I could put a poor, sick father to sleep with music, I would play the most beautiful I could find, but it only spoils any worship as bringing in the pleasure of sense into what ought to be the power of the Spirit of God. They cannot go really together, save as water may take away the taste of wine.
J. N. Darby
When We Sing
When we sing hymns and spiritual songs, we raise our voice to the source of our joys and blessing, and we give expression of what our souls have learned to appreciate of the Father, of Christ and of His ways with us.
The Development of Music in the Bible
God created all things on earth for man to enjoy in His presence, and He pronounced them “very good.” They are “to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe” (1 Tim. 4:3). Very early in the history of man, we are given a glimpse of how music came into being. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and built a city. While developing an environment without the conscious presence of the Lord, his family sought for amusement. This is how business, entertainment and science began. “Jubal; he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ” (Gen. 4:21).
God created the wonderful harmonic scale of music, and it should be, first of all, used for Him. He also equipped us with bodies capable of playing and hearing musical notes, with the view that we might respond to Him in praise. It is a pity to see music first being developed without God in view. Even the birds sing to their Creator. But the city that Cain’s family built was developed as a system of living in pleasure without God. It finally got so bad that God destroyed that generation with the flood.
King Saul
Let us pass on to the time of King Saul, when he prophesied while the company of prophets played music (1 Sam. 10:5). The Spirit of God came upon him and he was changed into another man. The power of the Spirit with the influence of music produced a change in Saul that made the people marvel. He had a good beginning. But the subsequent developments show that he did not continue in the path of obedience. In chapter 15 King Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord by not completely destroying the Amalekites and their cattle. In the next chapter an evil spirit came upon him, preventing him from sleeping at night. Saul’s servants said, “Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on a harp. . . . And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Sam. 16:16,23). The music had its desired effect. But King Saul failed to judge the root of the problem, for he had rejected the word of the Lord. This point needed to be addressed rather than seeking relief through music alone. The music caused the evil spirit to flee, but it gave only temporary relief. There is no substitute for obedience. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). Saul continued the same course even to the extremity of persecuting the one who played the harp to give him relief. In the end of King Saul’s life, he gave himself over completely to witchcraft. How sad!
King David’s Contribution
God then raised up a man who would use music in its right place to accompany the praise of Jehovah. King David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” instituted an order of praise and worship for the priests and Levites in the house of God that was built in Jerusalem. He restored order to the priesthood. He had learned that none but the priests should carry the ark of the Lord when he brought it up from Kirjath-Jearim. “David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy” (1 Chron. 15:16). “It came even to pass, as 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 endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 5:13). How wonderful to see the art of music being used to return praise to the Lord!
David, who was very gifted in music and in composing poetical psalms, established a good order, even to the point of giving the Lord His due place over his own dignity. Those who are gifted in music can easily become occupied with the use and enjoyment of it and forget the God who gave us richly all things to enjoy.
Throughout the following years of the kings, there were periods of declension and of recovery, but we do not read much of their singing and rejoicing to the Lord with music. Eventually, when deterioration came in and they were oppressed by their enemies, they had to hang their harps on the willows. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple and carried them into a foreign land, as it says, “There they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psa. 137:34).
Nebuchadnezzar
After the captivity of Judah, we find that Nebuchadnezzar used music to unify all people in the worship of an idol he made. Through Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the God of heaven had revealed to him that according to the imagery of the head of gold in his dream, he was to be the first of the Gentile rulers established by God. Nebuchadnezzar then made a golden image of himself and, accompanied by various musical instruments, enforced idolatrous worship of the golden image. In essence, he was using the authority God gave him to usurp God’s place and His due worship. The use of music to accomplish this kind of worship is insidiously evil.
“Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up” (Dan. 3:45). These six kinds of musical instruments were effectively used to induce all but three to bow down to the image that Nebuchadnezzar had made. But the God of heaven used his three faithful servants as a witness that He was over all things. When they refused to fall down and worship the golden image, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. But One like the Son of God delivered them from the power of the fire, and Nebuchadnezzar blessed the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. A decree is made that none speak evil of Him.
It is apparent from this incident how music can influence in a wrong way. In this case, it gave a sense of religiousness to things attractive to the flesh. This can have a commanding power over the soul. Though the kind of music in itself was not evil, the purpose of the music, being idolatry, was wrong.
We Have Piped Unto You
In the New Testament there are few occurrences of the use of music. The Old Testament manner of worshipping Jehovah connected with the first man was set aside after Christ, the second Man, came. When the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus, this carnal way of worship was terminated. We see this happening in the first Gospel. In Matthew 11:17-19, the Lord said to them, “We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” No matter what the messengers did, there was no response to God. What else could be done! They would not serve God. That form of worship must be set aside and another way opened up, for “Wisdom” is justified of it.
Christian Worship
This result is stated in the epistles where Christian worship is taught. Philippians 3:3 says, “We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Then also in Colossians 3:16 we read, “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.” No mention is made of musical instruments, for it is the heart that our God and Father wants. The Lord Jesus spoke of this beforehand to the Samaritan woman when He said, “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
Christianity raises us to a much higher level of relationship with God as our Father. The place of worship given to us is through our Lord Jesus Christ on the ground of resurrection. The Apostle Paul says it so clearly: “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:16-17). Even the apostles who knew the Lord Jesus here on earth did not continue knowing Him as a Man on earth. And surely those of us who never knew the Lord on earth should not go back to that way of worship. We know Christ in the new creation and worship in the new man. Let us then fulfill that role we have been called to, as Peter says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). “Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:17-20).
D. C. Buchanan
Music Is Like Honey
While Christians are on earth waiting for the Lord to come, there is a place for music in the things of nature, providing it is done in the right way. It seems appropriate to me to use wholesome music in such things as weddings, funerals, home sings or sings at recreational activities for children and young people, or for casual listening. The instructions given in the Old Testament about the use of honey are helpful in determining how we use music. The use of honey was for them what music and other enjoyable things of nature are to us. Honey in the Word of God is a picture of “natural sweetness,” and for this reason it was forbidden in the sacrifices. “No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire” (Lev. 2:11). Honey was never to be presented with sacrifices to God. This principle teaches us that music has no place in worship to the Lord. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Music may be sweet to us, but God does not accept it.
However, the eating of honey was encouraged for natural uses, providing it was not in excess. “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste. . . . Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. . . . It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory” (Prov. 24:13; 25:16,27). Music falls in this category for those of us who are Christians. God has provided for our natural, human needs, and such things as marriage and music are included in this. But as with honey, taking too much of it causes it to lose its value, and it becomes excessive and harmful. Let us take care not to allow more than is good for our earthly needs. Soon we will leave these bodies and no longer need these things.
Jonathan Tasted a Little Honey
The story of how Jonathan the son of Saul won a victory against the Philistine is an example of the proper use of honey. He, with his armor-bearer, acted in faith in the Lord and won a victory over the garrison of the Philistines, which provoked a tumult in the camp of the Philistines. It was a great victory for Israel. When Jonathan was faint from lack of food in the battle, he “put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened” (1 Sam. 14:27). He took a little honey and was able to continue fighting the enemy. He was not occupied with looking for it—the Lord who had helped him gain the victory provided what he needed along the way. Receiving the honey in this way would prompt him to take only what was sufficient to enlighten his eyes, not so much as to fill his belly. Treating music this way will keep us from going to excess.
In the sequel to the story, we read that the people fell on the spoils and ate meat with blood. They ate hurriedly, because they were so hungry. King Saul had unwisely forbidden all food, which provoked them to sin. Neither legality in these things on the one hand nor carelessness on the other hand will make us more righteous. May the Lord help us to maintain the right proportion of music in our lives.
D. C. Buchanan
Ephesians 5:19
“Hymns” are ascriptions of praise to God.
“Psalms” are celebrations of God’s praise.
“Spiritual songs” are speaking to one another about Him.
Classical Music
In other articles in this issue, the question of harmful music has been discussed. We have seen how that some types of music are inherently sinful, and thus they energize and excite our old sinful self. However, the question of what is commonly called “classical music” often comes up, and whether believers should listen to it.
In answering this question, we must recognize, first of all, that it was God that gave man an appreciation of music and the ability to produce it. Thus, music itself is not sinful. As has happened with many other gifts God has given us, sin has caused music to be used in the wrong way. We must also recognize that the things of nature, although given of God for our enjoyment, have the potential to displace Christ in our hearts and lives, if they are misused.
The Sweetness of Nature
I would suggest that classical music is some of the sweetness of nature that God allows for our enjoyment from time to time. As we have seen in another article in this issue, it is typified by honey in Scripture, for honey speaks to us of natural sweetness. Thus we read, “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good” (Prov. 24:13), but there is also the warning, “Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it” (Prov. 25:16). The Christian is never said to be dead to nature, but to be overly taken up with natural things will make us spiritually weak. A proper balance is needed. When Saul denied the people any food during a battle with the Philistines, it resulted in sin later on, when the people were so hungry that they ate meat with the blood. So the denial of the enjoyment of nature in a believer’s life will often result in an overwhelming desire that leads to sin. When Saul’s son Jonathan (who was unaware of his father’s command) took a little honey, it strengthened him in the battle. On the other hand, to be overly occupied with the things of nature is to be self-centered, and the misuse of God’s gifts will be similar to eating too much honey —an unbalanced diet!
All for Edification
In considering this subject, there are two verses in the New Testament that bear on it. We read, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Cor. 10:23). Also we read, “All things are lawful unto me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12). Classical music is not sinful in itself, but there may be times when it is not expedient. Also, it does not edify in the spiritual realm, although it soothes the soul and comforts by its appeal to the natural senses. In addition, we must be careful not to be brought under the power of anything, and music, like other things, can bring us under its power. As with many other good gifts God has given, music has the potential to become an addiction, and then we are under its power. But the believer is to be under the power of the Spirit of God, and not under the power of something else.
If we take care to use classical music in this way (assuming that one has an appreciation for it), we will not be turned aside by it, and it will not take us away from Christ.
W. J. Prost
Singing
There is one area of music in which Scripture very much encourages us to participate, and that is in singing. The first mention of singing in the Bible is in Exodus 15, when the children of Israel stood on the opposite bank of the Red Sea, having seen the wonderful deliverance the Lord had given them from Pharaoh and his army. There they raised the song of praise to the Lord and celebrated their redemption. In the song of Moses, they not only rehearse their present deliverance, but anticipate future blessing as well. Later when Israel was established in the land, David ordered that some of the Levites were to “stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even” (2 Chron. 23:30).
In the New Testament, any reference to instrumental music is notably absent, but we have abundant encouragement to use our voices in singing praises to the Lord. James reminds us, “Is any merry: let him sing psalms” (James 5:13). When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison in Philippi, it was a testimony to their joy in Christ that they were able to sing under such circumstances. Paul tells the Ephesians, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). This is connected with being “filled with the Spirit” (vs. 18), showing us that a heart filled with the enjoyment of Christ is one that will want to sing. In Colossians we have a similar exhortation, but here more connected with the “word of Christ” and “teaching and admonishing one another” (Col. 3:16).
The Influence of Songs
Before we are saved, Satan uses the songs of this world to mold our thoughts and influence our lives. Andrew Fletcher, the Scottish patriot, aptly said, “Give me the making of the songs of a nation, and I care not who writes its laws.” He well understood the strong influence that songs have over men’s souls and over their thinking. For this same reason, the Taliban banned singing in Afghanistan during its time in power. E. Y. Harburg, the American composer, said, “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” The lyrics of a song become connected with the emotion that music produces in us. Used in a wrong way, this can be a powerful force for evil, but in the believer, it enhances our enjoyment of Christ and our appreciation of the truth.
Praise in Song
We can see that, for the believer, singing has a special quality. Having new life in Christ, we have the capacity to enjoy heavenly things —“the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Cor. 2:12). More than this, when we enjoy the things of Christ, we can offer those same things to God as a sacrifice. “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15). We can surely learn the things of Christ by reading the Word of God, and we can also offer the fruit of our lips in prayer. However, having given man the capacity to appreciate music, God now gives us the wonderful privilege of learning and expressing those things in song and offering them to Him in “psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.” This connects the things of Christ (in contrast to the things of this world) with the emotion that singing produces. If we are singing in the Spirit, our enjoyment of those precious things is heightened by the melody, and our hearts are lifted up. I appreciate what J. N. Darby writes in the introduction to the Little Flock Hymnbook, concerning what is needed in hymns — “that experimental acquaintance with truth in the affections which enables a person to make his hymn the vehicle, in sustained thought and language, of practical grace and truth which sets the soul in communion with Christ, and rises even to the Father.”
Singing to the Lord
In the New Testament, musical instruments are never connected with the assembly and with worship. Singing is different, however, because it is produced by the Spirit in the individual himself. The believer himself becomes the “instrument of ten strings” (Psa. 33:2), to be used for the Lord. It is primarily for the Lord, and we must remember this. While our own enjoyment of singing is quite in order, let us bear in mind that we are “making melody” in our heart “to the Lord” and “singing with grace . . . to the Lord.” It is a “sacrifice of praise to God,” and for this reason we should seek to give Him our very best. If it is for His enjoyment and for His praise, we will be occupied with Him and lifted out of ourselves. However, we will undoubtedly find that, as in the case of Mary of Bethany and her pound of ointment, “the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.” So in thanking and praising the Lord, our own hearts will be encouraged and lifted up.
In these last days, there is much to burden our hearts, but if we are enjoying all that is ours in Christ, we will indeed be able to sing, whether individually or collectively, and give expression to that joy that the Spirit of God produces in us.
W. J. Prost