The Role of Music in Worship

I love music.

Well, I love most forms of music. I change the radio station or my playlist depending on the mood I’m in or where I want to go. It’s therapy.

When my stress levels are off the charts there’s nothing like a little Schubert or Brahms. When the car windows are rolled down on a warm summer night – bring back rock and roll and make it loud!  When I’m too self-obsessed and discouraged, I lift my heart and focus it through spirit-soaring contemporary worship music. When I want to enter the heavenly realms, bring on Handel or a great Bach chorale. When I need to confront my neighbor if he parks in front of my driveway, bring on the bagpipes!

In the same way, the emotions we elicit through music in worship and the purposes they serve are diverse. 

Martin Luther said, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”

Music is truly a treasure to be used with great care and respect for the way it forms itself into the worship life of our people.

Music affects us emotionally and as a result of this, there are actual physiological changes. Whether it’s goose bumps, an increase in heart rate, shivers, increased muscle tension, tears, or a lump in the throat, there’s no denying the powerful effects of music.

If music can change us physiologically, then we need to treat it with both great respect and with great care in employing its use in worship.

If that’s the case, let’s acknowledge the power of this God-given gift and use it for the many purposes that the scriptures highlight for use in worship. Music more than merely sets the mood like insipid elevator Muzak, it’s a God-given gift that can be used for powerful, focused and meaningful times of worship; weaving its way through our services like a master tailor’s thread as she sews a designer garment from different fabrics. 

I’ll be getting into pointers on making effective song choices, but in the meantime, why don’t you consider the role of music in your worship service?

The scriptures are a great place to start. Here are some scriptural references to consider the powerful role music can play in our services:

·    Music is designed to worship and to glorify God - (Psa 92:1 NIV)  "A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,"

·    Music is designed to testify to men of God’s greatness - (Psa 96:1 NIV)  "Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth."    (Psa 96:2 NIV)  "Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day."    (Psa 40:3 NIV)  "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD."

·    Music is designed to teach - (Col 3:16 NIV)  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."    

·    Music is designed to stir up spiritual gifts -  (2 Ki 3:15 NIV)  "But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha"      (Eph 5:19 NIV)  "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,"

·    Music is designed to aid in expressing emotions - (Ps. 5:11NIV) "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy."    (Ps. 42:11 NIV)  "Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

If you have relegated the role of music in worship to one or two purposes, why don’t you consider the worship set lists you’ve used over the past couple of months? Evaluate if your song selections have reflected the diverse purposes of music as laid out in the scriptures.

I warmly invite you to watch the Worship Coach blog over the coming weeks for practical helps as we start to choose songs for worship.

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