Sometimes I have felt that I was pastoring the Goldilocks church as I listened to the comments of parishoners about the music during a service. It was always hard to get the music just right to please everyone.
I’ve heard it all. “The music is too loud. The music is too dated, can’t we sing some new music? Where is all the music we grew up with?” It’s next to impossible to get the right mix of music to match everyone’s taste buds, expectations and preferences of all the people.
I do not know exactly what style of music God likes or the volume level that suits him, but I do know that God is a masterful musician.
God is the perfect musician. God is not tone deaf. He has perfect pitch. He can tell when the piano is out of key. He knows when the sopranos sing flat. He gets the rhythm.
GOD LOVES TO SING
God is a performing artist. We serve a God who is constantly singing. In fact, each member of the Trinity sings.
Zephaniah says that God the Father sings. “He will rejoice over you with singing…” (Zephaniah 3:14-17).
Jesus sings. He sang with the disciples after instituting the Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 26:30). In speaking of Jesus, Hebrews 2:12 states, “…in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”
The Holy Spirit is also a singer for we are to “sing in the Spirit” as well as with our understanding.
God is the greatest songwriter of all time. The Scriptures are full of his songs. The songs of the Lord’s composition emphasize words rather than melody indicating that content rather than tune or volume is what really counts.
God accompanies his works with music. There was a musical background to the acts of creation. Job 38:4, 6-7 suggests that there was music during the creation of the world. Music surrounded the events of the Incarnation. Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon and the angels all sang at the birth of Jesus.
Music will surround the events of the second coming of Jesus. The trumpet of God will sound at the resurrection of the saints.
God loves music so much that he fills heaven with music. There are repeated accounts of singing in heaven. Preach, teaching and evangelism will cease, but the music will go on.
God’s musical discernment far exceeds our limited taste. We have such narrow interests when it comes to music. Most of us are quite rigid in what we like and what we don’t like. But as you read the Scriptures, it is clear God likes a wide variety of musical expression.
Music played a prominent role in Israel. David, the Commander-in-Chief of the army was the sweet singer of Israel. The choir was part of the army and often preceded the army as it went into battle.
Frequently the Bible notes that the musicians were selected for ministry because they were skillful, trained and willing (1 Chronicles 25:7). Mediocrity is never spiritual; God is a God of excellence. Only those who were willing to be trained were permitted to sing in the gatherings of Israel.
WE SING FOR HIM AND TO HIM
God is the ultimate minister of music. We must remember that our music is for him. When we worship, we offer our praise to an audience of One.
He is the director of music. The most pleasurable music in the world is unacceptable to him if our hearts do not echo the words we sing with our lips.
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