Music fills a little part of that hole in us where God belongs. It brings comfort, happiness, and gives an emotional expression to living, to worship, to conviction, to repentance.
In Holland’s Got Talent, Amira Willighagen, 9 years old, sang ‘O Mia Bambino Caro‘ from Puccini’s one-act opera Gianni Schicchi (1918). She sang with such expression one of the judges called her “an old soul” and said she sings with the maturity of one who has already lived a long life. She is quite talented.
Music is an expression that contains the rhythm and sound that is found every where in nature, and human beings are usually drawn to it in one form or another. While the blasting bass and drums of popular music appeal to some, the quiet then building tones of the orchestra attract others, while folk songs and ballads speak to the heart of others. There are many forms of music that people create out of those basic tones and rhythms, all found in nature — God’s Creation.
God has blessed human beings with the ability to make music in one way or another, and if talent eludes them in composition, they still have the ability and desire to make a joyful noise and find satisfaction and appreciation therein. Few individuals completely ignore music, it’s attraction is usually so complete in one form or another it compels them to listen. Maybe they can’t sing or play an instrument, but one can still hear and enjoy the sounds that bring momentary piece and contentment.
Especially with children. Nothing else delights the eye and heart like watching little ones in their awkward movement while they “dance” to what they hear. The movement and rhythm seems to be interwoven into their little beings, and it doesn’t take long for them to express it as best they can. And how many times have adults said to a toddler when the music starts up “Are you going to dance?” Very little encouragement, if any, is usually needed.
We have the ability to sing while angels do not. If we were to hear angels speaking, as the heavenly host before the shepherds declared the birth of our Lord, we could only compare the pure clearness of their voices as “singing.” The Bible gives several descriptions of angel voices, but none are described as singing.
As a child I visited a church where they did not allow any type of musical instrument. Hymns were sung a cappella, with the leader playing a tone on a pitch pipe to begin. That was the extent of musical instruments allowed. They were trying to be careful not to take away from the Spoken Word. It’s a memory that has remained with me for a long time.
As a child, I just thought it was “weird.” Whoever heard of a church without a piano? Now as an adult, I understand what they were trying to accomplish, but fear they were ignoring what the Bible says about music.
Like Psalms 33:
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.
God has ordained the spoken word (Romans 10:17, Psalms 106:12) as the way to spread the Gospel, and music as a way to worship Him and encourage each other to worship Him. (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19, Psalm 100:2)
God hears all “joyful noise” of praise and worship as sweet sounds in His ear. Whatever it may sound like to others, the attitude of the soul translates worship into a glorious melody that pleases God.
THE RIGHT RENDITION 