Music has a powerful effect on our hearts and minds, and the Bible shares thoughts on its influence. Today, we’ll look at what Scripture says about music and how it can bring us closer to God.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Defending Yourself Verbally
What Does The Bible Say About Listening To Music
Psalm 95:1
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.”
This verse encourages us to express our love and joy for the Lord through singing and shouting. It highlights the power of music as a tool for worship and praise.
Psalm 150:1-6
“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
This psalm emphasizes the exuberant and diverse ways in which we can praise God. Music is mentioned as one of the instruments through which we can express our worship and adoration to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:19
“Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
As believers, we are encouraged to use music as a means to encourage and edify one another. This verse emphasizes the need to sing and make music with a sincere heart, directed towards the Lord.
Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Music has the power to convey the message of Christ and teach and admonish one another. This verse reminds us to use music as a form of worship and a means to express gratitude in our hearts to God.
Psalm 33:3
“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
This psalm encourages us to use music as a way to offer our praise to God. It encourages us to sing new songs and to play instruments skillfully, expressing joy and delight in our worship.
1 Chronicles 23:5
“Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”
In the temple, there were designated individuals whose role was to praise the Lord through music. This verse highlights the importance that was placed on using musical instruments to worship and honor God.
Psalm 98:4-6
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”
The psalmist calls for all the earth to join in jubilant and joyful song, using various musical instruments. This verse emphasizes the universal nature of worship through music and the exultation that comes with it.
Psalm 147:7
“Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.”
We are called to sing to the Lord with grateful praise and use music, such as the harp, to honor and glorify God. This verse emphasizes the relationship between music and expressing gratitude to God.
Psalm 144:9
“I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you.”
The psalmist expresses their desire to sing a new song to God and use the ten-stringed lyre as a means to make music and praise Him. This verse reveals the personal and intimate aspect of using music to worship and connect with God.
Psalm 68:32
“Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord.”
Not only are individuals encouraged to sing and make music to God, but entire kingdoms are called to join in singing and praising the Lord. This verse emphasizes the communal and corporate nature of worship through music.
Psalm 92:1-3
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.”
This psalm speaks of the goodness and benefit of praising the Lord and making music to His name. It highlights the importance of declaring God’s love and faithfulness throughout the day, accompanied by musical instruments.
Psalm 150:3-5
“Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.”
This verse provides a comprehensive list of various musical instruments that can be used to praise God. It underscores the diversity and creativity in using music as a form of worship.
Psalm 33:2
“Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.”
The psalmist calls for the use of specific musical instruments, such as the harp and the ten-stringed lyre, to praise the Lord. This verse highlights the beauty and significance of utilizing specific instruments to honor God through music.
Psalm 30:4
“Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.”
All believers are called to sing and praise the Lord’s holy name. This verse emphasizes the importance of using music as a means to express our devotion and reverence towards God.
Psalm 71:23
“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.”
The psalmist declares that their lips will shout for joy as they sing praises to God, acknowledging the deliverance they have received from Him. This verse portrays music as a means of expressing gratitude and celebration for God’s faithfulness.
Psalm 9:11
“Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.”
We are called to sing praises to the Lord, proclaiming His mighty acts among the nations. This verse highlights the role of music in declaring God’s greatness and sharing His works with others.
Psalm 40:3
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”
God can inspire us with new songs of praise, which have the potential to impact others. This verse suggests that music has the ability to draw people closer to God and lead them to place their trust in Him.
2 Samuel 6:5
“David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.”
David and the people of Israel celebrated and expressed their joy before the Lord through music and various instruments. This verse exemplifies the use of music in exuberant worship and praise.
Exodus 15:1
“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.'”
After witnessing the miraculous deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise to the Lord. This verse illustrates how music can be used to commemorate and celebrate God’s mighty acts.
Psalm 13:6
“I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
When reflecting on God’s goodness, the psalmist declares their intentions to sing praises to the Lord. This verse demonstrates how music can serve as a response to experiencing God’s faithfulness and goodness in our lives.
Revelation 14:2-3
“And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.”
In the heavenly realm, there is a continuous sound of music and singing as the redeemed offer their praises to God. This verse depicts music as an eternal expression of worship and adoration in the presence of God.
1 Samuel 16:23
“Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.”
David played the lyre to soothe Saul when he was troubled by an evil spirit. This verse suggests that music has the power to bring comfort and alleviate distress, even in spiritual contexts.
1 Chronicles 6:32
“They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.”
The Levites were entrusted with the responsibility of ministering through music before the tabernacle and later the temple. This verse highlights the significance of music in the corporate worship setting and the importance of adhering to God’s regulations in its practice.
Psalm 98:6
“With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”
This verse encourages us to use musical instruments, such as trumpets and horns, to express our joy and delight before the Lord, acknowledging Him as our King. It emphasizes the celebratory nature of music in our worship.
1 Chronicles 25:1-7
“David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres, and cymbals… All these men were under the supervision of their father for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres, and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.”
David appointed skilled musicians for the ministry of prophesying and leading in worship, accompanied by various musical instruments. This passage highlights the organization and importance placed on music in the context of the temple worship during that time.