There is something that is different about music. What makes it so unique? Have you ever noticed that something almost magical happens when we lift our voices in song at a concert, in the car with friends, or in any group setting? That as humans, no matter how good or bad we sound, all desire deep down in our souls to sing. I don’t know about you, but I often have a secret desire that everyday would be like a musical. I can just picture a scene from Hello Dolly where everyone is dancing from the drug store all the way to the train station. Now you may find that a bit odd, but when I see that, something in my heart comes alive and says, “Yes, that’s the way it should be!” Sadly, the context in most musicals is secular and rarely sing about Jesus.

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But there is something more that arises in our hearts when we witness or participate in song and its this: unity. Where everyone is saying, thinking, moving to the exact same idea. Where everyone is even feeling the same emotions! Now try to do that in any other context. Ok, maybe chanting or something weird like that, but even that gets old after a while. So as I look at the power and impact that music has on our spirits both individually and corporately, let us look at it from a biblical context of worship. I compiled a non-comprehensive list of some cool things about song that may cause you to think twice next time you listen to your playlist or the radio.



1. Structure - The main form of modern music is based off the classical music theory that is a tool for musicians to write, capture, and share. My guitar teacher pointed out some fun comparisons from music theory and the Bible. There are 12 keys and there was 12 disciples, 12 tribes of Israel. In every key there are 7 notes and it took 7 days for God to create the earth, there are 7 lamps of fire before the throne.

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2. Unifying - You can bring 20,000 people together from every different background of life, even different languages and make them sing or at the least listen to music, and instantly, each and even one of them will be feeling the same emotions at the same time. There’s nothing else that could cause people to willing participate in unity in such depth.

3. Uses Every Part of the Brain - When you sing, your brain is working on overload. It’s generating speech, processing pitches, muscle and breath (or hand) movement, listening to melodies, and forming expectations for the beat. Even the type of genre you listen to causes a part of your brain to grow differently. Music keeps the majority of the areas in your brain in unity, working together!

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4. God is Surrounded by It - In Revelation 4 and 5, John paints us an amazing picture of the Throne Room of Heaven that if we let it, it will blow our minds. There’s, a sea of glass and fire, angels, elders, emerald rainbow, and at the very center is the throne of God, and guess what is surrounding the cloud of inapproachable light? These creatures that are flying around Him doing one thing. God chooses one thing to be surrounded by for all eternity and He chose music.

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5. The Longest Book of the Bible is a Collection of Songs - Psalms, or psalmos in the greek simple means, poems put to music. This book to the Hebrews was seen as the Torah (First Five Books of the Bible) put to music. These Holy-Spirit anointed songs are still used and speaking to our hearts today over 3000 years later!

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These are but a few of the great things about the great gift of music that God has given to us to express our emotions and love for Him.

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In Isaiah there is something that is entitled “The New Song” and this song goes beyond genre, language, or instrumentation. Its the unified cry of the nations praising the name of the Lord in, you guessed it: song.

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Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise to the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,
the coastlands, and their inhabitants.
Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in the coastlands.

_Isaiah 42:10-12 ESV

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I love the picture that Isaiah prophesies. He’s exhorting the nations to sing. From the Islands, to the wildernesses,   from the cities to every village from the valleys and the highest of mountains. This is the dream of God’s heart. To see the incense of praise arise in every part of the globe from hearts that are longing for Him to return. That from the rising of the sun to its going down, the name of Lord will be glorified in song.



Recently, I had the opportunity to hear from **** Eastman, director of Every Home for Christ, as he visited our monthly chapel at my school. There he shared a great vision of standing on a mountain looking over a grand valley in Africa. And from this point he could see hundreds of these pillars of smoke arising from every village. Distressed, **** thought they were in danger, but God whispered to him and said, “This is the incense of worship arising to Heaven from every village.” The Lord shared to Eastman a small picture of what it will be like across the globe. I love how John Piper summarizes the whole of missions in this statement, “Missions is bidding the nations to sing with us.”

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So may you begin to hear the great symphony of music that is echoing across the earth. Ask the Lord to open your heart in the area of music and sing songs of deliverance over every area of your life. May your love for Jesus and for others grow as your heart and mind are awakened to the new song. I pray that the ears of your spirit hear the rhythms and melodies of Heaven, and let them shake you to your core to cause the love of Jesus to overflow out of your very being.