Music is Dangerous - A Rant

OK. Maybe it would be better to say that music can be dangerous. Let me preface this post by saying the following:

1. Music is not evil.

2. Me calling this a rant, isn't an attempt to escape genuine criticism. Fire away!

3. God has often used music to lift up my soul from the depths of indifference and sadness.

4. I believe that God uses music, and those who play it.

So what exactly am I trying to get at then? I think I am trying to voice concerns about our Christian liturgical culture. Music has always been part of the worship of the people of God. Throughout time, and even into eternity we will not only be worshiping God with our hearts and our minds. But also with our singing and playing of instruments. The worship of God through music is printed throughout the entire bible. Consider the following:

"David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals."

2 Samuel 6:4-6

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Praise the Lord with the harp;

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy."

Psalm 33:1-3

God really digs the ten-stringed lyre. No really. Look it up on biblegateway.com. I'm really curious to check one of those out in heaven. More so, there are yet more verses that deal with God's people singing his praise. It's amazing to me that, though we are God's creation and music is also merely something he has created, that he would want to hear us raise up music to him. Someone once told me that music puts words and sound to the cries of the soul. The reality that He desires to hear the clanging about that we call music, blows my mind. It takes the clanging about we do and raises it up, transcends what it is by itself.

So, I realize that I've actually said a lot of nice things about music. OK, I'm bringing it around to what I was thinking about today.

Our music is to be an expression of the soul. But what if the music we play does not line up with our soul? And what if what we sing does not reflect mental and spiritual realities in our lives? Is this a problem? I'm not sure. But I think that if we're not careful we are treading into very VERY dangerous waters with what we consider "worship in song" in our worship services.

Music moves us, there is almost no doubting that reality. When I am driving home and listening to a driving rock song, I am going to get pumped up. Me getting pumped up will probably have nothing to do with the actual content of the song, and more to do with my mind's reaction to the beat and skillful playing of the instruments. When I listen to a more serious song, sometimes I can't help but be moved by it. Usually my mind catches up with how the song makes me feel. Usually.

Can the worship music in our services do the same thing to us? I think it can. Perhaps I am over reacting to something that is in reality innocuous, but I really want to take Solomon's words seriously:

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth,

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.

As a dream comes when there are many cares,

so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God."

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

We aren't going to the temple in Jerusalem, and the veil has been torn, BUT, I think the some of the principles here ought to be carried over into our worship of God. When we have 'worship in music' on a set schedule in our services, words are projected onto a screen, and agreeable music playing, sometimes it is easy to start singing along, simply for the sake of singing, no serious introspection or high thoughts of God necessary. There is a deliberateness to what Solomon is describing that I struggle to realize in my own life. And don't get me started on vows (verse 4-6), modern worship songs are often FULL of vows that I simply am not ready to make.

Music isn't bad. But it can be dangerous. If we aren't careful about how we lead our worship services, and how we are led into our times of communal worship, I think we are in danger of sinning by letting our emotions be lead to places our minds are not. This is one of the chief and highest responsibilities, in my mind, for every person who considers themselves a worship leader. As stewards of the music we play we are to, with care and discernment, shepherd the people we are leading into right understanding, proper perspective, and hearts that are true before our God. As worshipers who are being led into worship, may we take seriously the importance of worshiping with our hearts and out minds.