The Power of Music to Affect the Soul

Cars with stereo systems that rival those of a recording studio plague American streets with deafening booms of nothing but the amplification of the sound of bass. Hard rock concerts are attended by millions of listeners of the disorganized, chaotic screams and screeches of the artists who give wild stage performances. These entertainers and their fans display their attraction to such sounds with jerky and writhing movements of their body which may be anything from violent shaking of the head to wild swinging of the arms.

Such a description of hard rock concerts is not opinion, but fact. The proponents of such music freely admit that listening to hard rock is one way of coping with the crazy chaos of the world that infiltrates their mind. One nineteen year old listener admitted that life is so full of questions that he doesn't know what to think or where to find any of the answers. His admitted confusion and lack of peace certainly isn't unique to teenagers. There's hardly a man alive that truly desires to live his life in perplexity and disturbance. Even the mentally ill seek ways of attaining peace and an escape from chaos.

Christians teach that only a relationship with Jesus brings peace to one's soul. However, this truth may not be readily accepted by someone who can't understand how believing in Christ is going to give them peace; therefore, they tend to reject such advice.

How then can the Christian help such an individual who truly wants help to see the harm that can and does happen in exposing oneself to the "untamed" sounds of hard rock music? First, believers must remember that God's word has power to convict and to convince. He must also arm himself with the knowledge of what the scriptures say about the power of music to affect the soul and the type of music that's good for the mind. This article explores a few of those scriptures to get one started.

King Saul of the old testament, after being rejected by God for repeated rebellion, came to be troubled by an evil spirit that disturbed his peace. David soothed Saul with the playing of music. One can be sure that that music was not wild or chaotic in order to somehow blend with the chaos that Saul was experiencing in his mind. David played one of the most beautiful sounding instruments in the world--a harp. 1 Samuel 16:23 says, "and it came to pass when the evil spirit (sent) from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."

Some believe that the sounds of hard rock are harmless if Christian lyrics are put to them, thus creating what's known as "Christian hard rock". However, the Bible isn't silent on the type and rhythms of music that are used to worship God. Obviously, any music that God accepts will only do a soul good. What is said about the music that God's worshipers made to him? Scripture specifies that all music made to worship the God of peace has at least one thing in common - melody. "Melody" is defined as being a set of single notes arranged in a distinctive, recognizable pattern. Warner Books' American Century Dictionary defines "melodious" as "sweet-sounding".

Isaiah 51:3 says, "for the Lord shall comfort Zion. He will comfort all her waste places. And he will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody."

Ephesians 5:19 also instructs the believer in proper musical worship of God saying, "speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."

God is not the author of any kind of confusion (1 Corinthian 14:33), be it in biblical doctrine, thoughts, or music made to give him due praise. Is it really logical to think that someone who isn't God's servant would try to see the difference that a change of music would make in his confused life? Is it sensible to think that non-Christians would actually sing and make worship music to God? Yes, it is. Millions of people attend church faithfully on Sundays and yet admit they don't really know the God that they go to worship. Can God even be worshiped by someone who hasn't believed in him? The scripture of Acts 17:23 answers this question when the apostle Paul said, "for as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, "To The Unknown God" whom therefore ye ignorantly worship. Him, declare I unto you."

Worshiping God in music is by no means a substitute for repentance and salvation; nevertheless, it is a form of drawing nigh to the God of all peace and serenity. The scripture of James 4:8 teaches, "draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you."