Worship With the Sound of Music

David took music and gave to it the highest expression and value; praise and thanksgiving to God for His steadfast love. In 1 Chronicles 15 – 17 you find the details of musical worship designed by David. This was a new assignment for the Levites who had been assigned by God to lead the nation of Israel in worship. Before David, Israel had only sung to the LORD on a few occasions, but David brought music into the very fabric of their worship.

The first mention of musical instruments in the Bible is found in Genesis 4:21, “His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.” The lyre was a harp of strings, which made the beautiful sound of vibrating cords. The pipe was the music of wind rushing through a horn.

But the context of Genesis 4 records the offspring of Cain and how sin first began to manifest its self-centeredness. Cain and his descendants were determined to live without God and His word. They were the original human high-achievers. The last verse in chapter four introduces the third son of Adam and Eve, Seth, the remnant for God, with these words, “To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.” Chapter five records their only achievement; being fruitful and multiplying, which was God’s first commandment to man (Genesis 1:28).

But it was God who created the sound of music (no pun intended). In creation, God designed the cords (strings) in throats of the birds with every note of the musical scale. With the sound of the wind, God gave the blueprint for the first man to learn to whistle. Can you remember when you first learned to whistle? What a great day that was when you learned you had your very own instrument to play any song you wanted.

There are instructions in the book of Psalms for the use of instruments in thanking God and praising Him for His steadfast love. Psalm 150 commands the use of all of the instruments for praising God.

Many of us love Psalm 100 with the command, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!” The Hebrew word translated “noise” is the word rua, and is related to the word ruach, which means breath, or spirit. This word is used throughout the Old Testament for praise and singing. In Job 38:7 Job learns that this was the noise of the stars and the angels as God was creating all that there is. And in Joshua 6:5 it was what the LORD told Joshua and the army to sing with the trumpets with the promise that the walls of Jericho would come crashing down with applause! This was the first time “they brought the house down” with a song! (Not sure, but maybe so).

The point is this: not all music and singing is worship, but it was intended to be. When you chose to give God your song of thanksgiving and praise for His steadfast love, you are letting God know that you have learned the true purpose for the sound of music, the highest purpose. This is what it means to worship the Father in spirit (ruach) and truth! The deepest joy and pleasure of music is when you have learned that it pleases the Father as you give it all to Him with thanksgiving and praise!

Today, sing to the Lord a song in worship. Whistle a song to the One who created the capacity to be able to make that noise, knowing that you are worshiping God when you do! Don’t let the birds be the only ones who make a joyful noise. You can too! Worship with the sound of music!