Singing songs is a uniquely human activity. Yes, I know we say that birds sing as well, but not having vocal cords and lacking anything resembling words, what they do is distinctly different from the songs we sing. And because we are made in the image of God, anytime you find a good and universal practice among mankind, you have found another testimony to our Creator. Scripture surely does tell us that we are like our God in this, when it says that He rejoices over His people “with singing.” (Zeph. 3:17) The urge in humanity to sing is so ancient and ubiquitous that one might wonder why the Bible is so full of commands to sing. In fact, aside from the oft-repeated injunction to “Fear not” there could hardly be another mandate so common as “sing!” He even gave us an entire book of songs to sing. Sadly the most we usually do with that book now is read and meditate on its words. But with such an emphasis on singing in the Bible, surely it demands consideration for what the significance of singing might be.
First, let’s consider the fundamental elements of a song. There are three key elements. (And yes, I do think there’s significance to that number! It is yet another nod to where this gift came from) The elements are pitches, lyrics, and rhythm. Take any one of these away and you don’t have a song. Remove the lyrics and all you have is music. Take away the variety of pitches and rhythm and all have is talking. But put them all together and you have, as I stated before, something uniquely human and quite powerful in its ability to affect us. Why is this, and what kind of effect does singing have on us? Well, let’s look at all these elements individually and then see how their combination heightens the value of each one and ultimately witnesses to our God.
Pitches (The tones)
When we think of songs the idea of music probably comes first to mind. Songs have words, true, but it is the music that separates them from simply talking. Every song we sing is in a particular musical key. A key is a set of notes that “work” together. The space (or intervals) between the various notes is either harmonious or discordant. We did not create these unseen intervals, we only discovered them. The fact that certain ones work together is something we must submit to if we would make music that is pleasing to our ears. If you are singing to a tuned instrument, your notes will be forced into compliance with whichever key the song is in. But even if you are singing a cappella (without instruments), the relative intervals are still there – they simply can’t be violated and still sound good! While the Persons of the Trinity are co-eternal in being and power, the Father conveys the idea of origin and rule. Can you see, then, how songs, whether sacred or secular, are a sweet reminder of both the harmony of Father, Son & Spirit and God’s invisible rule in all the world? And perhaps it is this lovely, unseen order of these tonal combinations that give them the ability to affect our emotions so. Music is emotive whether we like it or not.
Lyrics (The words)
To many, words are the most important part of songs, especially when it comes to the songs we sing in worship. It is certainly no coincidence that the second Person of the Trinity, the Son, is the Logos, the Word, and that lyrics are so fundamental to this most delightful human expression. Our world is filled with meaning because everything in it comes from the Word of God. Song lyrics are different from the basic verbal communication we use in daily life. The internal structure of songs, being bound by both melody and rhythm, means there is a metered aspect to songs that forces an economy of words. We often dilute the strength of what we say by using too many words. But songs limit words so that they might fit within the measures of the music. When songwriters create songs they must choose their words carefully since there are only so many slots to fill. The result is a potency of meaning not usually found in our more mundane speech. And while lyrics certainly don’t need to rhyme, their memorableness is increased when they do. Think of how you still remember the lyrics of countless songs you learned so long ago.
Rhythm (The movement)
Both of the first two elements have internal structures, for sure. Words must have logic in order to express coherent thoughts, and music must have its proper intervals to sound pleasing. But it is the rhythm that unites these two and makes a song. Here we see the fullness of this unity that is a song when the thoughts we are expressing in words and the melody we are singing in pitches move in an ordered rhythm that locks the two together. It is the Spirit of the Lord that is most referenced in rhythm. The Spirit is often likened to “wind,” or “breath,” in Scripture and what marks both of these is their invisibility and their constant movement. It is Rhythm that takes the stillness of words and notes and moves them in a unified order.
Can you see how this trinitarian nature of songs is precisely what makes them so moving and unifying to the souls of men? Songs give a path to our voices, thoughts to our minds, and movement we must follow side by side. They gather us in, corral our souls and act as harnesses for our hearts. The word confess in Scripture is often translated from the Greek word homologeo, which literally means “same word or thought.” Songs, then, become melodic confessions, giving us all one page from which to sing. The grace that we have all received from our Savior is reaped in the communal harvesting of the “fruit of our lips” – “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15) Sing, therefore, brothers and sisters! Sing to one another, sing when you’re all alone. Sing to the One who has given you songs to sing!
