What does the Bible say about music?
Many people ask is listening to music a sin? Should Christians only listen to gospel music? Is secular music bad? Can Christians listen to rap, rock, country, pop, r&b, techno, etc. Music is extremely powerful and it can have a huge effect on how you live your life. There is no denying that music can influence you in a negative or positive way. This is a tough topic that even I have struggled with.
Although the main purpose of music is to worship God, Scripture does not restrict believers to only listening to Christian music. The problem is that most secular music is satanic and they promote things that God hates.
Secular music is very catchy and they have the best melodies. My flesh would rather listen to secular music. When I first got saved I was still listening to music that talks about shooting people, drugs, woman, etc.
Months after I was saved it became apparent that I could no longer listen to this type of music. This type of music was negatively influencing my mind. It was boosting evil thoughts and the Holy Spirit was convicting me more and more. God led me to fast and through my time of fasting and prayer I became stronger and when I finally stopped fasting I no longer listened to secular music.
As of this moment I only listen to Christian music, but I wouldn’t mind listening to secular music that promotes good and things that God loves. Even though we are free because of what Christ did for us on the cross we must be careful. If we are not careful and if we hang out with the wrong people we can easily start going back to listening to wicked music.
Once again if the song promotes evil, promotes worldliness, gives you bad thoughts, changes your actions, changes your speech, or if the music artist likes to blaspheme the Lord we should not be listening to it. When it comes to music we can easily lie to ourselves and you probably have lied to yourself. You say, “God is OK with this” but deep down you know He is convicting you and He is not OK with it.
Christian quotes about music
“The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music.” Jonathan Edwards
“Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” Martin Luther
“Music is one of the fairest and most glorious gifts of God, to which Satan is a bitter enemy, for it removes from the heart the weight of sorrow, and the fascination of evil thoughts.” Martin Luther
“Music is one of the fairest and most glorious gifts of God, to which Satan is a bitter enemy, for it removes from the heart the weight of sorrow, and the fascination of evil thoughts.” Martin Luther
The voice of humility is God’s music, and the silence of humility is God’s rhetoric. Francis Quarles
Encourage one another with music.
Godly music encourages us and inspires us in hard times. It gives us joy and lifts us up.
1. Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
2. Ephesians 5:19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
3. 1 Corinthians 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
Use it to worship
4. Psalm 104:33-34 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
5. Psalm 146:1-2 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
6. Psalm 95:1-2 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
7. 1 Chronicles 16:23-25 Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.
8. James 5:13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
Different instruments
9. Psalm 147:7 Sing out your thanks to the LORD; sing praises to our God with a harp.
10. Psalm 68:25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels.
11. Ezra 3:10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.
Listening to worldly music
We all must admit that most secular music does not pass the Philippians 4:8 test. The lyrics are impure and the devil uses it to influence people to sin or think about sin. When listening to music you picture yourself in the song. It will affect you in some way. Are there secular songs that promote things that are noble and has nothing to do with evil? Yes and we are free to listen to them, but remember we must be careful.
12. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
13. Colossians 3:2-5 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
14. Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
Bad company can be in person and it can be in music.
15. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
The influence of music
Even clean music can affect us in a negative way. I’ve noticed that certain type of beats can affect me as well. How is the music affecting your heart?
16. Proverbs 4:23-26 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Is the Holy Spirit telling you not to listen to a certain type of music? Humble yourself to answer this question.
17. Romans 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
18. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Music was used as a warning sign in the Bible.
19. Nehemiah 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!
New Testament
20. Acts 16:25-26 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
21. Matthew 26:30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Joy
Good music leads to dancing and joy and it’s usually always associated with celebrations.
22. Luke 15:22-25 But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
23. Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.
There is worship music in Heaven.
24. Revelation 5:8-9 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
Musicians
25. Genesis 4:20-21 “Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.“
26. 1 Chronicles 15:16-17 “Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah.”
27. Judges 5:11 “To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the triumphs of the LORD, the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel. “Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.”
28. 2 Chronicles 5:12 “All the musicians who were descendants of Levi, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives wore linen and played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. Accompanied by 120 priests who played trumpets.”
29. 1 Chronicles 9:32-33 “Some of their Kohathite relatives were responsible for setting the bread out in rows every day of rest—a holy day. 33 These were the musicians who were the heads of the Levite families. They lived in rooms in the temple and were free from other duties because they were on duty day and night.”
30. Revelation 18:22 “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee.”
In conclusion
Music is a blessing from the Lord. It is such a beautiful powerful thing that we should not take for granted. Sometimes God uses it to speak to us. I strongly believe that all Christians need to be listing to godly music throughout the week. It helps me to stay calm, be encouraged, and it helps me to keep my mind on the Lord and when my mind is on the Lord I sin less.
We have to discipline ourselves with the things of God and also we have to lose things in our life that we know God is not pleased with. Once again worship music is the best type of music that believers should listen to. If you like a particular secular song that doesn’t promote evil, has clean lyrics, doesn’t negatively affect your thoughts, or cause you to sin then there is nothing wrong with that.
