“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." – Colossians
3:16
1. Psalm – a portion of Scripture that is
put to music 2. Hymns – Christian songs that praise
God 3. Spiritual Songs – songs of personal testimony,
relating to spiritual truth 4. Grace – may also
indicate the need for Christians to sing with
thanksgiving and
gratefulness
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “Music is
the universal language of mankind.” What a very profound
statement that is. Where spoken words may not be able to
convey a message, the sounds of music often times
can.
Music has been a part of human existence since
man’s earliest days on earth. 1. Exodus 15 – musical
festivals of Israel after the people miraculously crossed the
Red Sea. 2. Music accompanied men into battle and
celebrated victories in war. 3. Songs and dance honored
kings at their coronation. 4. Music soothed troubled
minds. 5. Music accompanied prophesying. 6. Music
expressed personal sorrow. 7. David described personal
emotions as well as praise to God in the Psalms.
All of
us have various tastes in music. Music has a very powerful
influence upon our lives. When we are feeling down and
depressed, certain types of music have a way of lifting us up
and making us feel joyous once again. Music can also have
negative influences on our lives. Certain songs can actually
bring us down and make us feel depressed, lonely, unwanted,
unloved. Therefore, we must learn to be discerning about the
types of music that we listen to.
In December 1970, the
First Presidency stated: “Through music, man’s ability to
express himself extends beyond the limits of the spoken
language in both subtlety and power. Music can be used to
exalt and inspire or to carry messages of degradation and
destruction. It is therefore important that as Latter-day
Saints we at all times apply the principles of the gospel and
seek the guidance of the Spirit in selecting the music with
which we surround ourselves.” (Priesthood Bulletin, December
1970, p.10.)
Music can invite the Spirit into our homes
– or drive it away.
In an article in the November 1990
Ensign, Ardeth G. Kapp made this statement concerning music:
“Music has a very powerful and wonderful influence in
establishing feelings and moods that can lift and elevate your
thoughts and your actions. But because it is so powerful, it
is clearly used by the adversary to stimulate your thoughts,
feelings, and moods, to pollute and poison your mind and cause
you to do things you would not otherwise consider doing.” In
an address to Brigham Young University on September 26, 1967,
Elder Boyd K. Packer stated “music is one of the most forceful
instruments for governing the mind and the spirit of
man.”
Ask yourself these questions concerning
music:
How much time do I spend listening to
music? Why do I listen to music? What type of music do I
enjoy listening to? Does the type of music that I listen to
invite the Spirit into my home? Have I felt a change in
spirit while listening to this music? Are the lyrics words
that I would comfortably speak to my family and
friends? Does the performing group promote standards that
are similar to my own? Does the music cause you to think,
act, or feel contrary to the teachings of Christ?
The
Scriptures clearly warn us of guarding our hearts and minds
from evil influences: 1. Deuteronomy 4:9 – “Only take heed
to thyself, and keep thou soul diligently, lest thou forget
the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart
from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy
sons, and thy sons’ sons;” 2. Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep thy
heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of
life.” 3. 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ;”
President Spencer W. Kimball
said, “It is obvious to remain clean and worthy, one must stay
positively and conclusively away from the devil’s territory”
(Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, page
232). As Christians, we represent Christ at all times –
wherever we go, whatever we say. The music that we listen to,
like every other area of our lives, should honor God. We
should focus on what our Heavenly Father has done for us and
express praise to Him out of gratefulness.
In
conclusion, here are a few standards to follow when choosing
what type of music to listen to:
1. Does this music
honor God and His ways? (1 Corinthians 10:31) 2. Does this
music help me think on what is right and true? (Philippians
4:8) 3. Does this music reinforce my faith? (Romans
14:22,23) 4. Does this music approve what God condemns?
(Proverbs 19:27) 5. Do the words of the songs displease
God? (Ephesians 4:29) 6. Can I listen to this music in the
name of the Lord Jesus? (Colossians 3:17) 7. Do my parents
approve of this type of music? (Colossians 3:20) 8. Will
listening to this type of music offend the Holy Spirit Who
lives within me? (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
President
Hinckley has given us this wise counsel concerning
music:
“Let there be music in the home. If you have
teenagers who have their own recordings, you will be prone to
describe the sound as something other than music. Let them
occasionally hear something better. Expose them to it. It will
speak for itself. More of appreciation will come than you may
think. It may not be spoken, but it will be felt, and its
influence will become increasingly manifest as the years
pass.” (Be Thou An Example [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book,
1981] , p.56)
May we be challenged to listen to music
that will be pleasing to our Heavenly Father. This is my
humble prayer. In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. Amen.
“After silence that which comes nearest to
expressing the inexpressible is music.” – Aldous
Huxley
