Isn’t it a wonder that among all the incredible things about the human body, God built into each one a musical instrument?
Most of us probably don’t think of ourselves that way, but the human body is one of the most complex musical instruments. Why did God give us vocal cords that act as reeds as air passes over them? Why are those vocal cords flexible enough to cover various pitches? Why did he give us spaces in our head where sound can resonate? Why did God give different people different vocal ranges that can harmonize with others and blend to create beautiful sounds? Over and over again, I am amazed by these realities. There is something especially poignant about singing, which draws us into the emotion of words. Think about your chills when you hear a particularly stirring rendition of a song you love. The human body can produce powerful, beautiful, nuanced, complex sounds that convey shades of meaning and emotion.
Singing in Human Culture
Singing has been an essential part of human culture for thousands of years, a meaningful part of everyday life. Of course, it has had religious connotations for millennia, but it has also been a staple of ceremonies, festivals, daily work, and even battle. We have lost much of the meaning and power of singing in the modern West, but that is another article for another day. Why do people sing together? One thing that we know scientifically that our ancestors knew experientially is that singing together does some powerful stuff. It has physical benefits: it calms the heart rate, boosts the immune system, and people who frequently sing with others have a higher life expectancy. There are mental benefits: communal singing releases feel-good neuro-chemicals like endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. It can help reduce stress and even depression. But I think the most potent aspect of communal singing is what it does to…community! It forms a social bond like few other activities, creating a sense of connection and closeness to the people you are singing with. I can’t overstate how powerfully I experienced this when I sang in my college choir, and I know many of my friends experienced the same thing.
Singing together as a family of God
All of this is well and good, but my goal is not simply to talk you into joining a community choir (though I recommend it!). My goal is to see the power and importance of singing together as the family of God, the church of Jesus, the community of saints. The Bible mentions singing over 400 times and commands it at least 50 times. The longest book in the Bible, the Psalms, is Israel’s songbook. Clearly, God made us to sing, and the highest, most important purpose of singing is to honor him.
The Psalms are almost shocking in the breadth of ways they speak to the Lord. Not only do the songwriters praise God; they bring their sorrows and troubles to him, confess their sin to him, offer thanksgiving to him, recount His character and actions, and plead for him to bring justice. Interestingly, the songwriters often address the congregation directly, sharing testimony of what God has done and exhorting the congregation to praise and obey God. The Psalms display a reverence for and intimacy with God, as the songwriters lay their hearts bare. But they also display an openness with the congregation, being very real about their troubles and sins, and sharing openly what God has done for them.
Why should we sing together?
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul says twice that the church should address each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3). This certainly matches what we see in the Psalms. Yes, we sing to God. He is the object of our worship. But a considerable part of this is that we do it together. All of us. This is not for the people up front or those with the most talent. This is an activity of the whole church.
And we do this, why? In Colossians 3:16, Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs.” In Ephesians 5:19, he says we should be “filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” When the church sings the truth of the gospel from a place of faith and trust, and we do it together, we are encouraged! It is powerful to see and hear our brothers and sisters singing out life-defining truths with each other. When we sing, our intellect, our emotions, and our bodies are all engaged in Spirit-filled worship, and when we do that together as the collective whole, we form a deep bond with each other, which Jesus surely intends for His church (John 17:20-23).
Our desire and goal at Grace Community Church is for our singing to truly be corporate. That we would hear and see each other singing. We would all see this as a ministry in which we participate, even if singing “isn’t our thing.” I mentioned earlier in this article that communal singing has largely disappeared in the modern West. There are many reasons for this, and it has affected participation in congregational singing across America. I’m grateful to say that as the Worship Director here at Grace, I have seen a growing participation in the singing, and that is more encouraging than I can express. May we continue to boldly lift up our voices, not fearing that we will be heard, but fully intending to be heard so that we can minister to each other and bless the Lord.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless His holy name!”– Psalm 103:1
