Music: the universal language of emotion and beauty

Music is everywhere. It’s on the radio in the car, over the loudspeakers at a party, in the concert halls of a great orchestra, in the practice room of a worship band, on the lips of a mother singing a lullaby or even in the tree of a songbird. Music has been a part of life since the beginning of time, but why is it so important to so many people? What is God’s purpose for it?

In history, music has been used to shape the way people think and connect. Music changed drastically throughout the 20th century, from swing and jazz in the ‘20s and ‘30s, to rock ’n’ roll in the ‘50s or to disco in the ‘70s.

“Musicians have always been movers and shakers,” music teacher Mrs. Anna Walter said. “Music has been a part of speaking truth to power of revolutions, wars or protests. It’s been expressions of grief or of worship through history. It’s also used in ceremonial ways in public.”

Today, music is often used as a means of storytelling, whether that be to build suspense in a movie or to convince the viewer of a commercial to buy the product. The ability to play music on streaming platforms makes it more accessible than ever before. This also allows music to be used to spread messages, whether good or bad.

“I think that it’s important for believers to remember that the message and the songs that we listen to affect our hearts, even if we think we’re just listening to the beat,” Mrs. Walter said. “It’s important that we’re not just internalizing messages that are contrary to Scripture and the ways of God, but also I think it’s important, especially in modern times, to be aware of who is putting out the music and what we’re putting our money towards.”

The power of music is woven throughout the Bible. It is used to build up believers (Ephesians 5:19); to express lament, gratitude, joy or praise (Psalms and Lamentations) or to build strength in trials (Acts 16: when Paul and Silas sing hymns in prison).

“In the middle of the performance, I made eye contact with [one of my students] while conducting, and I just saw tears running down their face while they were singing of the power of God,” Mrs. Walter said. “I knew the background of their story, that they were clinging to the power of God in their own life desperately. And it was just a moment, and our eyes met. And it was theological truth…It was beautiful.”

People associate music with personal experiences or memories. Music speaks powerfully into people’s lives and can be a way to express things that words can’t. The beauty of music combined with powerful lyrics can bring a person to tears.

“‘Where words fail, music speaks’ (Hans Christian Andersen),” band director Mrs. Lisa Adams said. “Music is a universal language that allows people all over the world to communicate regardless of race, heritage or religion. In a world that feels more and more personally disconnected in spite of increasing technological connectedness, music is a source of true, human connection.”