Singing has been woven into the fabric of the people of God from the dawn of theological history. The Scripture commands singing praise to God both publicly and privately (Psalm 96:1,2; Col 3:16). Singing is more than a stylistic medium; it carries immense theological significance in Christian worship.
For God’s people, singing is a spiritual and emotional way to express praise and reverence to God. Danielle Lynch notes, “Singing uses the body’s instrument to make music…the body is also used to act; the narrative is enfleshed by the drama and music.”[1] The Psalms model this raw and reverential honesty as worshippers reveal pain, fear, anger over injustice, and repentance of their sins.[2] Through song, God’s children express thanksgiving for YWHW’s mighty acts. Singing is also an opportunity to express joy, hope, and gratitude in response to God’s wondrous grace. Singing without grace is an act of coercion or “undertaken for the sake of reward.”[3] Miikka Anttila summarizes, “Singing takes the emotional side of a person into an encounter with the Word.”[4]
Historically, singing was exclusively reciting the Word of God back to Him, mainly through the Psalms.[5] This carries an important principle: singing is a ministry of God’s Word to believers. Therefore, singing is a musical extension of proclamation and prayer. It should be rooted in Scripture, reinforced in divine truth, and promote godly attitudes and actions. Paul encourages the early church to sing the gospel and, in doing so, build each other up in faith and gratitude (Eph 5:18-20; Col 3:16-17).
Another aspect of singing in the NT is that singing together builds unity in the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12-26). As varying pitches create a musical chord when produced in tandem, singing unites ages, genders, cultures, and classes by voicing shared belief in “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism” (Eph 4:5,6).[6] The bond is produced through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:1-13) and song as God’s people become the Bride of Christ.
To maintain unity, the local church must set boundaries and criteria founded on Scripture to select songs appropriate for corporate worship. Lyrics must faithfully reflect the witness of the Word of God, addressing God’s character over emotion and feelings. Martin Luther believed that when the congregation sang, they should be confident that God put the words in their mouth as though He were singing through them for the exaltation of his glory.[7] When approached with wisdom and discernment, a balanced worship theology of singing produces reverence and celebration that glorifies Christ. The church’s singing should reflect various styles and mediums that reflect the generations and cultures of the local congregation. This allows for the broadest participation in the local community. Lynch contends, “The dual role of music is both telling a story, but it is also an enactment of that story through the listener’s participation.”[8]
At the root, worship theology goes beyond judging style, genre, and form (Rom 14:1-8). Discernment is required to promote unified worship in a particular setting that honors God and is faithful to His revealed character. Applications of these principles will vary and allow for diversity in different contexts. The reformers believed that “singing is not useful that is not understood,” and therefore, they were pioneers in making music accessible to the people.[9]
Ultimately, theological tenets concerning the content and outcome of sacred songs guide the local congregation. Worship through song aims to glorify God by proclaiming who He is and giving thanks for the gospel. The result is stirring faith, obedience, and unity among God’s people. Mason admonishes the church to “hear the Singer…the Father sings over us, the Son leads us into God’s tent to exalt the Father, and when the Spirit freshly fills His gathered people in Ephesians 5:19, songs come out.”[10] This is the culmination of Jesus’ exhortation that genuine worshipers will “worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
[1] Danielle Lynch, God in Sound and Silence: Music as Theology (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2018), 99.
[2] Matt Mason, “The Worship Leader and Singing,” in Doxology and Theology: How the Gospel Forms the Worship Leader, ed. Matt Boswell (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 180–81.
[3] Miikka E. Anttila, Luther’s Theology of Music: Spiritual Beauty and Pleasure (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2013), 191.
[4] Ibid., 11.
[5] Mason, Doxology and Theology, 176–77.
[6] Anttila, Luther’s Theology of Music, 24.
[7] Anttila, Luther’s Theology of Music, 188.
[8] Lynch, God in Sound, 146.
[9] Anttila, Luther’s Theology of Music, 191.
[10] Mason, Doxology and Theology, 187.
Josh Cehulik 