20 Best Bible Verses About Music (With Commentary)
Music has the power to touch our souls and bring us closer to God. The Bible recognizes the significance of music in worship, praise, and expressing our emotions.
In this blog post, we will explore a collection of Bible verses that celebrate the beauty of music, highlight its role in spiritual life, and inspire us to lift our voices and instruments in joyful harmony to glorify God and draw closer to Him.
Bible Verses About Music
Psalm 150:1-6
“Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!”
This psalm celebrates the power and beauty of music in worship. It encourages believers to use a variety of instruments and forms of expression to give praise to God, emphasizing the inclusive and joyful nature of worship through music.
Colossians 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Here, Paul encourages believers to incorporate music into their daily lives and use it as a tool for teaching, encouragement, and thankfulness. He emphasizes the importance of filling ourselves with the word of Christ and using music as a means of expressing our gratitude and faith.
Psalm 33:1-3
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
This psalm emphasizes the importance of joy and creativity in music, calling believers to sing and play skillfully and express their praise to God in new and innovative ways. It also emphasizes the idea that music is a fitting form of worship for those who strive to live righteously.
Psalm 96:1-4
“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.”
This psalm highlights the importance of using music to proclaim God’s glory to the nations. It emphasizes the power of music to reach people and communicate the greatness of God, and encourages believers to use music as a tool for evangelism and spreading the gospel.
Ephesians 5:19-20
“speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul encourages believers to use music as a means of communication and edification, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs that come from the Spirit. He emphasizes the importance of making music with sincerity and intentionality, and using it to give thanks to God for all things.
Psalm 98:1-7
“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”
This psalm celebrates the greatness of God’s salvation and encourages believers to rejoice and sing praises to God with a variety of instruments and forms of expression. It emphasizes the universal nature of God’s salvation and the importance of using music to proclaim His goodness to all the earth.
Psalm 108:1-3
“My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.”
The psalmist declares their commitment to singing and making music with all their soul, awakening the dawn with their praise and spreading it among the nations. This verse emphasizes the personal devotion and passion that should inspire our music and worship, and the importance of sharing this joy with others.
Psalm 71:22-23
“I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.”
This psalm emphasizes the intimate connection between music and gratitude, as the psalmist expresses their thanks to God for His faithfulness and deliverance through songs of praise. It highlights the power of music to express our emotions and connect with God on a deep level.
Psalm 98:4-6
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”
This psalm encourages believers to shout for joy and burst into song with a variety of instruments and forms of expression, highlighting the contagious nature of music in worship. It emphasizes the communal aspect of worship and the way that music can bring people together in joyful celebration of God’s greatness.
Psalm 92:1-3
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.”
This psalm affirms the goodness of praising the Lord through music, and encourages believers to proclaim His love and faithfulness at all times, using a variety of instruments and melodies. It emphasizes the importance of starting and ending our days with worship, acknowledging God’s constant presence and care in our lives.
Psalm 71:8
“My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”
The psalmist declares their commitment to praising God through music and using their voice to declare His splendor throughout the day. This verse emphasizes the personal nature of worship and the way that music can become a constant and joyful expression of our faith.
Psalm 92:4-5
“For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!”
This psalm emphasizes the connection between music and gladness, as the psalmist sings for joy at the great deeds of the Lord. It highlights the way that music can express our emotions and enhance our experience of worship, deepening our connection with God.
Psalm 149:1-4
“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.”
This psalm celebrates the way that music can unite and inspire God’s people, calling believers to sing and dance with joy and praise in the assembly of the faithful. It emphasizes the way that music can bring us closer to God and uplift our spirits, reminding us of His delight in us and His faithfulness to His people.
Psalm 33:3
“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”
This psalm emphasizes the importance of creativity and skill in music, encouraging believers to sing a new song to the Lord that shows their personal style and talents. It also highlights the joyful and exuberant nature of worship through music.
1 Chronicles 16:9
“Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”
In this verse, the psalmist encourages believers to use music to tell the stories of God’s wonderful acts and to praise Him for His goodness.
What does the Bible say about Music?
The Bible contains various references to music, both in terms of its significance and its use in worship and expression. While there is no single verse that comprehensively covers music, several passages shed light on its role in the lives of believers. Here are some key themes and principles related to music in the Bible:
1. Praise and Worship:
Music is often associated with worship and praise to God. Throughout the scriptures, there are numerous instances of people singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to honor the Creator. For example, the book of Psalms is a collection of songs and poems used in worship, expressing a range of emotions from joy to lamentation.
2. Expression of Emotions:
Music is a means of expressing various emotions and experiences. It can be used to convey joy, sadness, hope, and other human feelings. The Bible recognizes the power of music to impact emotions positively and negatively and encourages the use of music to bring comfort and healing.
3. Instrumental and Vocal Music:
The Bible mentions both instrumental and vocal music. Instruments such as harps, lyres, tambourines, and trumpets were used in ancient times to accompany singing and praise. Singing is especially encouraged as a form of worship and thanksgiving.
4. Unity and Fellowship:
In the New Testament, believers are encouraged to sing and make music together as an expression of unity and fellowship. Colossians 3:16 says, “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.”
5. Worship in Spirit and Truth:
Jesus emphasized the importance of worshiping God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Music can be a powerful tool to connect with God on a deeper level, but the heart’s sincerity and devotion are vital aspects of genuine worship.
6. Avoiding Worldly Influences:
While music itself is not condemned, the Bible warns against embracing the values and practices of the world that may accompany certain musical styles. It encourages believers to focus on things that are true, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
7. Godly Creativity:
The Bible acknowledges and values the creativity that God has bestowed upon humanity, including the ability to create music and artistic expressions (Exodus 35:30-35).
Overall, the Bible portrays music as a powerful and meaningful aspect of human life, with the potential to be a tool for worship, praise, and expression of emotions. It encourages the use of music in ways that honor God and build up the community of believers while cautioning against adopting harmful influences from the world.
