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Music to Your Ears
- Aubrynn Padilla
- Dec 18, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 7, 2024
Music.
It’s all around us.
At the mall, the grocery store, restaurants, in your car, in your house, and of course, on your phone.
If you’re not listening to music then you are probably humming a tune. Or you might have a song stuck in your head.
Either way, the music we choose to listen to has a major influence on our minds, hearts, and daily lives.
In a society that is so music-centered, many Christians don’t know why music exists or what music they should and should not be listening to.
God’s purpose for music
Psalm 95:1-2 says “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with Thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” Psalm 98 also tells us to “Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”
It’s obvious that God loves music and He created it so that we can glorify and worship Him. Heaven, the place where God dwells is full of music and praises (Revelation 14:2).
Throughout scripture, we are constantly called to “make a joyful noise unto the LORD” (Psalm 100:1) and to sing “Psalms hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts toward God.” (Colossians 3:16).
There is a God-given desire in each of us to worship and praise Him. Music has been around since the very beginning (Genesis 4:21) and the Children of Israel used music to worship God after major victories and during feasts (i.e. Moses, David, Nehemiah). All through the Old and New Testaments, we read the different instruments which were all designed and used to worship God.
David, the Psalmist, is credited with 73 Psalms all of which give glory and praise to God. Even in times of trial and hardship, David worshiped God. “I will call on the LORD who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.” (Psalms 18:3).
The enemy’s plan for music
While music was created to worship God, music has also been used to exalt satan. Just like all of God’s wonderful creations, the devil has twisted it to be used for his purposes. Now before you roll your eyes and tell me that you aren’t listening to satanic music, hear me out.
Have you ever listened to a song that took you back in time to a specific moment or place? Maybe you hear a song that was on the radio when you heard some devastating news and it reminds you of that time and revives the sadness or grief you were feeling.
Most everyone has had an experience like that, ever wondered why?
The answer is that all music is spiritual. Some music is relaxing some is energetic, and some music is full of demonic influence. Many songs carry spirits of depression, anxiety, hatred, and rejection. The reason they become so popular is that they resonate with people who are feeling those same things.
Many popular music stars end up committing suicide, these people are hopeless and lost. They try to fill their emptiness through substance abuse, relationships, money, and fame, and when these things don’t satisfy them they write music about their hurt.
These songs are constantly being streamed into our minds, whether they are on your playlist or not. This music doesn’t always seem “bad” or “wrong” on the surface, but when you really listen to it you will hear a different message, a message of hopelessness.
I am continually amazed at the amount of Christian girls who listen to ungodly and even vulgar songs. The most common excuse is “I just like the beat, I don’t listen to the words.” Still, all of them could quote the song verbatim if they were asked.
If you are constantly filling your mind with that kind of music it is no wonder that you struggle with negative emotions.
How to pick music
So, we’ve established that the purpose of music is to worship God and that the enemy has twisted music to glorify himself. But how should we choose the music we listen to?
Philippians 4:8 states “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.” This list is a great place to start.
Also, ask yourself, “Is this song glorifying God?” If the answer is no, maybe the song shouldn’t be in your library.
I’m not saying that the only music you should listen to should be worship music, God also created music for our enjoyment! This means that we should enjoy worshipping God but it also means that just because the song isn’t by Elevation Worship it’s “bad”.
I like to listen to country music but I don’t listen to just any country music because, as anyone who is familiar with country music knows, it’s usually about beer and girls- not exactly pure or noble. However, some songs are just good old-fashioned country songs about practical things in life!
Maybe your style of music is rap, there are tons of Christian rappers out there, and the same goes for virtually every genre. If you can’t find decent music in a specific niche then try searching “Christian pop” or whatever your favorite style is. You will be surprised at how much you will find.
What to listen to
I challenge you, to go through your music library and compare your tunes to Philippians 4:8 while asking yourself, “What is the point of this song?” If the song’s main point is making you sad or angry then it should probably be removed. If the song has seemingly no point but makes you feel icky inside it may be that there is a funky spirit on the song and you should get rid of it.
Not all Christian music is an 8-minute worship song! Below I’ve listed some of my favorite Artists for you to check out as you renovate your music library (I put links to my favorite songs and albums for you to check out too!). At the very least I challenge you to listen to only Christian music for a week and see what happens. I believe not only will your mind feel better but you may also discover some new favorites!
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