What Do You Believe about Instrumental Music?

[Salty]

It seems that Christians may have several different beliefs about instrumental music.

Some may believe that all instrumental music pleases God.

Some may believe that no instrumental music pleases God--it is neutral in the sense that it neither pleases Him nor displeases Him.

Some may believe that some instrumental music pleases God and the rest does not please Him.

Some may believe that some instrumental music pleases God, some does not, and the rest neither pleases Him nor displeases Him--it is neutral.

What do you believe about instrumental music?

Just realized -
you left out one option
ALL instrumental music displeases God

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Just realized -
you left out one option
ALL instrumental music displeases God

I have never heard anyone voice that belief. Have you?

 

[JonC]

I believe it depends on the people among the music. David worshipped with stringed instruments, percussion instruments, and of course horns. All indication is that this pleased God.

But does a One of these Days (a Pink Floyd instrumental) please God? Probably not.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I believe it depends on the people among the music. David worshipped with stringed instruments, percussion instruments, and of course horns. All indication is that this pleased God.

But does a One of these Days (a Pink Floyd instrumental) please God? Probably not.

As I am sure you already know, there are a lot of people who would strongly disagree with your second paragraph. That is why I'm asking anyone who comments to support what they say from the Bible--if they are able to do so.

Is there any Bible that you think supports what you say in your second paragraph?

 

[SGO]

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all the earth:
make a loud noise,
and rejoice,
and sing praise.
Psalm 98:4

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all the earth:
make a loud noise,
and rejoice,
and sing praise.
Psalm 98:4

Great passage. I am not sure how it pertains to my specific question . . .

 

[Van]

God certainly created sound, both calming and terrifying. I think sound that pleases His loved ones, pleases Him.

Some mornings a bird will perch on our chimney and sing away. I sit and listen and enjoy. The sound of a brook is pleasing.
And even the rhythm of the rain on our roof.

On the other hand, I think much of the music of today is like a clanking gong.

 

[SGO]

If in this verse

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all the earth:
make a loud noise,
and rejoice,
and sing praise.
Psalm 98:4

each item is separate,

that is,

joyful noise

all the earth

loud noise

rejoicing

sing praise

then any instrumental played with skill and enthusiasm (joyful noise)
might qualify. Like the JonC suggestion of "One of These Days", or classical music.

Or Van's "Some mornings a bird will perch on our chimney and sing away. I sit and listen and enjoy. The sound of a brook is pleasing.
And even the rhythm of the rain on our roof.", would be for (all the earth).

But, if all the items are interlinked and cannot be divided noise, earth, loud, rejoicing, sing praise.

Wouldn't there have to singing with praise (to God) always included?
Or perhaps each one is a type of praise to God.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

If in this verse

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all the earth:
make a loud noise,
and rejoice,
and sing praise.
Psalm 98:4

each item is separate,

that is,

joyful noise

all the earth

loud noise

rejoicing

sing praise

then any instrumental played with skill and enthusiasm (joyful noise)
might qualify. Like the JonC suggestion of "One of These Days", or classical music.

Or Van's "Some mornings a bird will perch on our chimney and sing away. I sit and listen and enjoy. The sound of a brook is pleasing.
And even the rhythm of the rain on our roof.", would be for (all the earth).

But, if all the items are interlinked and cannot be divided noise, earth, loud, rejoicing, sing praise.

Wouldn't there have to singing with praise (to God) always included?
Or perhaps each one is a type of praise to God.

This is a good start in studying my question biblically. To answer your question, we need to keep examining Scripture to see if singing with praise to God must always be included for instrumental music to please God.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

God certainly created sound, both calming and terrifying. I think sound that pleases His loved ones, pleases Him.

Some mornings a bird will perch on our chimney and sing away. I sit and listen and enjoy. The sound of a brook is pleasing.
And even the rhythm of the rain on our roof.

On the other hand, I think much of the music of today is like a clanking gong.

He certainly did create sound with its basic properties. Sound that pleases His loved ones, however, is not guaranteed to please Him because His loved ones can have and often do have sinful appetites for things that do not please God.

 

[AustinC]

Music evokes emotion. It is neither moral nor immoral in its sound. What creates the morality or immorality of a song is the lyrics or the dance choreography added to the music. These additional pieces can and do corrupt the viewer/listener. It is this added audio/visual that tells us what emotion the songwriter intends us to feel. For example, if I am watching a war movie, the music is used to help convey an emotion of nervous tension and foreboding. Without the visual, I would not automatically know what I am supposed to feel.
When I attend a classical orchestra concert, the MC tells me the story of the song to help me know what the composer was trying to convey in the different movements. Without the story, I can feel the structure of the movement, but not understand what it is conveying.

And, just an aside, I like Pink Floyd's music and their instrumental work. I also like Frank Zappa's instrumental song "Apostrophe." He was a jazz fusion genius, but some of his lyrical work was disgusting to say the least.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I believe it depends on the people among the music. David worshipped with stringed instruments, percussion instruments, and of course horns. All indication is that this pleased God.

But does a One of these Days (a Pink Floyd instrumental) please God? Probably not.

“Money, it’s a gas (LOL)”

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Music evokes emotion. It is neither moral nor immoral in its sound. What creates the morality or immorality of a song is the lyrics or the dance choreography added to the music. These additional pieces can and do corrupt the viewer/listener. It is this added audio/visual that tells us what emotion the songwriter intends us to feel. For example, if I am watching a war movie, the music is used to help convey an emotion of nervous tension and foreboding. Without the visual, I would not automatically know what I am supposed to feel.
When I attend a classical orchestra concert, the MC tells me the story of the song to help me know what the composer was trying to convey in the different movements. Without the story, I can feel the structure of the movement, but not understand what it is conveying.

And, just an aside, I like Pink Floyd's music and their instrumental work. I also like Frank Zappa's instrumental song "Apostrophe." He was a jazz fusion genius, but some of his lyrical work was disgusting to say the least.

You make a key assertion about instrumental music ("It is neither moral nor immoral in its sound.") without providing any Bible to support your statement. As it stands, it is merely a statement of your opinion. Do you have any Bible to support what you say?

 

[Salty]

I have never heard anyone voice that belief. Have you?

YES!!!
There is a group of the "Church of Christ" that will not use instrumental music for worship services.

Why Do Churches of Christ Not Use Instrumental Music?

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

YES!!!
There is a group of the "Church of Christ" that will not use instrumental music for worship services.

Why Do Churches of Christ Not Use Instrumental Music?

But do they believe that all instrumental music (regardless of setting, context, etc) displeases God or do they only believe that they are not to use it in worship services? In other words, do they oppose the playing of any musical instruments in any place in the world at any time for any reason by any person because they believe that all of it displeases God? If not, then they do not support adding another option to my poll.

 

[SGO]

Note that

 

[Salty]

But do they believe that all instrumental music (regardless of setting, context, etc) displeases God or do they only believe that they are not to use it in worship services? In other words, do they oppose the playing of any musical instruments in any place in the world at any time for any reason by any person because they believe that all of it displeases God? If not, then they do not support adding another option to my poll.

I'll let you do a little bit of research - (for once)
I might answer in a couple of days.

 

[AustinC]

You make a key assertion about instrumental music ("It is neither moral nor immoral in its sound.") without providing any Bible to support your statement. As it stands, it is merely a statement of your opinion. Do you have any Bible to support what you say?

Indeed it is opinion. However, I notice no Bible support against my assertion in your response. Therefore we share opinion.

Nowhere do we read of God rejecting a musical instrument, an orchestration, or a style of music. Instead, we read of God encouraging the use of instruments.

 

[AustinC]

YES!!!
There is a group of the "Church of Christ" that will not use instrumental music for worship services.

Why Do Churches of Christ Not Use Instrumental Music?

Old school Mennonites and Amish have nothing other than human vocalization as an instrument.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I'll let you do a little bit of research - (for once)
I might answer in a couple of days.

I have already done a lot of research on the Church of Christ beliefs and do not remember reading anything that said that they rejected all instruments and all instrumental music from being used in all activities, whether in church worship or not.

Moreover, there is a key difference between saying that they do not use instrumental music in worship because they believe that God has not authorized its use in worship and saying that they believe that all instrumental music regardless of context, setting, etc displeases God.