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Singing With the Spirit

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 12, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 40.

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Singing With the Spirit

By J. S. Washburn

J. S. WASHBURN
“I WILL sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” The Spirit of God speaks through all true music. Not only did music originate with the eternal Father and come to us through Christ, but music is in a wonderful and a special way the voice of the Holy Spirit.
When at the beginning, earth was chaos, disorder, without form and void, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. “By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens.” Through the Spirit, order and beauty came. Where there is disorder, there can be no music, for music is absolutely mathematical. And as by the Spirit order came, so with order, in the angels’ song of joy over creation, came glorious music.
How often in the Scriptures and today are music and the Holy Spirit closely associated! Music was used by the Lord as a means of converting King Saul and making him a prophet. “Thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.” I Sam. 10:5, 6.
A few years later, when Saul had departed from the Lord and an evil spirit troubled him, David, the sweet singer, had, “took an harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” I Sam. 16:23. With music the Holy Spirit and came upon Saul, and now by music the evil spirit was driven from him.
We may be sure the music played by David on his harp was not the light music that appeals to the feet rather than to the heart. But those harmonies, so soothing yet so mighty, came by inspiration. Thus: “The sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.” That was inspired music breathed by the Holy Spirit, the music through which the mighty Spirit of God spoke with such power that evil spirits were banished, as they were in later years by the singing of the Youth of Nazareth, Jesus the Son of David, whose sweet song “seemed to banish the evil angels, and like incense fill the place with fragrance.”
The great prophet Elisha proved the close connection between the Holy Spirit and music, when he said, “Bring me a minstrel.” “And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.” 2 Kings 3:15.
A mighty combination of nations had sent a vast army against Judah. A strange weapon won a great victory for Israel. Righteous Jehoshaphat “appointed singers unto the Lord, . . . that they should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and Let . . . say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.” And when they began to sing and to praise, the enemy was smitten, and the Holy Spirit through music won a glorious victory for God’s people. What a mighty weapon is music when God’s people “sing with the spirit”!
Many, many times has the melting, blessed Spirit of the Lord come into our hearts when God’s people have sung together tender, sweet hymns of the love and forgiveness of God, and of home and heaven.
At midnight, while in the Philippian dungeon, with feet fast in the stocks, lying upon their bleeding backs, Paul hath and Silas “prayed, and sang praises unto the God: . . . and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” Music, God’s music, brings to prophets the Holy Spirit, banishes devils, conquers armies, frees the captives, and bursts asunder prison walls. In the last great crisis facing men and demons, the people of God will raise their voices in the triumphant song: “God is our refuge and strength.”
To the accompaniment of sacred song, the divine power, the mighty Spirit of God, wins the final, eternal victory for God’s people.