How Godly music can edify us some helpful considerations about godly music:

1. [Ps. 95:1] Sing unto the Lord Sing ever with an eye unto the Lord. Be aware of His presence. He
is the audience of our music. God is glorified, this is the first and primary blessing of ministering
godly music.

2. [Ps. 95:1] Joyful noise tells us we are to sing out, but the loudness isnt so much the point
as much as our singing indicates the earnestness of spirit that we are to sing with.

3. [Eph. 5:19] Speaking to yourselves As David encouraged himself in the LORD his God, in 1
Sam. 30:6, so are we to speak to ourselves and encourage ourselves in the Lord. As musicians,
we must take great care to be edified in the things of God. Godly music is edifying music. Music
that will feed and promote godliness. You cannot be a blessing if you arent first blessed by God.
A blessing received is a blessing to share. We operate by being filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18)
which is the verse directly prior to speaking to yourselves.

4. [Eph. 5:19] Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs Poetry is intentionally used for edification.
Psalms (i.e., the Old Testament Psalms) adds depth of expression to our singing and prayers.
Hymns are songs of praise to God. Spiritual songs refer to any poetic expression distinct from
and void of worldliness.

5. [Eph. 5:19] Singing and making melody in your heart Before there is good music in the
church, there must first be good music in the heart. Godly music is interested in the heart
condition as much as the mechanics of good singing or instrumentation. Add to this that God is a
heart-inspector (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39b; 1 Chr. 28:9b; Ps. 7:9; Jer. 17:10; Acts 1:24). What is
the embouchure of your heart? Is your heart tuned to God and His Word?

6. [Col. 3:16] Teaching and admonishing one another Godly music is word-enriched and loaded
with sound doctrine. Godly music packages Bible doctrines in memorable format. There is here
self-admonition first, and then corporate admonition via congregational singing. In common life
the music presides. But in Godly music, the words (lyrics, or the message) preside. The music
serves as an accompaniment to the message. Godly music is the harmonious balance between
tunes that fit or compliment the lyric. Godly music expressed in congregational singing
promotes unity.

7. [Col. 3:16] Singing with grace in your hearts This is to sing with heart and from the
knowledge that it is the grace of God that enables us to sing, or to testify of the goodness of
God. The focus is God, not the singer. The focus is the grace of God, it is grace that brings
salvation, not music. It is grace that blesses the soul not the musician nor his music. We sing or
serve in music ministry to testify of the grace that saves and enables us to live unto God.

A. Godly music refocuses our minds and hearts to think about the Lord. It takes our
thoughts from the cares of this world and brings eternity into view. (Our affections are
set on things above, Col. 3:2).

B. Godly music has the power to affect our atmosphere and prepare us for prayers and
preaching. Thanksgiving and praise replace and combat bad habits, a bad spirit. It calms
our temperament, it sooths and comforts the soul.

C. Godly music encourages us to greater obedience to God, it can help us to have better
insights, enriches our walk with God, it can help us control our impulses, it elevates our
tastes and opinions, reinforce our doctrines and convictions, it can mature our
sentiments, and sharpen our discernment.