What’s in a Song?

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him (Psalm 28:7).

 

Its resonance sweeps through the mind, and in a heart a place it finds.
Its intention though I may not see, but what’s in the song, is now in me.

Sometimes it’s a whisper, peaceful. Sometimes it’s a voice, alluring, blissful.
Other times with powerful force, an emotion is struck and it stops my course.

A single tear or a fountain flows, all because the song knows.
A song can cut through the toughest defences, tearing with ease those emotional fences.

Great moments of worship, great moments of praise!

The right song can change spirits on even the worst of days.
A song of worship can inspire the the heart, alter emotion, make sadness depart.

But the gift God gave His children for joy, Satan lays wait, intent to destroy.
So he mixes song with violence and evil: indulging the fleshly desires of the people.

Song once reserved for holy demonstration, serves now to display Satan’s manipulation.
The music plays on, crowds mindlessly cheer: no self-reflection, no moral compass to steer.

So what’s in a song, and why should I care?  What does it matter?  It isn’t a prayer!
But the song has purpose, an agenda to fulfill.  Songs look for hearts and bend their will.

What’s in the song is now in me.  The work’s been done.  Can we not see?
Right looks wrong and wrong looks right.  The songs kept leading right into the night.

How did we get here?  Where are we now?
The darkness is frightening!  Can we exit somehow?

It was just music, just rhythm, just rhyme…a composer’s refrain, and us all keeping time.

But wait…

It’s more than just words.  It’s more than a beat.
A song can bring thousands to knees or to feet.

We must reclaim the song.  Lift up our King, a great army, strong!

A song is worship.  A song is praise.  A song is an anthem of adoration to raise.
A song is a weapon that can help set me free.

Because what’s in the song is in me!

 

WRITTEN BY JAYE M. RODENBUSH © 2016

Jaye is a speaker and writer who serves as dean of Administration and director of Women’s Ministries at Indiana Bible College.  She has a BA in Music and Corporate Communication and a Master’s in Higher Education: College and University Administration.

Reprinted from Reflections.