They say music charms the savage beast
And I believe it's true
Man's had it down thru history
When he's had the blues
He'd find a drum to beat on
And a horn that he could blow
You know it worked for the children of Israel at the walls of
Jericho
They brought the house down with a...REAL GOOD FEEL GOOD SONG.

Those are the words to an old Country and Western tune by Mel McDaniel. Put them with these:

In worship, a well done song, hymn or chorus is worth a thousand words preached.

Those are from a preacher friend of mine, while he was in a revival series and just after the choir had done an excellent job setting the stage for his message. He followed them by saying that if the statement he’d made were true, we were going to be there a while, implying of course he’d need, right then, to preach a thousand words I suppose.

I am about as “unmusical” as anyone can be. I can’t sing, don’t play an instrument . . . if it has to do with music, I am not good at it. It is so bad it has become one of those “go ask your mother” things at my house, a list of stuff that seems to grow and points to my own numerous inadequacies. If my kids come asking a question, I send them to mom, because I am positive I can not help. My son is taking guitar lessons, my daughter is a dancer. They both sing in children’s choirs at church. And they’ll get little help from dad beyond a taxi service I am afraid.

But I love to be in church when the music is good. I love to feel the power of a congregation full of saints when they all know the melody and lyrics by heart and sing with conviction. I even (contrary to my worship preferences) enjoy a good praise band occasionally. I haven’t quite yet made the switch on my radio, to a “contemporary Christian” station, whatever that means, but I do love how music impacts my worship experience.

I think I love it because the way people respond to music, whether they like it or hate it, is so genuine. Toes tap, smiles appear, bodies (dare I say it in reference to we Baptists) sway . . . music just has an authentic effect. It moves us. Hopefully the movement is one of getting closer to God.

Our lives are so full of noise, so packed with sound that we need to hear something real. Our souls have become so savage, we do need something, as Mel McDaniel said, to charm the beast.

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound . . .