Worship On The Brain

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Psalm 95:1


The bible is full of examples of the power of worship and its effect on the one worshipping. Just listening to praise music has the ability to lower blood pressure and in many cases it actually promotes physical healing. If the exhortations from scripture were not enough, are you aware of the scientific benefits of music on the brain? In an article titled," ’The Power of Music’ To Affect The Brain" the authors interviews concluded, “Science all but confirms that humans are hard-wired to respond to music. Studies also suggest that someday music may even help patients heal from Parkinson's disease or a stroke. In The Power of Music, Elena Mannes explores how music affects different groups of people and how it could play a role in health care.

Mannes goes on to say, “In fact, the cries of babies just a few weeks old were found to contain some of the basic intervals common to Western music. She also says scientists have found that music stimulates more parts of the brain than any other human function. That's why she sees so much potential in music's power to change the brain and affect the way it works. Mannes says music also has the potential to help people with neurological deficits. "A stroke patient who has lost verbal function — those verbal functions may be stimulated by music," she says. One technique, known as melodic intonation therapy, uses music to coax portions of the brain into taking over for those that are damaged. In some cases, it can help patients regain their ability to speak.

Less recently, archaeologists have discovered ancient flutes — one of which is presumed to be the oldest musical instrument in the world — that play a scale similar to the modern Western scale."  Maybe the second oldest instrument is the harp that we read about in 1 Samuel 16:14-23 where a young shepherd boy who would be king played the harp to bring comfort to a tormented King in Saul, But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said to him, "Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well." So Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me." Then one of the servants answered and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him." Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight." And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.”

Are you stressed today, loved one? Are you not feeling well physically? Don’t underestimate the power of worship in bringing you peace and comfort and ultimately healing! Colossians 3:16 reminds us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” There is power in music, there is even greater power in worship!

"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

I LOVE YOU!