It is movie night, and the family decides to watch a classic sci-fi flick. The popcorn is popped, the DVD waits in the player, the lights are dimmed, and everyone settles comfortably into their seats. "Play" is pressed on the remote control, and suddenly, through the speakers roars the famous, instantly recognizable Star Wars theme. The opening note rings and fades into a quicker set of shorter notes leading into the central anthem, filling the family with anticipatory excitement for the film to follow.

The music introduces the movie, and based on the musical themes, we can draw certain conclusions about the film even before watching it. The loud, energetic opening evokes exhilaration, the tune itself imitating a fast heartbeat. When the music slows its pace, we imagine our hero resting from his efforts, only to be called back to action as the tympani bellows in an increasingly faster tempo, building up to a climax. We are assured a happy ending when the opening melody is played once again, louder and more enthusiastically, ending the piece triumphantly. The music captures and expresses the thematic content of the movie, and prepares us for the story.

Music is a powerful medium, one mankind has given extraordinary regard to throughout history, using in all facets of culture. Primitive peoples thought music to be the power of the gods working through musicians, possessing the minds of the listeners. Though the Greeks and the Romans later scoffed at this idea as foolish, they deemed music a powerful moral tool, embodying societal morality and ethics through highly conventional musical practices. In contrast, the various peoples of the Orient respected music as the aural replication of the physical universe, specific notes representing specific planets, notes orbiting each other in melodies just as planets in the solar system.

Music also provided an important service in the history of mainstream Christianity. Medieval theologians ascribed to music the exclusive purpose of worshiping God. This view was held until after the Protestant Reformation, when musical composition expanded into an art form—seen as mankind's ability to participate as individuals in God's creative power. The emphasis on individuality has remained in contemporary musical theory, though its connection to religious devotion has since been lost, for the most part.

Man has regarded music of great importance, but far more importantly, how does God evaluate music? How does He use music? A quick study of music in Scripture reveals God not only loves music, but also compares himself to a composer, using music as a means to describe our relationship with Him.

Music is widespread in the Old Testament as central to life in ancient Israel. They used songs to praise and worship God (II Samuel 6:5; I Chronicles 15:15-16), as well as on less significant occasions, for instance, greeting or departing from each other (Genesis 31:27). God also provided a collection of songs that expresses His nature and relationship with us, the inspired Psalms and the Song of Songs. Further revealing His high regard for music, God even describes Himself as a composer who gives songs through inspiration (Deuteronomy 31:19; Psalm 40:3). Clearly, music is important to God, but why?

Two different occasions provide insight into music's spiritual and practical purposes. The first is well known, David soothing King Saul's troubled mind. The second is less familiar but just as significant: the priests singing praises before God after the completion of Solomon's Temple.

The first is found in I Samuel 16:23. When Saul was tormented by an evil spirit, David appeared before his throne and played his harp, driving the spirit away. David's music transformed the king's mind, cleansing it of agony and affliction and imparting peace and rest. One can imagine the beautiful, soothing notes filling Saul's ears, easing Saul's afflicted mind into a serene peace.

Music's power to transform our mode of thinking, from stress to peace, fear to comfort, languor to passion, allows God to use it to change us. During worship, He commands His children to perform before Him, giving Him praise and honor. In our willing participation, whether vocal or instrumental, we fill our hearts and minds with the sentiment of the music, humbling ourselves before God. However, because of music's significant influence, we should consider all of the music we listen to, questioning what spirit it carries and transfers. Satan, an archangel created with special musical talents, can confer his rebellious attitudes through the art (Ezekiel 28:13).

The second instance appears in II Chronicles 5:11-14. Once the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Temple, all of the Levitical singers, accompanied by 120 priests playing trumpets, praised and thanked God. The song was a beautiful, unified sacrifice to God. Verse 13 describes the musicians performing "as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD." Their song required absolute unity, or else it would not have been beautiful—or even music. In response, God filled the Temple with a cloud, signifying His approval.

Therefore, participating in the creation of music unifies those involved in a common experience. In the same way that writing allows us to share ideas with others, music allows us to express and share our emotion and mental condition with others. By singing hymns together during church services, we are unified in harmony as the body of Christ before God, facilitating oneness of mind.

If we consider these two different effects of music simultaneously, we gain insight into music's importance to God (though this brief study only scratches the surface of this subject). Music can transform our emotional and mental state, and when experienced with others, can unify the minds of an entire group in that state. For the duration of the hymns, we can be in harmony, mentally and vocally, with our brethren.

But once the hymns end and the service is over, we must maintain that unity. We must continue expressing the joy and godly praise of the Psalms in our everyday lives. Our service and example before others should express beauty just as David's songs did, comforting and edifying others. We must conduct our lives according to God's Word as musicians carefully following sheet music, until we are singing a new song in perfect unity with the Father and Son in the Kingdom of God (Revelation 14:2-3).