The Bible and Music

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

I just wanted to share my favorite psalm from when we were asked to bring a couple to class last week. A psalm I often turn to read is Psalm 84. I particularly like verses 5-7. Baka means weeping, and I think this makes the imagery of the section particularly powerful. It is seemingly the tears of those passing through hard times that can create beauty in low places. I also like this psalm because one of my favorite songs to sing in worship at church is “Better is One Day,” whose lyrics reflect the words of this psalm. I believe that music forms connections between the words we speak or read and our personal experiences. Therefore, when we can associate a pleasing sound of music to a positive personal experience, the words that we sing hold greater significance in our lives.