O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. – Psalm 95:1, KJV

Some of the most moving songs ever written have been born from the depths of trial and trouble. Many of the psalms (songs) David wrote are prime examples, for many of his most precious works came from the times his very life was at stake. For instance, David wrote Psalm 18 while being chased by Saul. I envision him sitting in a cave, huddled with his men by a fire, penning and singing his new song in order to encourage both his soul and the souls of his men. As he sings, he and his men remember how much God is in control of their destinies, and in that knowledge they take great rest.

Usually, when times are tough, we don’t feel like singing.  But perhaps it is when times are filled with trouble that we need to sing the most. The songs of the Bible – both those written from hearts of joy and those written from hearts of sorrow – have the purpose of reminding us about God’s character. When we are down, we need to be reminded of how much God loves us, how capable He is of helping us, and how much He wants us to rely on Him for our rescue. As we meditate upon the meaning of the words we sing, our souls commune with the God, and we remember that He is our strength and our salvation.

We may not be as musically inclined as David, so penning musical compositions of our own may not be our thing. But, whether we are songwriters or not, God created the universal language of music so that we could communicate both with Him and with our fellow-man in a manner that reaches the mind, the heart, and the soul for Christ (see Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). Surround yourself with music that lifts the soul. Participate in the singing at church. Write a few songs of your own, if you are so inclined. But whatever you do, don’t throw godly music to the wayside in your life, thinking it unimportant. It is extremely important, and it is a God-ordained method of worship. If you kick godly music to the curb, you deprive yourself of one of the richest ways to commune with God. If you do that, your walk with Him will suffer.