Can we understand music's meaning?-part 2

       In yesterday's post we introduced the subject of  our ability to understand music's meaning.  Today we will continue that discusion.  I Corinthians 14:15 states "...I will sing with the understanding also." The word nous (3563) means according to Strong's Greek Dictionary, "With the intellect i.e. the mind; by implication meaning, understanding."  So, the Bible tells us that we can and should music with understanding. Most Bible commentators, when discussing this verse, major on the argument of  known or unknown language.  They fail to recognize that this mention of  singing is  also a Bible principle of musicing. 
       Note that the word psallo (5567) used here means, according to Strong's Dictionary, "Probably strengthened from psao -to rub or touch the surface; to twitch or twang i.e. to play on a stringed instrument."  So, we are talking about instrumental and vocal music in this passage of Scripture. St. Paul is instructing the Corinthian Christians to music with understanding both vocally and instrumentally. St Paul, who was a linguist, understood that psallo connoted both instrumental and vocal music.  He would never have used a Greek word that meant precisely what he did not want to say.
       The Bible instructs us that part of the meaning of musicing both vocal and instrumental music should be an  understanding of the music which is both inside (intrinsic or embodied) and outside (extrinsic or designated) of the composition itself.  This means that part of the understanding of the internal formal properties of the composition being preformed and their meaning to the performer and hearer are to be found  outside of the music itself.  This does not connote that the musician who is "doing" should not have understanding of the internal embodied meanings of the art itself.  He or she most definitely should under the music's formal properties, its text, and how to interpret it aesthetically. However, music's meaning is not a totally esoteric meaning that is part of a closed system with no relationship to life outside of the music itself.