Musicing with Understanding

Musicing with Understanding

Ps 47:6-7, “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.”

Adam Clarke stated that the phrase sing ye praises with understanding means, “sing an instructive song. Let sense and sound go together. Let your hearts and heads go with your voices. Understand what you sing; and feel what you understand; and let the song be what will give instruction in righteousness to them that hear it.” Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 3 page 372.  The Cambridge edition KJV margin translates zamar sakal (2167, 7919) as “everyone that hath understanding”. 

Certainly every Christian musician wishes to sing and play music with understanding.  I believe that the beginning of this wisdom is understanding that God is KING.  He is not a merely a god but rather He is the only true God.  As this passage puts it “God is the King”.  He is Elohiym Melek (430, 4428) i.e. He is the exceeding God who reigns!  Every musician must understand that He is not merely a god who was but that He is the only true god and is living and reigning now! 

Five times in these two verses musicians are instructed in sing praises.  The final admonition states that before a musician sings praises he or she must gain understanding and use this understanding when musicing unto God.  I believe that the main source of this understanding will be imparted to earnest Christian musicians while they are on their knees before Elohiym Melek.