Sacred and Profane Sounds—part 1

Sacred and Profane Sounds—part 1

            “Universally, the human ear distinguishes between musical and unmusical sounds, and even in clamorous environments like city streets and shopping malls we tend to gravitate, either consciously or unconsciously, toward these organized sounds.  The division between music and everyday noise is, then, analogous to the distinction between sacred and profane; ns in a society as God-oriented as ancient Israel, it is fitting that holy words were musically offered and received.”  Music in Biblical Life by Jonathan L. Friedman, p. 113.  This concept is attested to by Psalm 89:15, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”  The word translated joyful sound is teruah (8643) which means a joyful or the sound of rejoicing.  This terminology is often used with musicing in the Old Testament. 

            Whether there is a difference between sacred and profane sounds has been a hot topic since the middle of the twentieth century.  Friedman is certainly not alone in his assessment that a difference between sacred and profane sounds, as related to sacred musicing, has been believed since the time of musicing in ancient Israel.  As a matter of fact it was generally agreed that there was a difference between sacred and profane sounds until the 1960’s.  Oddly enough it was Christian musicians who developed the notion that there was no difference between the sacred and the profane (except for words).