About the Use of Scriptures

About the Use of Scriptures

        There are over 600 references to music that are found in the Bible.  These Scriptures have made it possible for the serious music minister and music educator to have a great amount of guidance in the development of a music philosophy and praxis.  However, it is a mistake to suppose that the direct references to music and musicing are the only verses in the Bible that have meaning in the development of a Christocentric music philosophy.  Therefore, I often use Scripture references as the basis my philosophical and devotional thoughts for musicians although they are not direct references to music and musicing. 

The Christian musician is a Christian first and a musician second.  For this reason, it is necessary to include verses that, in the context of where they are found in the Bible, there is absolutely nothing specifically mentioned about music and musicing.  I use them simply because they are germane to living a Christian life and therefore, are essential when a Christian musician is developing a series of systematic beliefs about the nature value and meaning of music and musicing.

       I never wish to be divisive  about the use of any translation of the Bible.  I believe that the Bible is inspired “God breathed” true truth.  The God’s Word has been preserved over many centuries with great accuracy.  Therefore, it must be treated with great respect. The use of a translation of God’s Word should always be to make the Holy Writ understandable to the reader while preserving the accuracy of the original texts.  The main reason that I use the AV text is because it is the most universal and because there are so many study helps that use it and are keyed to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.  I never use a version of the Bible that obviously strays from to the accuracy of the original texts in order to make the Bible “more readable” or modern.  A translation of the Bible should always accurately represent what the original texts meant instead of what the translator wishes that it meant.  A translation should preserve the accuracy of the original texts actually said rather than interpret or expand on what the writer presumes that they meant.