“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through music.” – Martin Luther

Martin Luther might have said it best: “the gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through music.” It’s true that music provides us with the opportunity to express God’s Word in a way that touches our spirit and the spirits of others in a unique way.

What you are about to read (and what you will read each month) is what I pray will be an opportunity for you to study God through this gift, which may even be an experience that is new to you. Through the examination of a song, hymn, or other piece of music, we will look at God’s Word through a different lens, and see what he might reveal to us. 

A Few “Minor” Reflections – O Lord, throughout these Forty Days

O Lord, throughout these forty days you prayed and kept the fast; inspire repentance for our sin, and free us from our past.

You strove with Satan, and you won; your faithfulness endured; lend us your nerve, your skill and trust in God’s eternal word.

Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed and fixed your mind above; so teach us to deny ourselves that we may know God’s love.

Be with us through this season, Lord, and all our earthly days, that when the final Easter dawns, we join in heaven’s praise. 

The fourth grade students I teach learn about the difference between major and minor keys at some point during their school year. 

Keys, which are derived from a tonal center and set of pitches, are defined as major or minor, with the major keys sounding “happy” and the minor keys sounding “sad”. There is certainly a larger scope of adjectives that could be used to describe the feelings you get from these sounds, but happy and sad sum up the idea fairly well, especially when talking to nine and ten year olds.

During the Lenten season, the music we hear is often set in a minor key. 

Sadness can be an appropriate response during this season, especially on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. If you’ve taken some time to reflect on the meaning of Lent, you might also find this season to be one for pensive and reflective thinking. 

Minor keys can also create an auditory experience ripe for reflective thought, which is perhaps why they fit the season of Lent so well. 

The text of the hymn “O Lord, throughout these Forty Days” is often set to tunes that are in a minor key. 

Based on Luke 4:1-13, this hymn shares thoughts on Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, where we see him tested by Satan. The text reminds us not just of the temptation that Jesus faced, or even the strength that he showed when facing such trials, but of the kind of true lasting peace that only comes from our God. 

I especially love verse three: “Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed and fixed your mind above; so teach us to deny ourselves that we may know God’s love.” Giving in to the temptation of the world provides short-term satisfaction, an experience that may feel right in the moment, but will ultimately fade away, leaving us empty and without peace. When we deny ourselves and our desires, we allow space for God’s love to replace that which we resist. 

The lyrics highlight just how different our lives can be when we embrace that Godly peace, rather than the fleeting “happiness” that temptation can bring.

The right music is often key to setting the right mood for an event. May God continue to set the proper mood for our hearts and minds as we continue to reflect during these forty days, in scripture and in song.