Crazy Canticles: Spontaneous Worship and the Prophetic use of Music in the Bible and Contemporary Church

“Spontaneous worship” is a staple of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement that involves coordinated instrumentality and improvised lyrics often of a repetitive nature. One can view William Matthews and Austin Williamson, for example, at Bethel Church in Redding, California singing a spontaneous song entitled “Wind of the Spirit” which consists of the following 10-minute refrain:

I can feel the wind of the Spirit
and it’s taking me out
I can feel the wind of the Spirit
and it’s taking me deeper and deeper and deeper

These lyrics appear to be drawn from Ezekiel 47, where God brings the prophet out into deeper waters as the temple complex is measured.

Spontaneous worship is often used for meditative purposes in a Charismatic practice known as “soaking,” in which Christians attempt to seek God’s presence and to foster the prophetic. Criticisms are sometimes lobbied against this spiritual discipline, with the most common being that it seems emotionally manipulative. John MacArthur, of Grace Community Church states in one interview that he wishes “the music would all go away and I didn’t have to deal with sensations along with my thoughts.” Is this really a reasonable response to the modern Christian worship movement?

In order to tackle this criticism, we first have to look at a seemingly unrelated topic: Architecture.

Sacred Architecture

Skill in religious and worship contexts is a biblical precedent. Ezra is referred to as a scribe who is “skilled (מָהִיר / mahir) in the law” (Ezra 7:6). According to Exodus 26:1, 31, those involved in the artistic embroidery of the tabernacle’s textiles are instructed to do so “skillfully” (חֹשֵׁב / hoshev). Elsewhere, those who fashion Aaron’s garments are referred to as the “wise of heart” (חַכְמֵי־לֵב / hakhme-lev) whom God has imparted a “spirit of wisdom” (Exod 28:3; Cf. Exod 28:6, 8, 15, 27-28, 29:5; Many translations render these terms variously as “skillful” and “spirit of skill” [ESV, NASB, NRSV]). Likewise, the “wise of heart,” both men and women, are called upon to create the various furnishings and construction elements of the tabernacle (Exod 35:10, 25-26). In one specific case, Bezalel and Oholiab, along with various construction workers, are filled with the Spirit of God so that they might gain the skill “to devise artistic designs” related to masonry, metallurgy, and embroidery and to instruct others in those arts (Exod 35:30ff; Cf. 1 Kgs 7:14, 1 Chr. 22:15).

That the elements of worship required skilled laborers is telling. God is the creative genius behind creation (Amos 4:13) and, as such, we should not be surprised that the location in which he resides on earth should be equally creative.

The features that made up the tabernacle were, in another sense, meant to cause a sense of awe in the onlooker. The naturally gifted and Spirit-empowered workers were meant to produce artistic pieces that manipulated the emotions of those who saw it. It was meant to be a place that signaled “this place is important” and maybe “I should wear my best tunic”. All art is meant to manipulate the emotions. This is why art exists. We see paintings, sculptures, and architecture that make us say “wow!” and take pictures to show friends and family. Similarly, the very structure where God chose to dwell is full of “manipulating” features such as precious metals, wafting aromas, and sacred images.

When we look at the way that God ordained his dwelling place, it ought to inform our thoughts about music as well.

Musical Skill

Most Christians have probably heard the joke that once you learn four-chords on an acoustic guitar, you are essentially equipped to play 99% of available Christian music today. While there may be advantages to this, such as the ability for those new to an instrument to quickly play and lead in worship contexts, the criticism is also somewhat warranted.

Musical skill is spoken of in various passages of the Hebrew Bible as well. The servants of Saul search out a man who is “knowing” (יֹדֵעַ / yodea) in playing the lyre (1 Sam 16:16-18). Further, only “all the understanding” (כָּל־מֵבִין / kal-mevin) musicians of the Levites were put in charge of other groups (2 Chr. 34:12). Elsewhere, a certain team of individuals seem to have been trained in the “skill” or “knowing” (יוֹדְעֵי / yodee) of lamentations (Amos 5:16). Perhaps most obviously, Psalm 33:3 commands the hearer to play “skillfully” (יטב / ytb; literally: play “good/well”) on stringed instruments.

These examples also showcase manipulation. One would doubtful hire a lamenter who is always smiling or sings upbeat songs about puppies while you grieve the death of your father. Music, by its very nature, is meant to manipulate the emotions. This is why we listen to music, to shift our mood and mind to something else. We listen to sad songs when we are grieving and rhythmic pop music when we are on a road trip with friends. Music also helps with social bonding and regulating our emotions. When we sing songs as a group, we (should) grow in unity with those around us. This is why you can see people in mosh pits at metal shows or people hugging after a concert, despite having just met the individual!

Psalm 150 states that people should worship God with trumpets, lutes, harps, tambourines, dance (!), strings, pipe, and “loud clashing cymbals”. If one is not skilled in such instruments, you could imagine how distracting (and painful) this might be to listen to. Importantly, playing skillfully is seen as a response to God’s uprightness and faithfulness (Ps 33:4). Skillful music is manipulative music. A musician who doesn’t make you “feel” anything is probably not going to get hired to play at the local pub. Similarly, emotive music on a Sunday morning is not somehow bad because it has manipulated your feelings. What is manipulative (in a negative sense) is when someone uses your heightened state for their own ends, such as financial fleecing.

False teaching is unrelated to “emotional music” (a phrase, I guess, which is redundant), despite them often being paired by discernment ministries. Ironically, it seems that discernment ministries seem to cater to a specific demographic of people who usually are not very in tune with their emotions or who value stoic firmness as a virtue, or whose primary emotion is anger.

Music and Prophetic Ecstasy

Spontaneous worship is often connected with prophecy and ecstatic expression. A video of Jeremy Riddle, Steffany Gretzinger and William Matthews shows them singing a song about God sending the latter rains of Joel 2:23. Steffany sits on the stage rocking back and forth spontaneously singing that “you can’t run between the rain drops,” with the apparent meaning that you cannot escape God’s Spirit as he is poured out on his people. From an outsider’s perspective, this may seem “silly” or “childish” for grown men and women giggling as they sing in front of a Church congregation. Yet, I think it is a beautiful picture of child-likenesses. The instrumentation and singing are still skillful and the lyrics are not theologically deviant by any means. Indeed, it seems to me that this kind of joyful singing is exactly what might be missing from much of today’s Churches.

Ritual dancing and music have been commonly noted by scholars of religion as a primary mechanism for inducing trance and ecstasy.[1] In ancient Syria and Mesopotamia, the word for “ecstatic” derives its etymology from the hurling or whirling dance they performed to work themselves into ecstatic frenzy.[2] Music was often used in the ancient world to induce an altered state of consciousness, especially for the purposes of divination. The philosopher Apuleius (2nd century CE), for example, discusses at some length how a combination of music, aromas, lamps, and incantations were used so that young boys would be “stirred into a trance (Latin: soporari) … and thus, just as if he was sleeping (Latin: quodam sopore), he foretells future matters.”[3]

One may immediately assume upon reading this that using music to enter such states is sinful or inherently “pagan,” yet, prophecy in the Bible is often connected with the use of instruments as well and many scholars argue that this music was used to induce a trance-state or ecstasy.[4]

In two stories found in 1 Samuel, for example, Saul is said to meet a band of prophets who are playing instruments and prophesying.[5] In the first story (1 Sam 10:5–6), Saul has the Spirit of God rush upon him so that he starts prophesying with them. In the second, and more dramatic, story (1 Sam 19:19-24), the Spirit of God comes upon him, causing him to strip off his clothes and lay naked all day and all night prophesying! It is particularly important to notice that onlookers twice ask the question “is Saul among the prophets?” (1 Sam 10:11, 19:24), insinuating that this is just the way prophets sometimes acted. Indeed, many of the standard Hebrew lexicons available today will list ecstasy as a possible meaning for Hebrew term for “prophesy” (נבא / naba).[6]

In another story, Elisha is asked to prophesy by the king of Israel and, in order to accomplish this task, the prophet calls for a musician. Once the music was played we read that “the hand of the Lord came upon him” (2 Kgs 3:15). This phrase is used of ecstatic experiences elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible as well (1 Kgs. 18:46; Ezek. 1:3; 3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1).

The connection between music and prophecy is explicit in 1 and 2 Chronicles:

“David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king” (1 Chr 25:1-2)

“The singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their place according to the command of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers were at each gate. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites prepared for them” (2 Chr 25:15)

Some scholars variously interpret what is happening as musical improvisation[7] or ecstasy.[8] That instrumental accompaniment was used to induce prophetic ecstasy may find support in the fact that Jahaziel is said to become Spirit-Possessed in the assembly and is directly associated with the musical family of Asaph (2 Chronicles 20:14).

If music inherently manipulates the emotions, we should not be surprised that it is used for the purposes of stirring one into contemplation for the purposes of prophecy. While one is in a heightened state of emotion, distractions from the external are suspended, often allowing an individual to hear more clearly from God and focus their attentions on him. The use of spontaneous music can both help facilitate this atmosphere and, circularly, bring on further spontaneity in worship.

Conclusion

So, is worship music manipulative? Yes.

In the same way you wouldn’t go to a club to listen to low tempo country music nor likely play dubstep at a funeral, music is contextual. In worship contexts, playing repetitive and spontaneous music seems to foster a social environment in which prophetic ministry comes more naturally. While this may never be overtly explained by individual Churches who practice spontaneous worship, there seems to be an unspoken “cultural script,” implicit in the format in order to facilitate the prophetic.

To be fair, you may find singing the same song for 20 minutes redundant, but this is a personal taste and is no more "manipulative" than singing 5 verses + chorus of an old hymn that brings you to tears every time.

Notes

[1] Rouget, Music and Trance: A Theory of the Relations between Music and Possession. Plutarch, Dialogue on Love, 16 (Mor. 758EF; 1st – 2nd century CE): “Now the prophetic part of enthusiasm derives itself from the inspiration of Apollo possessing the intellect of the soothsayer; but Bacchanal fury proceeds from Father Bacchus. And with the Corybantes ye shall dance.”

[2] See Sonik and Steinert, The Routledge Handbook of Emotions, 260.

[3] Apuleius, Apologia, 43.

[4] Williamson, “Prophetesses in the Hebrew Bible,” 69-70, 73: “Probably the most consistent element in the portrayal of the prophetess is the association with inspired singing with accompanying instruments and dancing, suggestive of feverish enthusiasm if not necessarily ecstasy.”

[5] Firth, “1 Samuel 19:23,” 294-305; Isbell, “Origins of Prophetic Frenzy,” 66; Heard, Revelation and Leadership, 120-122; Bodner, 1 Samuel, 196.

[6] Rowley, “The Nature of Prophecy,” 6: “On the philological side it is incontestable that the verb [hitnabbē]… commonly means 'to behave in an uncontrolled manner’.” See the respective entries in HALOT and DCH.

[7] Ehrlich, Randglossen zur hebräischen Bibel, 350; G. von Rad, Das Geschichtsbild des chronistischen Werkes, 114-15; Galling, Königliche und nicht-königliche Stifter beim Tempel von Jerusalem, 73.

[8] Slotki, Chronicles, 133.