Once upon a time, music solved our problems

In biblical times, music was able to solve people’s problems. This is because they didn’t have science around to complicate things.

I don’t mean that we shouldn’t be thankful for all the answers scientific research has given us.

But scientific knowledge, expressed as technology, has rendered the very nature of any problem a matter of a formula to be devised, a strategy to be think-tanked, the next pill to be prescribed.

For example, music once aided love. Now Viagra does the job.

The problem is this. Technological solutions always come from the bottom up. Take for example worship. Today the solutions include bass guitars and Jumbotrons, flashing lights, simpler choruses over more complicated hymns (perhaps as a solution to shorter attention spans, or NFL games at 10am -- on the West Coast).

But in the Bible’s view of problem solving, solutions always come from the top down, as in: "Heaven came down and glory filled my soul..."

So, first there is Glory. That is high-voltage stuff.

So it is stepped down to Beauty. Still not household current.

So it is stepped down to Music. And our problems are solved.

Logos2Go

Psalm 49.3-4 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.