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Do you believe that everyone can sing?” Does any and everyone who has a voice possess the ability to sing a song? This question is well worth investigating because it has such bearing on our worship and spiritual well-being.
The Bible says, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-20). It is a well-established fact that singing is to be a part of our worship to God. But time and time again we hear some say, “Brother, you don’t want me to sing to you, I couldn’t carry a tune if I put a bucket on my head!” Then others will say, “I don’t sing out loud during the worship because I don’t have the ability, but I do make melody in my heart.” The American humorist, Charles Farrar Browne who was popular in the mid 1800’s said, “I am saddest when I sing. So are those who hear me.” However, we must ask, “Why would God demand we do something that everyone doesn’t have the ability to do?”
The following exert is from the Columbia Encyclopedia:
“Not only is the voice the principal means of human communication, but it was undoubtedly the first musical instrument. The instrument is within the performer, and the condition of the vocal apparatus, and thus the quality of the voice, is strictly dependent on the physical and mental condition of the singer. Since the vocal impulse cannot actually be described, the teacher’s task is to provide the pupil with concepts, usually systematized into a vocal “method,” that will free the vocal apparatus from restrictive tensions and lead ultimately to the complete coordination of all the faculties involved.”
Surprising, there is an absence of articles or explanations on why people have an inability to sing. It is true that some natural ability comes into play and some of us don’t have the vocal range that others have but it would seem to reason that development of your singing voice is no different than learning to ride a bike, play tennis, or shooting a gun, it just takes practice.
Can everyone sing? Yes, if you have the ability of speech, you also have the ability of song. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t it a comfort to know that God hasn’t placed a command upon us that we all can’t comply with? I want to encourage you to sing in our worship together. You’ll receive such a blessing while actively participating in the worship of our Heavenly Father. You can now comply with the Psalmist when he said, “I will declare Your name to my brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You” (Psalm 22:22; Hebrews 2:12).
Jay Launius
Maud church of Christ
Maud, TX