Rel Integration Paper

Music plays multiple roles in our lives. Some people listen to music for enjoyment, some consider as a source of spirituality, and for some people, it is a source of income. In my point of view, music is a source to give essence to our thoughts and feeling rhythmical. Music influences our inner self; it nurtures our feelings and thoughts. Music can be referred as a sound of spirit. The music which is made with intensity, pure intention and heart, it becomes a source to express the universal nature and the utmost order of the world. In the same manner, the use of music in church is a central concern of the religious community. Holy things, like sculptures, painting, and architecture are a source of unity, but music unites people in harmony.

So, it is asserted that the role of music in praying has significant importance. The last Wednesday night, we sang Psalm 90. The song emphasizes the role and power of God. God has omnipotence power. Thus, we cannot use the noun, God. The figure of God is denoted as the highest being. It is important to people to seek His blessings. The central idea of Psalm 90 is to consider God as an ultimate source of power. We as human beings must seek guidance and redemption from the god. I experienced that feeling of singing a hymn is different when we sing is the same hymn with all ingredients of music (Austell, 2009).

Music connects us with the object or feeling on which we are concentrating. It alludes to our memory, fulfill our spiritual and religious rituals and give us pleasure. It is important to see that when we ask a child to share one's primary learning activities in school, he/she starts to sing nursery rhymes. In the same manner, we also remember rhymes which we used to sing in our primary classes. Thus, in the same way, praying through music gathers the community to worship God. It allows us to show our gratitude to God in the form of group, which no other ritual does.

The important factor of music and its use is that it requires a community participation. People join together to prepare and perform a song. Thus, it is a source of unity and gives rise to the harmony and a shared sense of sentiments. In the case of Psalm, it is a book of songs which have long-lasting imprints on mind and emotions of people. The psalm is a book of songs which meant to pray to an almighty creator. When all people together sing a song, like we did last time, it provokes our spiritual binding. It is like a group of people who seek blessings of God, the ultimate purpose in their lives.

During the praying of Psalm 90, I feel a sense of unanimity and unification with others in the room. As mentioned earlier, music binds use in a string. It provokes our spiritual and religious feelings. The very first line of the song, “he who dwells in the shelter of the highest” represents our feelings towards God. It is an expression of submission, gratitude, and appreciation for God who protects us from evils. When a person remains under the umbrella of His mercy, who can harm the person. In this psalm, then there are two groups of audience, the one who will destroy and second, those who won at last because they have faith in the mercy of God.

Music plays a significant role in our perusal and spiritual development. It calls for our unspoken sentiments and wishes. Music has a universal language which everyone knows and understands. Therefore, music influence our prayers in a positive way, it gives our harmony, strength, develops a sense of binding and unity. In the last activity of Wednesday night, I experienced unity and bondage with religion. Other religious aspects of holy paintings also combine people, but music attracts the aesthetic sense of human beings (Radhakrishnan, 2009). The spiritual aspect of music which is not limited to religious bonding but it should consider as a medication. In my point of view, music is a tool which connects us with the unseen power and abstract elements of the universe. Therefore, music must remain a part of religious ritual in our lives.

References Austell, R. (2009). Biblical Worship Through Music. Lulu.com. Radhakrishnan, C. A. (2009). Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials. Indian J Psychiatry, 51(4):, 247–253.