The Importance of Music

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. [1 Samuel 16.13-14]

And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away. [1 Samuel 16.23]

I realized something amazing (and a bit scary) today. We see that the Spirit of Yahweh came upon David and left Saul. It was obvious - their lives evidently made it obvious. The anointing that had once been upon Saul left him and that same anointing came upon David. It was a transaction so strong that it was obvious even in the natural (evidenced in Saul by the presence of torment).

Even though David would later refuse to "touch the Lord's anointed..." I think that was a mistake because Saul no longer carried that anointing. Perhaps instead what David actually accomplished in letting Saul live was preserving his own anointing upon himself - maybe? It is worth considering further...

What really stood out to me today was that David played the harp for Saul and Saul was soothed. The thought came to me today that it was not David's playing of the harp that soothed Saul, but the Spirit of the Lord David possessed (or was possessed by) that was transferred to Saul through the medium of music! Music is neither evil nor good in and of itself. BUT! We must consider that music is a direct pipeline, spirit-to-spirit from the one who writes it or plays it to the one who receives it.

So, how important is music? Very! But not nearly so much as the spirit of the one playing the music! If music is a medium, then we should be very selective about who's spirit we partake of in listening to their music! If David's 'good spirit' could transfer to Saul through music, I think it makes sense that a 'bad spirit' could be transferred as well.

The story of Saul and David and role music played between them teaches a lesson about the importance of music.

Father, help me to be more selective about the music I listen to... because I want only Your Spirit and Your anointing in my own life!