Singing together

Ephesians 5:18b-20 (NRSV) be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus ChristIn the broader passage from which this is excerpted, Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus about morality and behavior that reflects someone who is following Christ, discussing such heavy issues as sexual morality, greed, purity of the words we speak, and avoiding drunkenness. A person might think that singing together seems kind of frivolous or at least out of place by comparison. On the contrary, singing is an important way we connect with God. Saint Augustine is often attributed with the expression, “To sing is to pray twice.” When we sing rather than just saying the words of our prayers, we often connect more deeply with them. Music has great power to stir our emotions, activating parts of our brains and, I believe, our souls that aren’t as activated when speaking those words alone.Science confirms this — singing is good for us. It lowers cortisol and blood pressure, and it releases endorphins and oxytocin, reducing stress levels. It’s good for our cognitive health both by focusing our brains through engaging in the activity itself and by quieting the “noise” of our minds. By engaging the lungs, it improves breathing, and by stimulating the vagus nerve, it might even improve digestion! Some studies even suggest that singers have a higher level of the antibody Immunoglobulin A, meaning that it could be good for our immune system. Others suggest it might help with pain management. Notice, too, that Paul doesn’t say “sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs by yourself.” He specifically encourages us to sing together. When we sing with others, we intensify further that expression of Augustine’s — we not only pray twice, we share in an emotionally intensified prayer with others. This connects us in ways that are crucial to the communal aspect of our lives of faith. And when we sing together, research bears out that pure magic happens. Our heartbeats actually start to sync to others’ with whom we are singing, and our sense of community increases by strengthening our social bonds. Studies have shown singing in groups to be helpful for those with mental illness, creating a sense of inclusion. It has been proven to increase self-confidence and to help us process and cope with emotions, too.Of course, Paul didn’t have all this data when he wrote his letter. But the placement among these other behaviors seems conspicuous. It turns out that choosing good or “pure” words has physical effects on our bodies. Not engaging in sexual immorality or lots of drunkenness similarly does. Greed destroys our mental health. So, given all of this, it makes perfect sense that Paul placed singing together — an activity that can improve our lives individually and collectively — as an alternative to more harmful ones he’s cautioning against. So friends, let’s sing. For now, let us pray.Thank you God, for the songs we sing, the opportunity to sing them, and the people with whom we share them. May our songs praise you always. Amen.This devotion was written and read by Dwight Dockery.Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: [email protected]. First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.