Music was always an important part of a child’s education and vocational life once upon a time. In the past, one had to be able to sing and play the piano to be a certified teacher. This was especially important for religious education. But while today, the art of music is relegated to niche instructors and students, we can still bring it back in personal, meaningful ways, like our quiet times where we can connect with our Lord Jesus.
If you’re feeling shy about adding a few songs of prayer music, here are some tips that should help:
Pray and Ask for Divine Guidance
What better way to learn and seek help than from our Divine Helper from above? As you start your quiet time, beg the Holy Spirit to guide you to a particular song, hymn, melody, or tune. You might be surprised with what He brings to mind, or you might even surprise yourself!
Play Music
Did you know that teachers have used music in the classroom since the record player became popular? Some even played entire albums and let their students dance along to immerse at the moment fully!
You can do that too in your own private spaces! It’s as easy as opening a YouTube or Spotify playlist and pressing “Play!” Note that if you can sing or play an instrument, you should avoid using recorded music since you can create a melody independently. But if you struggle in this area, it’s better than avoiding music altogether!
It is important to be intentional when choosing music to play in the background during independent work or quiet time. Teach yourself to listen to recorded music with intention and purpose. Look for thought-provoking and good catechetical music, such as contemporary artists, classical pieces like Handel’s Messiah, and Gregorian chant.
You can even listen to published songs with choruses rendered in prayer form! Some great examples include Hillsong UNITED’s “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” and the Maranatha Singers’ “In His Time.”
There are three specific ways to go about playing prayer music: play an acapella version so you can fully connect to the lyrics via memorization, play the original version if you have trouble remembering what the words are and follow as the song plays, or play the original and let your heart speak the lyrics for more meaningful prayer and musical experience.
Learn from The Jews
Since the Jews were the first to experience God, as noted in the Old Testament, they developed their unique way of communicating: their prayer music as their prayers! Unlike modern Christians who state their petitions as if they were simply talking to someone, the Jews rendered their prayers in sing-song form, adding melodies and tones to every word as they lifted them to the Lord.
Watch this video; it’s a great example of this method.
So try that approach. It may seem weird initially, but the sooner you develop the habit, the more you’ll pray to God as ancient followers did! Remember to pray and sing in the English language, not Jewish.
Find Prayer-Inspiring Music at Prayer Pray
Find prayer music that connects you deeper with the Divine through Prayer Pray! We provide listeners with piano, harp, guitar, and flute music so you can pray or sing along during quiet moments. Subscribe today through our website!
