Worship: Augustine on Music and Worship

Augustine wrestled honestly with the power of music in worship. In the Confessions he wrote: "When I remember the tears I shed at the song of the Church in the early days of my recovered faith, and how even now I am moved not by the singing but by what is sung, when it is sung with a clear voice and fitting modulation, I recognize again the great benefit of this practice." Yet he also confessed his temptation to enjoy the music more than the meaning.

"When it happens that I am more moved by the singing than by what is sung, I confess that I have sinned grievously, and then I would rather not hear the singing." Augustine's honest self-examination produced not a rejection of music but a call for vigilance: music should serve worship, not replace it.

Practical application: During your next worship service, pay attention to whether the music draws you toward God or toward mere aesthetic enjoyment. There is nothing wrong with beauty, but Augustine teaches that worship music succeeds when it carries the heart to God and fails when it becomes an end in itself. Experiment with singing a hymn slowly and deliberately, focusing on each word.