By Jeremy Bell
I am going to share my personal study on Psalm 53 using groupings from my motif analysis. I have taken these groupings of the Psalm and put them together. So, the entirety of the Psalm will be posted, but these groupings will present the text in a different order.
Pierre Boulez said, “Music should be a collective magic and hysteria.” Indeed, many of us can remember a music performance that spellbound a large audience. Some performances move the audience to tears while others move the audience to thrash about in expressions of anger. This list could go on and on, but the focus here is in the consideration of music and its’ effect on the collective; a collective mood music effect.
Chemical Stuff
Music has been linked to dopamine release. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain. Dopamine is involved as a type of “reward center”. It is also connected to many body functions, like memory, motivation, mood, and more. Music, affecting dopamine, affecting the regulation of mood and craving behavior. Literally mood music. Combined with endorphins, music affects the way we feel and often connect us with others. The mix tape became a regular item in the 80’s as the cassette tape lent itself well to individuals customizing playlists that expressed their emotions. No longer was the single person left alone to express their own emotions, they could do so with other people’s words they felt did a better job than themselves.
When mood music is shared, endorphins run high and social community grows stronger. Some sentiments never thought before by some are embraced by all and often the collective embrace erupts in shared appreciation. Imagine the will power to break from this social acceptance if some lyrics are not shared in unity. For most, it is too much, so the power of the music is often embraced through peer pressure. Many lyrics are often unknown or remain in willful ignorance for the chance to be accepted and considered on the inside of the collective. It is worth taking note of the type of mood music you’re listening to and remember; you join with others. You may feel it’s’ personal, just for you, but music is relational participation with real effects on the brain that shapes the experiences of a person.
In my motif analysis, further highlighted in my book, Psalms in Motif Visualization, I have identified 3 distinct sections, or elements to this Psalm. These sections are much like the sections of a piece of music, each related, but distributed in a pattern throughout the Psalm. When I arrange for Audio Visualization, my goal is to highlight the patterns and intent over strict translation. I hope it gives fresh encouragement, but I strongly recommend the Psalm to be read as is for proper understanding.
[ Psalm 53 ]
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity.
There is no one who does good.
Every one of them has gone back.
They have become filthy together.
There is no one who does good, no, not one.
Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
God looks down from heaven on the children of men,
to see if there are any who understood,
who seek after God.
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and don’t call on God?
When God brings back his people from captivity,
then Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad.
There they were in great fear, where no fear was,
for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.
You have put them to shame,
because God has rejected them.
A Broader Look
We can all imagine, and often witnessed, the happiness expressed in dancing, or embracing, or respect for others that music inspires. And it is an inspiring thing. But often we don’t consider the depression music can collect us to. Sometimes, the angst, and many unconsidered feelings of hopelessness and despair. The popular music of society rallies people to join in song, sharing a godless version of personal truth. There is mockery of a higher being though respect for a higher self. We have all together, joined in this song of deception, we are even born into it.
This doesn’t make music bad; music has great power to remind us that we are part of a collective. Jesus described the collective as a binary situation. Those who know Him and He knows, and those who don’t Him and He does not know. We have all participated in being fools who continue in filthiness. All of us have been in fear, where there was no fear. We have all been living in delusion and growing that delusion for others.
But God…
But God breathed, God spoke, and put a song in new hearts, in His people. God sent His Christ, Jesus and people sang about it. They still do, and we join in that song to participate in that great collective of God’s people. Before was the mood music of hopelessness, now is the mood music of hope. Before was the mood music of the nature of corruption, now is the mood music of the Nature of Joy.
Resources and Notes
All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.
For more related to this blog, check out my post on Reliable Fundamentals for Healthy Discipleship Ministries.
This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Biblegateway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.
Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.
One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.
There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.
Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.