The Goodness of Singing

The Goodness of Singing

This week at work I received an email about songs and language learning from one of my professional organizations. The report noted that singing makes learning  a new language easier  and students retain more new vocabulary when it is sung, rather than spoken.  This did not surprise me.  Early childhood education has always been rich in music, poetry and chants because young children love them and through rhythm, rhyme and melody, kids pick up a lot!  It would be reasonable that the same benefits could apply to learning a second language.

Actually, I have heard about other positive results from singing. Singing elevates mood.  Participating in singing is known to help depression, whether that is singing in a group or just singing on your own.  At work, after the classes recite the Pledge of Allegiance, there is a patriotic song.  I try to join the singing whenever I can, knowing that it will boost my spirits at the beginning of that day.

There is also evidence that singing is good for dementia patients. Singing together helps dementia patients connect with others and it exercises an important region of the brain.  Singing has cardiovascular benefits and it reduces stress, increases immunity, and improves mood and memory. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3767275/) No wonder nursing homes have so many sing-alongs!

The Bible frequently refers to singing, and usually it is in the context of singing praises to God. There are fifty Biblical directives to sing, including Psalm 96: 1-3:

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song;     sing to the Lord, all the earth.             ² Sing to the Lord, praise his name;     proclaim his salvation day after day. ³ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

We’re told to sing. We’re told to sing to God.  We’re told it’s praise and we’re given ‘the why’: to share Good News and repeat God’s great works.

This Sunday, June 25, there will be a worldwide opportunity to sing. In churches around the world, a new hymn entitled “For the Cause” will be introduced and sung, in quite a few languages, I might add!  Modern hymn writer Keith Getty, best known for “In Christ Alone,” has composed this new hymn and Sunday is the rollout at participating churches. Here is the link to find out more: https:www.globalhymnsing.com.

As God is our Creator, it doesn’t surprise me that He’s given us something that’s really good for us. Singing is a gift.  It’s not about the perfect tune or moving lyrics, nor does it depend on the quality of your voice.  Singing is an expressive action, mostly with joy but always with emotion. As Elsa sang, “Let it go” and see how good you feel!

Listen to “In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, sung by Kristyn Getty.

Author: Brenda Proulx

Wife, mother and grandmother, educator and someone who thinks about the things I observe. I am the daughter of a writer; my dad's career was in the field of journalism. More significantly, I am God's child, a person believing in Jesus Christ and in His timeless Word. Blogging is new to me but I feel like I've always had a pen in my hand. I jot notes in my planner, mark papers, underline verses, write many letters, and occasionally draft articles for work or church. When I am not holding a pen, I am probably cuddling a mug of coffee. View all posts by Brenda Proulx