The Bible is like "the soul of theology," and spinal column spirituality of Christian religious practice. It is not surprising, therefore, that dozens of singers and musical groups have drawn inspiration from the Bible to compose and sing famous songs that have impacted so many people. Here are 15 biblically inspired songs to enjoy.
What do U-2, Elvis Presley, Justin Bieber, Karol G, The Birds, Matt Maher, Leonard Cohen, Hakuna Group Music or Iñigo Quintero have in common? One answer is this: they have been inspired, to a greater or lesser extent, by biblical episodes. Both the Old and New Testaments, and of the Gospels.
Nothing is written about taste…
In these themes pulsate his faith and his doubts of faith, the search and the need for God, Old Testament psalms, the Eucharist, the Church... There could have been many more. In the social networks you will be able to comment on it, correct oversights, or contrast likes and dislikes.
A brief comment. Including a song in this TOP 15 does not imply putting the author or authors on a pedestal. The songs reflect vital processes (with their feelings and reasons) to approach faith in God, to hope in Him, with clarities and obscurities. Here they go.
1. 'Lord I need you'. Matt Maher. Need for God
Matt Maher explained in this interview with WJTL Radio what the song means to him. Lord I need you. The verses he sang became even more poignant the day he had his son. Suddenly, Matt was holding a helpless and very needy baby.
Maher recalls the verse 'every hour, I need you' as she fed, diapered and cared for her baby. She reflected on what it really meant for Christians to need God.
2. - '40'. U2, Bono. Hope in divine help
You have here ’40’in which the mythical Irish group, with numerous songs inspired by the Bible, put music to Psalm 40: 'He set my feet upon the rock and made my footsteps firm. He stooped down and heard my cry... I'll sing a new songHow long, how much longer, how much more'?
They are in Chicago, and with appeals even to traffic, Bono reflects with the biblical Psalm 40 the experience of waiting steadfastly for God's help and being rescued from the 'miry clay'. U2 closed numerous concerts in the 80s and 90s with this song.
3. 'Holy'. Justin Bieber. Faith and hope
The singer published in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the song 'Holy' (Saint, saint), which could well have been titled 'On God' (On God). Christian faith has always been important to the young Canadian Justin Bieber, who has, or had, the phrase 'Son of God' tattooed on his chest.
With 'Holy', Bieber made his debut in the Christian music together with the rapper Chance The Rapperspeaking about faith and hope. Justin is a worker who loses his job, and sings that we must always keep the faith.
4. 'His Hand In Mine'. Elvis Presley. Faith in God.
The king of rock and roll shared his deepest side as he performed 'Peace in the valley', a Christian hymn that his mother loved. In the opening verses of her song 'His hand in mine' (His hand in mine), one can see the depth of this song, inspired by Psalm 23.
5. 'Thanks to you'. Karol G. Trust in God
The Colombian Karol G also has a song dedicated to God, '.Thanks to you'. There she recalls that 'when I fell and lost my way, Lord, thank you for picking me up and showing me that there is nothing in the world that you and I together can't figure out. Thank you for coming into my life and taking control, don't go away, I don't want to be without you again.'
After her recent successes, Karol G wanted to send a message of faith and confidence to her followers, and thanked God for the blessings she has brought into her life.
6. 'Viva la vida'. Coldplay. Fugacity of power
'Vida la vida' and Chris Martin have clocked over 600 million plays on Spotify, and remains one of the band's highest charting singles of all time.
In the lyrics of 'Life the life' you can see that perhaps Martin and his colleagues know the keys and the whys. "I discovered that my castles were supported. On pillars of salt and pillars of sand. I hear the bells of Jerusalem ringing. The choirs of the Roman cavalry are singing. Be my mirror, my sword and shield."
We talk about in the background of a reference to a sick painter, Frida Kahlo, bedridden before her death. A message from Coldplay: if you want peace, be peace; if you want love, be love. I sing to life in so many marches.
7. 'Hallelujah'. Leonard Cohen. Praise to God
Discussions have been heard on occasion about this song by Leonard Cohen, '.HallelujahThe song refers to an adultery recounted in the Bible (of King David and Bathsheba, wife of Uriah), for which the king repented and asked for forgiveness (Psalm 51, Miser. The song refers to an adultery recounted in the Bible (of King David and Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah), for which the king repented and asked forgiveness (Psalm 51, Miserere). Before, he received help from the prophet Nathan. You can see here the catechesis of the Pope Francis about this Psalm 51, King David's sin and God's forgiveness.
The popularity of the song, with its numerous versions, is great. Leonard Cohen, of Jewish faith, passed away in 2016. In Hallelujah he had written, "I will appear before the Lord of Song. With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah."
8. - 'Sweet madness'. Batah. Eucharist.
The channel is called Batah (Hebrew for 'Trust'), and includes songs such as this one about the Eucharist, 'The Eucharist' and 'The Eucharist'.Sweet madnessand versions of groups and singers. The name reflects the willingness to leave everything in God's hands and thus, living in trust, be happy in Him.
9. 'Beautiful things'. Benson Boone. Plea to God.
Beautiful things (Beautiful Things), it's like a plea to God, a prayer. Benson Boone says he thanks God every day for the girl He sent him, but he knows the things He gave him can be taken away. "But there is no man more terrified. Than the man who runs the risk of losing you. Oh, I hope I don't lose you. Please stay. I love you, I need you, oh, God. Don't take away these beautiful things I have. Please stay. I love you, I need you, oh, God."
10. 'He turned the water into wine'. Johnny Cash. Miracles of Jesus.
He turned the water into wineHe turned water into wine," is the name of this Johnny Cash song written during a trip to the Holy Land with his wife a few decades ago, in 1968. They went to Canaan, and in a small church there was a cistern with water from the same place Jesus used to turn it into wine. It all inspired him, Aleteia says, and he wrote the song upon returning to Tiberias.
In the lyrics, Johnny Cash not only refers to turning water into wine. "He walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, He cried out and stilled the tide. He healed the leper and the lame, fed the hungry multitude. He healed the leper and the lame man. He turned water into wine.
11. Turn, turn, turn!. The Byrds. Ecclesiastes.
The title translates literally as Turn, turn, turn!But it also has a subtitle: 'To Everything There Is A Season'. "A time to be born and a time to die / A time to plant, a time to harvest / A time to kill and a time to heal / A time to weep and a time to laugh."
The song was composed by folk singer-songwriter Pete Seeger, who took the lyrics almost verbatim from the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastesin which King Solomon contemplates the meaning of life, God and eternity.
12. Let them all be one'.. Luispo y Trigo 13.
"Our music speaks of how Christ has unsettled us, turned our lives upside down and put in our hearts the desire for others to know Him." This is how it was told year and a half ago Ana Zornoza and Mónica Marín, members and founders of the Catholic musical group Trigo 13, launched '.May they all be one'.
'Wheat' because of the parable of the sower, and 'thirteen' because Jesus had twelve apostles... and you can be the thirteenth', they said. Luispo is a priest of Opus Dei, and Trigo 13 is linked to Opus Dei. NGO Jatariwith missionary and volunteer projects in Peru and Spain.
13. Sencillamente'. Hakuna Group Music. Believe in God.
‘Simply' is the most listened song of Hakuna Group Music, along with 'Hurricane', a real 'hurricane' at WYD Lisbon. "I believe, Lord, simply. Because to believe is to trust. And how I love to believe you. Feeling doubts," says the song. In this TOP 15, 'Sencillamente' has been included, although others from the same group could have been included, such as 'Noche', or 'Forofos'. "We want to tell the world a truth that we live and carry deep inside us," says Hakuna.
14. We are the world', USA for Africa, USA for Haiti. Solidarity.
We Are the World (We are the world) is a solidarity song with some African countries due to famine, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1985. It was produced by Quincy Jones and recorded in January by more than 40 important singers. Among them, Ray Charles, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, Cyndi Lauper or Bob Dylan, with Phil Collins on percussion.
The supergroup was called USA For Africa. The song was a huge success. In 2010 there was a version For Haitiand there is also one in Spanish, We are the worldwith Latin singers such as Shakira, Thalia, Paulina Rubio, Vicente Fernandez, Natalia Jimenez, Ricky Martin, Daddy Yankee, Cristian Castro and Jon Secada, among others.
15. Si no estás'. Iñigo Quintero. Relationship with God.
The topic 'If you are notIñigo Quintero, reaching the number one position in the lists in Spain, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland, among others, and also reaching Spotify's coveted global top 1.
In a interview on Cope, Iñigo Quintero acknowledged that in the song he talked about his relationship with God, "about the things I have inside me, about God, about writing to Him, or about Him".
