The primary function of the fourth commandment is to teach us to observe a certain day as a day of worship and rest. Yet for the musician this commandment implies principles which reach beyond just keeping a day, principles which establish cycles of tension and rest. These cycles give music its motion and are key elements in composing music. A good composer knows the proper relationship of tension to rest and is able to balance them in his compositions. At creation God set up a pattern of six days of work followed by a day of rest.
Creation progresses dramatically to a climax, the creation of man on the sixth day.
The day of rest naturally followed from this work. God taught His image bearers the pattern of work and rest, and as image bearers, we are required to observe these principles in our work just as God did. A composer must know when to rest, how much tension leads to rest, and how long to rest. He does this by observing how God did it. Thus good music demonstrates a proper balance between tension and rest.