Another belief in JudaeoChristianity is that individuals and groups can speak directly to God through sacred words, which God is expected to hear. The sacredness of certain texts, and their power to mediate between God and the community, often requires an extraordinary quality of utterance and manner of performance. Music is a treasured vehicle for underscoring the sacredness of certain texts, and for highlighting their power. While it is possible for music to function many ways in our worship, there are consequences of these many functions. Thus, our worship both expresses and shapes our faith.
Music has the power to express and shape faith because it is a dynamic symbol.
It should be noted that the expressive-creative ability of music, like that of other symbols, does not rely solely upon the conscious intention of the leader or participants in the symbolic event. Rather, the expressive-creative ability of every symbol is related to the participants and the nature of the symbol itself. For example, a man might want to express his love to a woman by giving her roses. The hoped-for effect from the roses should be delight and gratitude. The roses, however, were the favorite flower of the woman's recently deceased mother.