September 3, 2025
How Music Can Enhance Our Prayer Experience
Not everyone connects with God in the same way. Whether we are seeking a new relationship, or looking to go deeper in faith, it’s important to try to open up through a prayer form we relate to best. For me, it’s music, but other people might find it in silence, reading Scripture, journaling, and together in community at Mass. While I have found benefit in each of those ways to pray, for me, it is through the melodies and words of Christian music that has deepened my encounter with God in some of the most profound ways. It is Hans Christian Andersen who is credited with saying, “Where words fail, music speaks.” That little phrase reminds us that music has a unique power to elevate our prayer, touch our emotions, and help us connect with the mysteries of our faith in a way words alone sometimes cannot.
In my own prayer life, I’ve discovered how Catholic hymns, psalms, and modern sacred music can open doors to deeper reflection. I’d like to share a few of my favorite songs and Artists which each bring their own musical style, but all share a common goal: helping us meet Christ in a personal and transformative way.
The Beauty of the Psalms
One example of music enhancing the way we pray is through listening to God’s word through the psalms sung to a beautiful melody at Mass. As a cantor for over 30 years, I have had the privilege of proclaiming God’s word though the music for the psalms written by many composers. The purpose of the cantor is to lead the congregation in the singing of God’s word together and to convey the scriptures through the music in a way that draws them into personal reflection on the word of God. Listening to a sung psalm can shift our prayer from more than just reading God’s Word, but to experiencing it. Often, I find myself humming the refrain of a psalm I just sang on Sunday and use it as a mantra of prayer during the week while I’m working or doing chores around the house. Sometimes it helps me focus on the task at hand or makes me think about the meaning of the words as they relate to my faith in everyday life.
In recent years Francesca LaRosa has become one of my favorite psalm composers. She is known for her rich melodic settings which are both prayerful and really allow the cantor to bring the Psalms to life for a congregation in a relatable way.
Here are a few links to Francesca’s psalm compositions for you to pray with:
Psalm 40 – “Here Am I Lord: I Come to Do Your Will”: A beautiful expression of obedience and willingness to serve God in whatever He asks of us.
Psalm 34 – “Tase and See the Goodness of the Lord”: This prayer encourages the listener to trust God and experience His goodness through prayer and seeking His guidance.
“My Soul Proclaims” (The Magnificat) : While this is not a psalm, this song is her latest collaboration with Singer/Songwriter Sarah Hart based on Luke 1:46–55, known as The Song of Mary. It is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for God’s work and celebrating God’s favor on Mary.
Music can draw us in to silence, inspire us to dance, or unite us in song — all of which can lead us deeper into prayer. Next time you sit down to pray, consider adding music to the moment. Sing along or just let the melody wash over you. Music doesn’t replace prayer — it enriches it. It helps us not only say the words but feel them in our hearts. After all, when we allow music to guide our prayer, we are reminded that God meets us in every note and every lyric. Let’s pray together through the music and allow God to permeate every part of our hearts.
Aimee Wasinski🎼
Posted by Aimee Wasinski
