Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. –1 Samuel 16:23

“Now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha. –2 Kings 3:15

The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:

“He is good; his love endures forever.”

Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. –2 Chronicles 5:13-14

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John Wimber, “Worship,” Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 1989. Video series.

—, ed. Thoughts on Worship (Vineyard Music Group, 1996). Hard to get. Probably copies at the libraries of Regent University, Oral Roberts University, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Fuller, and Pentecostal Theological Seminary.

SermonAudio. Andrew Barnes, “God’s Presence and Instruments,” Christ Presbyterian Church, May 5, 2019.

—. Tim Lovegrove, “The Presence of God in Gathered Worship,” Grace Bible Church, June 11, 2023.

Paul Engle, ed. Exploring the Worship Spectrum (Zondervan, 2004).

LaMar Boschman, The Rebirth of Music (Destiny Image, 1980), pp. 79-80. Boschman is the only charismatic writer I’ve found that talks about the connection between worship music and feeling the presence of God. He has another book I’ve read called A Passion for His Presence (Destiny Image, 1992). Augustin Poulain, the Catholic theologian, also has a section in The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1921), which is called “God’s Presence Felt,” and in that place he describes the experience as a “mystic union” between the person’s soul and the Holy Spirit. He does not refer to musical instruments, but he does bring in the charismatic aspect of “contemplation,” or what charismatics would call “seeking God’s face,” “worship,” or “focusing on the Lord.” Closing your eyes and concentrating your mind intently on the face of Jesus, or the throne of God, or the Holy Spirit surrounding you. This action, when reaching the point of perfect mental concentration on God, with the mind fully fixed that way for several minutes, can attract a feeling of God’s real presence on the body, or should we say, make the worshiper aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence.