Top 10 Bible Verses About Art With Commentary

What does the Bible say about art? Art has been a part of human history since the beginning. It has been used to express how we feel, documentation of historical events, and to “simply” capture creativity. Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. It can take the form of musical expression, sculptural design, painting and many more forms of creative expression.

Top 10 Bible Verses about Art

Art was designed by God as a form of worship. Although the Bible may not come out and say “this is art”, there are verses in the Bible that talk about art. Here are a few Bible verses that do talk about art along with commentary.

Genesis 1:1 ESV - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The Bible begins recognizing that our God is the ultimate artist of everything. Genesis gives the origin of all things because God created.

Exodus 25:40 ESV - And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

God instructed Moses to instruct the people to design various parts of the temple in exactly the manner he prescribed.

Exodus 35:1-5 ESV - The Lord said to Moses,  “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,  to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,  in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

Here we see that Moses, as called by the Lord, appointed Bezalel and his family with gifts in intelligence, knowledge, and craftsmanship. This would not have been immediately satisfied, each man would have had to work at their skill to grow in it by practicing and producing crafts and growing in intelligence and knowledge to apply for wisdom.

Exodus 35:35 ESV - He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

God is the one who allows skills and gifts to be placed upon someone’s life. It is true that engravers, embroiderers, and weavers are artists in their form, and thankfully so. Without skilled works, we would not have homes to live in and clothes to wear among many other assorted works of creation.

1 Chronicles 15:16 ESV - David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

Music is an art form. David, a skilled musician himself, commissioned the Levites (priests of the day) to appoint musicians and vocalists to raise a joyful noise to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 2:14 ESV - The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father.

Without works of gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood our world would be confused. Our currency would be difficult to manage, our world Olympians wouldn’t receive beautiful crafted metals and our homes would be less structured along with the rest of our lives. Crafting works of art is very important and it is fantastic that our Lord has gifted many with the gift of a skilled craftsman.  

Job 19:23-24 ESV - “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!”

Although this isn’t directly related to writing, writing is an art. It takes time, effort and a skilled knowledge of transferring information and telling stories.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV - He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Making something beautiful takes time. Art is not an immediate return on investment. Art takes time to produce. Looking at how God makes everything beautiful in its time, sometimes it's okay to reflect on a lyric, a sculpture and various art forms for a time until it is made beautiful instead of making a rash art project.

Jeremiah 18:3 ESV - So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel.

God is molding us and making us into who He has us designed to be. Pottery is an art form in which a potter spins the wheel and the clay on the wheel is molded into various tools for use such as vases, bowls, and plates. Allow God to mold you into His design for your life.

Romans 11:29 ESV - For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Once God places a gifting and calling on someone’s life there is no straying from the path that God sets out. Gifts are used to bring honor and glory to God and one way that takes place is through art as a form of worship–music, art, etc.

Art Bible Verses: Conclusion

Art is an interesting topic in the Bible. Although the word “art” is not easily found in the Bible we know that it exists based on God’s creating quality. God is very creative and has gifted His children in similar ways. If God has called you to art, go for it. Write, record, paint and build as God has gifted you all for His glory.