"S.D.G."

No, those are not the initials of “Sammy Davis Greenbaum.” They actually represent the signature of Johan Sebastian Bach, who signed each piece of sacred music that he composed, “S.D.G.”

Now, Bach did not write under an assumed pen-name. But he wanted everyone who heard and/or played his music to know very clearly who the music was written for, and who is honored every time it is played. S.D.G. stood for the Latin phrase, “Soli Deo Gloria,” “To God alone be glory!”

Now, sadly, though God himself is the creator of music, and created it for his glory and pleasure (And our pleasure too.), there’s a lot of music that does anything but. This is not to suggest that all secular music dishonors and displeases God. Music doesn’t have to be “sacred” to honor God. The chorus of birds in our yard every morning glorifies God, but has never been sung by a church choir or played on an organ. I believe well written popular music can glorify God along with sacred music.

Bach himself did not limit his signature S.D.G. to sacred pieces only, it can be found on the reverse side of the manuscript of the last fugue of the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I. John Butt has opined that this is just one example of Bach’s “musico-centric” view of the cosmos. (Butt, The Cambridge Companion to Bach, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 54-55) Butt explains the term as indicative of Bach’s understanding of music as both reflecting and embodying the ultimate reality of God and the Universe. S.D.G., not a bad signature for any artistic or literary expression intended to honor God.

With due homage to J.S.B. I believe I will use it myself.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4