Music And The Temple

The Old Testament

1. Introduction
  1. God has used a variety of ways in which to communicate His truth:
    1. Narrative history: Genesis 1-2
    2. Wisdom: Proverbs
    3. Prophecy: Ezekiel/Daniel
    4. Dictation: contained in prophets and history.
  2. But one way that God has chosen to communicate His truth is that of poem, or song.
Hebrews 1:1–2
1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
1. God’s means of communicating His Word has been very comprehensive.
2. The use of songs, however, is unique and expressive, which themselves are part of the revelation.
  1. In the songs of Scripture, we have the heart of God in the organization of the song, as well as the mind of God in the content of the song.
  2. The songs themselves are meant to communicate truth, which are meant to convict reprove, and exhort for the purpose of repentance, comfort, and consolation.
  3. This fact also instructs us that God can, and did, use different styles in order to communicate His truth, since that what style is for.
3. Notice the sound of the shophar “שֹׁפָר” on the mt.
  1. Exodus 19:16–19

16     So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17     And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18     Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
19     When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder.

Exodus 20:18–21

18     All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance.
19     Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.”
20     Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.”
21     So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

1. This was the ram’s horn sound. It announced the arrival of YHWH on the mountain and it was tremendous. The sound was no doubt that of an intense, siren-like, sound that would deafen the ears. This sound also will accompany the following:
  1. The march around Jericho – Joshua 6
  2. The sacrifice on the day of atonement which accompanies the year of Jubilee – Leviticus 25:9.
  3. The battle of Gideon and the Midianites with 300 horns in order to shock the Midianites – Judges 7
  4. The times when Israel went out into war – 2 Samuel
  5. The announcement of Solomon as king over Israel – 1 Kings 1
  6. The announcement of Jehu as king – 2 Kings 9

1. Up to this point, the use of the “shofar” is a resemblance leading all the way back to YHWH’s appearance on the mountain. It was a sound not made with people on the mountain, but by God Himself. That sound is replicated by the Ram’s horn. Thus, it would accompany particularly important announcements relating back to the importance of God’s appearance.
2. Thus, Jericho, Gideon, Jubilee, kingship all replicate the gravity of God’s appearance on the mountain, although the truthfulness of the quality of the kings remains to be seen.
3. However, as you see things progress, the shophar becomes useful in accompanying other instruments in worship.
4. David in the entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem – 1 Chronicles 15:25-29.
  1. V. 28 = “horn”
  2. This entourage accompanied celebration of God’s faithfulness and the Word of the Covenant for Israel coming into the city of God’s name.
  3. This arrival was very significant and could be likened to the arrival of YHWH on Mt. Sinai as God “comes” into His city, Zion (Jerusalem).
1. David goes onto to receive plans from God as to the building of the Temple, although he, himself, is not allowed to oversee the project due to his bloody hands (1 Chronicles 22:6-19).
1. The plans for the construction of the Temple were given to David by God-1 Chronicles 28:1-21
  1. David assembles all the dignitaries of Israel and presents Solomon to them as well as the building of the house. He rehearses the commandment that God gave to him concerning the kingdom of David, the rulership of Solomon, and the throne of the kingdom.
    1. David also gives to Solomon the plans for the design and construction of the Temple Solomon is to build (1 Chronicles 28:11-13).
      1. The plans included the assignment of the singers, who themselves were Levites.
      2. The plans were given from YHWH to David and he wrote them down (v. 28:19).
  2. The plans from God included the division of the sons of Aaron, Levites, who would become the portion of the Levites who would:
    1. Offer praise and thanksgiving:
    2. These are the divisions of the Levites “for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord.”
      1. This phrase describes their work in the house of God-the work of the service.
      2. It is a phrase that refers to the ritual work that the Temple demands.
      3. This included the songs of praise and thanksgiving.
    3. It is evident that these singers, at least the division of singers, also ministered by song in front of the Tabernacle as well until Solomon built the Temple.
2. Organization of the singers in the temple:
  1. All singers were Levites.
    1. 1 Chronicles 15:16-24
    2. This is significant because these must be spiritually acceptable to serve the Lord, i.e. by His ordination (1 Chronicles 15:2 “Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.” )
  2. All singers were appointed by lot under the direction of King David.
    1. 1 Chronicles 25:1-7
    2. 1 Chronicles 6:31

31 Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark rested there.

This meant that David oversaw their work, organization, and the appointment.
1. Primarily because he is king. But also because he was a singer himself and the Lord gave him to create instruments for worship (1 Chronicles 23:3-6).

1. All singers were accompanied by instruments.
  1. 1 Chronicles 15:16
    1. You will notice some Psalms with the names of these kinds/styles of songs in their titles:

1 Chronicles 15:20–21
20 and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah, with harps tuned to alamoth;
See Psalm 46: title

21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah, to lead with lyres tuned to the sheminith.

See Psalm 6 (8-stringed lyre = Sheminith)

1 Chronicles 15:19
19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze; (see 1 Chronicles 16:5 – Asaph was a chief musician and kept temp with these cymbals).

Heman: Psalm 88
1. Asaph: Psalms 50, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83,
2. Ethan: Psalm 89
3. Jeduthun: Psalms 39, 62, 77 (choir director-

yĕdûtûn. Jeduthun. The name of one of the three leaders of the musical guilds in the tabernacle (and the temple) under king David (I Chr 9:16; 25:1–7; II Chr 5:12; 29:14; 35:15). These perpetual guilds were appointed to celebrate, confess, and praise Yahweh with song and musical instruments. The primary instrument of Jeduthun’s guild was the harp, though the trumpet, lyre, and cymbals were perhaps used as well (I Chr 16:42; II Chr 5:12). In the superscriptions to Psalms 39, 62, and 77, the reference to “Jeduthun” is most likely a reference to him and his guild as the musical performers who were to render the psalm instrumentally and/or vocally. It is therefore interesting that the name “Jeduthun” is most likely derived from yādâ, one of the major terms for praise (cf. BDB, pp. 392–393).¹

What does all of this mean?
1. Music, song, and instrument, accompanied worship.
  1. Song did not generate worship.
  2. This singing required training –

1 Chronicles 15:22
22 Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was in charge of the singing; he gave instruction in singing because he was skillful.

1. Singing in the Temple served a function, actually three:
1. Praise of God/Lament to God:
  1. There are different psalm categories:
    1. Lament: has a special meter that imitates limping (Cracking, p. 199).
    1. Plea for help,
      1. Complaint
        
        Confession of sin
2. Praise: recounting who God is, what He has done, and invoking listeners to join in praise of both (Cracking, p.218).
“There are five principle subcategories of this type of praise:
1. Hymns: (e.g., Ps. 24; 29; 33; 100; 103; 105; 111; 113-114; 117; 135-36; 145-50)….
2. Enthronement psalms: (e.g., Ps. 47; 93;95-99)…
3. Songs of Zion, including pilgrim psalms (e.g., Ps. 48; 84; 87; 120-34)…
4. Royal psalms (e.g., Ps. 2; 20-21; 45; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144)…
5. Creation psalms (e.g. Ps. 8; 19:1-6; 104)…”
(D. Brent Sandy, Ronald L. Giese, Jr. Cracking Old Testament Codes, (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1995), p. 219).
1. Thanksgiving:
Second, this verb was predominatly employed to express one’s public proclamation or declaration (confession) of God’s attributes and his works. This concept is at the heart of the meaning of praise. Praise is a confession or declaration of who God is and what he does. This term is most often translated “to thank” in English versions, but such is not really a proper rendering according to Westermann: In the Old Testament … there is as yet no verb that means only “to thank.” ōdāh, which is usually translated as “to thank,” is not used in the Old Testament a single time for an expression of thanks between men. Thus it is clear from the start that this hōdāh cannot be equated with our “to thank,” which can be directed equally to God and to man. In those places in the O.T. where our “thank” as something taking place between men is most clearly found, the verb used is bērēk, which does not have the primary meaning of “praise” but means “bless.”
In view of these facts, it is clear that the O.T. does not have our independent concept of thanks. The expression of thanks to God is included in praise, it is a way of praising. (Westermann, Claus. The Praise of God in the Psalms. Richmond: John Knox Press, 1965, pp. 26–27.)
The best rendering of the term is “confession,” for the person confesses or declares God’s attributes and works, as seen abundantly in the psalter (cf. Ps 89:5 [H 6]; Ps 105; Ps 106; Ps 145) and elsewhere (cf. I Chr 29:13).

Ralph H. Alexander, “847 יָדָה” In , in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 364-65.
1. 1 Chronicles 16:4–7
4     He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel:
5     Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals,
6     and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.
7     Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord.
1. 1 Chronicles 16:8–13
8     Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
9     Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
10     Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
11     Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
12     Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
13     O seed of Israel His servant,
Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
1. 1 Chronicles 16:31–36
31     Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
32     Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
33     Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;
For He is coming to judge the earth.
34     O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
35     Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us and deliver us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise.”
36     Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting.
Then all the people said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord.

1. Prophesying:
1. Prophesying in music:
  1. 1 Chronicles 25:-7
    1. Illustration: 2 Kings 3:13-15
      1. Elisha is asked to prophesy for the three kings Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.
      2. They were to go up against Moab, but ran out of water in the area they were camping.
      3. They called Elisha and asked him to prophesy = do a miracle, since he was a prophet.
      4. In order to prophesy, he asked for a minstrel (“one who plays on a stringed-instrument-Psalm 68:26).
      5. When he played on the stringed instrument, the Spirit of God came upon Elisha.
    2. Thus prophesying was speaking the Word of God and sometimes was accompanied/or promoted by music.
2. This is key for our consideration of music in the church.
  1. 1 Chronicles 23:24-32
3. Conclusion: What is the result of all of this organization =
2 Chronicles 5:11-14!!!!

Ralph H. Alexander, “847 יָדָה” In , in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 366.) ↩

1. Singing in the Temple served a function, actually three:

1. Prophesying:

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