Introduction
In
the Old Testament we see music richly woven into the fabric of the
life and worship of the people of God. The Jewish handbook for the
Hebrew was the Psalms, and it expresses the great heritage of Jewish
piety, as well as giving the New Testament believers a beautiful source
for Christian song.
Music and instruments which make sounds are both inseparable and illusive in the Bible.
The problem with music is once the sound is created it is gone. This creates a problem in
identifying the music which was performed. In fact it is impossible to recreate with any
certainty. With the instruments of music the problem is identifying the actual artefacts
discovered by archaeologist with the terms for them found in the Bible.
There were no musical instruments or singing connected with the service of the tabernacle
as ordained of God through Moses. In Numbers 10 the mention of the silver trumpets was for
the purpose of either gathering the people at the tabernacle, sending them away or
preparing them for battle. Musical instruments were not used for the purpose of worship,
in tabernacle worship and were introduced at a later time.
However music and musical instruments were known long before this time. Jubal is first
mentioned in the Old Testament as a musician along side other cultural activities. Genesis
4:21; 21:27
Moses sang a song of victory when Pharaoh's armies were destroyed. Exodus 15 and Miriam
led the people in a song of response. But as God led Moses in the parts of worship,
singing is obviously missing. The Psalms under David see the introduction of the song of
praise in worship. Why David and not Moses is not mentioned.
The New Testament makes reference to music in the Gospels, Acts and Epistles. It
crescendos in the book of Revelation as a great eternal Psalm to the sovereign Creator and
Redeemer.
 Wind Instruments
Ram's Horn
The most popular musical instrument in the
Bible is the ram's horn. In Hebrew the word is Shophar. It is sometimes called a trumpet
or a coronet. Joshua 6; Exodus 19 It was limited to two or three notes of sound and was
blown as a signal to warn or announce. Judges 3:27; 6:34; Nehemiah 4:18-20 It was made of
a ram's horn, curved in shape and hollowed out. New moons and Sabbaths were announced with
the blowing of the 'Sophar' and is still used today in some synagogues.
Trumpet
The trumpet or 'hazora' was a tube of straight
metal with a flared end in contrast to the ram's horn which was curved as the horn existed
naturally. This was a man made instrument. The main difference between the two types of
horns would be the sound of the tone. The trumpet is thought to have had a higher pitched
sound, but like the ram's horn was also limited to only a few notes, unlike the modern day
horn.
They were made of hammered silver and used to call the community of Israel to worship.
They were blown in pairs by the priests and announced temple sacrifice and worship.
Numbers 10:2-10; 2 Chronicles 5:12-13 Trumpets were also listed among the temple utensils.
2 Kings 12:13; Numbers 31:6
Flute
Other wind instruments would fall into the
classification of pipes or flutes. It is sometimes translated organ but the organ in
biblical times was a 7 to 10 piped or reeded mouth organ. The Hebrew word is 'khalil' from
'halil' which means pierced or to bore which may refer to the holes drilled in the wood or
bone shaft. It would be similar to the modern day clarinet, with two separate reed pipes
with a mouthpiece made of one or two reeds. 1 Kings 1:39-40; Jeremiah 48:36; Matthew 9:23
It can be end-blown, and cross-blown. This instrument was not associated with the temple
but rather feasts and funerals. It could create a mournful sound as well as joyous. It had
a secular rather than sacred use.
Stringed Instruments
Harp
 Harp
The harps of the Bible took many different shapes and sizes but all
were of similar construction. They were plucked, or struck they were not bowed in
Antiquity. Generally the harp is taken to be the Hebrew 'Kinnor' which David and the
levites used. 1 Chronicles 15:16; 2 Chronicles 5:12 The stings were made of stretched
sheepgut and were pulled to attach to the sounding box rather than over the sounding box
like the lyre. The harp was common among the Egyptians. It was used in temple and court
life. Isaiah 5:12; 1 Chronicles 25:1 It was the instrument used to cheer King Saul's
depression by David. 1 Samuel 16:23 There is no account of how many strings it may of had.
It is assumed that it was plucked or struck but not bowed. The Psaltery was the larger
harp usually with 10 or more strings.
Lyre
They Lyre is closely related to the
harp. It had the strings stretched over the sounding box to produce a beautiful resonant
sound. The Hebrew word is 'nebel' and could have up to ten strings. Psalm 92:3 The word
nebel is usually used of a skin bottle or jar and may refer to the shape of the sounding
box. The Nebel is usually mentioned in association with worship rather than common life.
Isaiah 5:12; 14:11 Closely related to the Nebel was the Sackbut, a triangular harp with 4
strings. Daniel 3:5
Precussion Instruments
Tabourine
This Hebrew word is 'toph'. It was
a small drum with a skin membrane stretched over a frame. It is sometimes translated
timbrel or tabret in the KJV. Women would usually dance with these in their hands and so
indicate their size. Exodus 15:20 They were either beaten with the bare hands or sticks.
The tambourine was associated with celebrations of joy or gladness. Genesis 21:27
Cymbals
The Hebrew word is 'tselatsal' or 'meziltaim'.
2 Samuel 6:5; Psalm 150:5 The word conveys the idea of a clatter. It is used of the
whirling sound of the wings of locust. Deuteronomy 28:42; Isaiah 18:1 These were copper
plates struck together to get a clanging sound. 1 Corinthians 13:1 They were struck
together in the Temple worship to mark the chapters when the Psalms were sung.
Sistrum
The Hebrew word 'menanaim'
describes its sound as a rattling sound. It may be very close to the Egyptian sistra. It
looked like a child's rattle with metal plates strung on rods of a wooden frame. When it
was shaken it would produce a rattling sound. 2 Samuel 6:5 Rattling sounds could also be
made by placing beads in a hollow gourd.
Bells
Bells may not be strictly
classified as instruments however they were found in the Old Testament around the robes of
the priests and produced an important sound in the worship of Israel. Exodus 28:33-34;
39:25-26; Zechariah 14:20 The bells would tell the congregation when the High priest was
moving or stationary. This became very important on the Day of Atonement when the High
Priest entered the Holy of Holies to place the blood on the ark of the Covenant. Would God
accept the sacrifice. The sound of the bells told Israel if the High Priest was destroyed
by the wrath of God or whether the sacrifice was accepted by God.
Types of Worship Music
Psalms
The First term used is 'Psalmois'. It
indicates the Psalm's of the Old Testament and any that have been composed by New
Testament believers. The Psalms were the main hymnody used by the Church for about a
thousand years. They are true expressions of the redeemed heart for God.
Hymns
The Second term 'hymnois' signifies a song of
praise composed from the content of Scripture. Augustine said 'If thou praisest God and
singest not, thou utterest no hymn. If thou singest and praisest not God thou utterest no
hymn. A hymn then containeth these three things: Song, praise and that of God.'
Spiritual Songs
The third category is Spiritual Songs, 'odais Pneumatikais' which
indicates that these odes or songs were generally composed out of a personal relationship
with God and were spiritual expressions of adoration and aspiration. The term spiritual
given to these songs limits their content to scripture not made up of frivolous and
worthless trifles.
The three terms used here have one important trait in common: they connote upward praise
and adoration of God in Christ for Who He is and what He has done. Ephesians 5:19-20; Acts
16:25
Structure
Seek to identify the structure of the poetry.
Check the list of types of Parallelism. Is it synonymous parallelism, climatic
parallelism, etc.? What type of form is it in? Is it lyrical or didactic? Analyse the
lines of each couplet to see how they are related to each other. Look for figures of
speech and identify them.
Choirs
Old Testament
Choirs are only mentioned in the Old Testament
in the history of the Bible. Musicians were taken exclusively from the levitical families.
1 Chronicles 9:33 They were professional musicians who lived in Jerusalem at the Temple.
In 1 Chronicles 24-25 the Levites are divide according to their different roles. Asaph,
Heman, and Jeduthun were set apart as musicians and prophets. 2 Chronicles 35:15; 1
Chronicles 25:1, 6-7
It is clear from these and many other passages in the Old Testament that music and in
particular singing was left up to the members of the tribe of Levi with regard to Worship.
Women early in Israel's history sang and danced however it was in celebration of victory
in returning from victory. Miriam sang at the overthrow of the Egyptians Exodus 15:1-21;
women sang and danced for conquering David 1 Samuel 18:6-7; Jephthah's daughter met her
father with timbrels and dance upon his return from battle. Judges 11:34
The Levites fulfilled a mediatorial role in the Old Testament system of worship. Only
through the Levites could the children of Israel approach God. Numbers 3:6-8 It was for
this reason that they alone could arrange and perform music to the Lord. Their priestly
duty involved worshipping God in music.
And so the Levites were the only ones to form the Temple choir. One of the priestly duties
was to perform and lead the music. The choir consisted of a minimum of twelve adult male
singers. They served between the age of thirty and fifty with a five year training period.
The Mishnah even laid out the minimum and maximum number of specific instruments allowed.
These were trained organised choirs.
New Testament
In the New Testament there is a very different
picture. When the temple was destroyed in 70 AD the choir disappeared. There were no
choirs in the Synagogues because these were places of instruction rather than worship.
There was three forms of public singing of the scriptures, It might be called responsive
singing. The Leader would chant or sing the first part then the congregation would sing or
chant the same part or the second part.
Now in the New Testament in contrast to the minority priesthood, all of God's people are
priests through the blood of Christ. Revelation 1:5-6; 1 Peter 2:5
As a direct result of Christ's atoning death on the cross, a powerful and definite swing
from divided, segregated worship as in the Levitical system, to united and corporate
worship through the blood of Christ, has taken place. We are exhorted to worship God in a
united and corporate way today. We are now all to sing Psalms, Hymns and spiritual songs.
Colossians 3:16, Revelation 5:13
Glory to God
The whole motive, mood and aim of worship
music is gratitude and thanksgiving to God. Worshippers are to be intoxicated with the
Spirit rather than wine, stimulating the response of praise in song. Ephesians 5:15,20;
Colossians 3:12-17
Paul uses the same musical distinctions in Colossians as in Ephesians. In Colossians Paul
emphasises the fact that God's word is the centre of our teaching, counselling, and
singing as a congregation. Worship music, as well as worshippers, must be richly indwelt
with the word of Christ. Colossians indicates that worship music must have high doctrinal
content.
There is also an emphasis upon the upward direction of all of the music used in worship.
It is never directed manward, but Godward. Thanksgiving and gratitude of heart are to fill
our praise and adoration of God in Christ for who He is and what He has done. Even when
our circumstances may not call for such a response, like when Paul and Silas were in
prison, yet they 'sang praises unto God'. Acts 16:25
Music in the history of the Church has always been and will continue to be an important
part of the worship life of God's people. However, it must always be guarded against
misuse and excesses like all other aspects of worship. And the best choice of Hymns and
the best singing in the world will fall flat if not accompanied by the aid of the Holy
Spirit.
Copyright © 1995 David Graves & Jane Graves,
Electronic Christian Media
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