The Ministry of Music In The Bible
In order to have an informed dialogue about God & Music, it's important to understand the biblical role of the ministry of music. A brief examination of the public ministry of music during Bible times, offers significant lessons for church music today. I came across this paper, by Gregg Strawbridge, Ph.D., which sums up my thinking on this issue pretty well (and saves me a lot of typing). --cjp
by
Gregg Strawbridge
The transition from the unsettled, nomadic life in the desert to
a permanent lifestyle in Palestine under the monarchy afforded
the opportunity for developing a music ministry that would meet
the needs of the worshipping congregation at the Temple. Prior
to this time the references to music are primarily in
conjunction with women singing and dancing to celebrate special
events. Miriam led a group of women in singing and dancing to
celebrate the overthrow of the Egyptians (Ex 15:1-21). Women
played and danced for the conquering David (1 Sam 18:6-7).
Jephthat’s daughter met her father with timbrels and dance upon
his return from battle (Judg 11:34). With the establishment by
David of a professional music ministry of Levites, music making
was restricted to men. Why women were excluded from serving as
musicians in the Temple, is an important question that has
baffled scholars. We shall comment upon it shortly. Women did
continue making music in the social life of the people.
The book of Chronicles describes with considerable details how
David organized the music ministry of the Levites. An insightful
analysis of how David accomplished this organization is provided
by the doctoral dissertation of John Kleinig, published under
the tile, The Lord’s Song: The Basis, Function and
Significance of Choral Music in Chronicles. For the purpose
of our study we limit ourselves to a brief summary of those
features that are relevant for the ministry of music today.
According to the first book of Chronicles, David organized the
music ministry in three stages. In the first stage, he ordered
the heads of the Levitical families to appoint an orchestra and
choir to accompany the transportation of the ark to its tent at
Jerusalem (1 Chron 15:16-24). The second stage occurred after
the ark had been safely placed in its tent in his palace (2
Chron 8:11). David arranged for the regular performance of
choral music at the time of the daily burn offerings with choirs
if two different places (1 Chron 16:4-6, 37-42). One choir
performed under the leadership of Asaph before the ark in
Jerusalem (1 Chron 16:37), and the other under the leadership of
Herman and Jeduthun before the altar in Gibeon (1 Chron
16:39-42).
The third stage in David’s organization of the ministry of music
occurred at the end of David’s reign when the king planned for
the more elaborate music service that would be conducted at the
temple that Solomon was to build (1 Chron 23:2 to 26:32). David
established a pool of 4000 Levites as potential performers (1
Chron 15:16; 23:5). They accounted for more than ten per cent of
the 38,000 Levites. “Some kind of examination was probably
necessary for the process of selection, since musical ability is
not always inherited.” David himself was involved together with
his officials in the appointment of 24 leaders of the watches,
each of which had 12 musicians for a total of 288 musicians (1
Chron 25:1-7). These in turn were responsible for the rest of
the selection of the musicians.
The Ministry of the Musicians
To ensure that there would be no confusion or conflict between
the sacrificial ministry of the priests and the music ministry
of the Levites, David carefully delineated the position, rank,
and the scope of the ministry of the musicians (1 Chron
23:25-31). The performance of the ministry of music they were
subordinate to the priests (1 Chron 23:28). The nature of the
ministry of the musicians is graphically described: “They shall
stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and
likewise at evening, and whenever burn offerings are offered to
the Lord on Sabbath, new moons and feast days, according to the
number required of them, continually before the Lord” (1 Chron
23:30-31). The context suggests that the musicians stood
somewhere in front of the altar, since their music performance
coincided with the presentation of the burnt offering. The
purpose of their ministry was to thank and praise the Lord. They
announced the Lord’s presence to His assembled people (1 Chron
16:4), reassuring them of His favorable disposition toward them.
In 1 Chronicles 16:8-34 we find a remarkable hymn of praise that
was sang by the Temple choir. “This song consists of portions of
Psalms 105, 96 and 106, which were reworked and recombined to
produce this remarkable liturgical text. The song itself begins
and ends with a call to thanksgiving. A concluding petition and
doxology are appended in 1 Chronicles 16:35-36. We thus have in
1 Chronicles 16:8-34 a carefully crafted composition which has
been placed there to demonstrate the basic pattern of
thanksgiving which David instituted for performance by the
singers in Jerusalem.”
Successful Music Ministry
The music ministry at the Temple was successful for several
reasons which are relevant for our church music today.
First, the Levite musicians were mature
and musically trained. We read in 1 Chronicles 15:22
that “Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing;
that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it” (NIV).
He became directory of music because he was an accomplished
musician able to instruct others. The concept of musical skill
is mentioned several times in the Bible (1 Sam 16:18; 1 Chron
25:7; 2 Chron 34:12; Ps 137:5). Paul also alludes to it when he
says: “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my
mind” (1 Cor 14:15; NIV). The choir consisted of a minimum of
twelve adult male singers who served between the ages of thirty
and fifty (1 Chron 23:3-5).10 Rabbinical sources report that the
musical training of a Levitical singer took at least five years
of intensive preparation.11 The biblical principle is that music
leaders must be mature with an understanding of music,
especially today as we live in a highly educated society.
Second, the music ministry at the Temple was successful because
its musicians were prepared spiritually.
They were set aside and ordained for their ministry
like the rest of the priests. Speaking to the leaders of the
Levites musicians, David said: “Sanctify yourselves, you and
your brethren . . . So the priests and the Levites sanctified
themselves” (1 Chron 15:12, 14). The Levites musicians were
given a sacred trust to minister continually before the Lord (1
Chron 16:37). Endtime Issues No. 39 Page 13 of 32
Third, the Levite musicians were full-time
workers. 1 Chronicles 9:33 states: “Now these are the
singers, the heads of father’s houses of Levites,
dwelling in the chambers of the temple free
from other service, for they were on duty day and
night.” Apparently the Levites’ ministry of music entailed
considerable preparation, because we read that “David left Asaph
and his brethren there before the ark of the covenant of the
Lord to minister continually before the ark as each day
required” (1 Chron 16:37). The biblical lesson is that ministers
of music must be willing to work diligently in preparing the
music need for the worship service.
Lastly, the Levites musicians were not singing artists invited
to entertain the people at the Temple.
They were ministers of music. “These are the men whom
David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the
Lord, after the ark rested there. They ministered with song
before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (1 Chron 6:31-32).
Through their musical service the Levites “ministered” to the
people. There are five other instances in the Old Testament were
the Levites are said to minister to the people through their
music (1 Chron 16:4, 37; 2 Chron 8:14; 23:6; 31:2). The ministry
of the Levites musicians is well defines in 1 Chronicles 16:4:
Moreover he appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before
the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the
Lord, the God of Israel.” The three verbs used in this text, “to
invoke, to thank, and to praise,” suggest that the music
ministry was a vital part of the worship experience of God’s
people. An indication of the importance of the music ministry
can be seen in the fact that the Levites musicians were paid out
of the same tithes given for the support of the priesthood (Num
18:24-26; Neh 12:44-47; 13:5, 10-12).
The biblical principle is that the work of a minister of music
should not be “a labor of love,” but a ministry supported by the
tithe income of the church. It stands to reason that if a lay
person volunteers to help in the music program of the church,
such service does not need to be remunerated. Summing up, the
music ministry at the Temple was conducted by experienced and
mature Levites who were trained musically, prepared spiritually,
supported financially, and served pastorally. As Kenneth Osbeck
observes: “To minister musically in the Old Testament was a
great privilege and a most responsible service. This is still
true of a church music-ministry today. In a very real sense we
are New Testament Levites. Therefore these principles
established by God for the Levitical priesthood should be noted
as valid guidelines for music leaders in a New Testament
church.”
Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.
Professor of Theology, Andrews University
4 March 2000
editor@praisenet.org
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