More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 5

More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 5 

            Nehemiah 8:10  states, ”Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  Psalm 89:15 states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound [teruah 8643—great acclamation of joy]: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”  Psalm 149:1-2, “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.  Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful [giyl, 1523] in their King.”  The word giyl is used in a great variety of applications in the OT but it most often connotes gladness and rejoicing.  These scriptures are only a few of the multitude of Scriptures that teach worshiping with much joy.

 Certainly the fact that the Bible repeatedly mentions singing with joy should encourage us to music with outward joy and emotion.  1Chronicles 15:16  states, “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy [simchah, 8057-exceeding gladness and pleasure].”  Isaiah 12:2-3 states, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  Therefore with joy [sasown, 8342—cheerfulness, gladness and mirth] shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”  Zepaniah 3:17 states, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy [giyl, see above] over thee with singing [rinnah, 7440—singing with gladness and joy].”