Levite Ministers of Music-part 3

Levite Ministers of Music-part 3 

             It should be pointed out to avoid confusion that the Jeduthun mentioned in the earlier posts is generally believed to be synonymous with the name Ethan of I Chronicles 6:44, and 15:17 and 19, whose father was Kishi (Kushaiah).  Another Ethan mentioned in I Chronicles 6:42 was the son of Zimmah.  We do not have record of the father of Jeduthun, but the name Ethan was only used these two times in conjunction with Asaph and Heman.  All the rest of the times (which were many more) the trio is recorded as Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.
            At any rate, as we discussed earlier, these three chief Levites in I Chronicles twenty-five were the scholars under whom a complex system of twenty-four divisions was organized, each division consisting of twelve vocalists and instrumentalists, separated by lot and totaling 288 musicians in all.  Furthermore, we can hypothesize that the six sons of Jeduthun, the fourteen sons of Heman (notice no daughters are mentioned in verses 8-31), and the four sons of Asaph made up the leaders of the twenty-four divisions and were leaders of a second degree--each having eleven students.  A study of "Levite Music Administration"  in my Book Music of the Bible  explains that the chief musicians, teachers (the sons of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman), were the sons of each chief musicians, and the number of students and teachers per lot are numerated.

            From verses six and seven of chapter twenty-five we see that the various members of the 288 musicians were instructed in the following:  Songs of the Lord, cymbals, psalteries, and harps.  Furthermore, verse seven tells us that all 288 were cunning (995)or could teach or perceive concerning music.  Verse eight refers to the 288 musicians as teachers and scholars.  As we can see from the explicitness of the scripture, the Levite musicians were organized.  I Chronicles fifteen gives the specific job of each of the musicians:  verse nineteen names three leaders (chiefs), vocalists, and cymbal sounders; verse twenty names eight psaltery (lyre) players; verse twenty-one names six harp players.  The words alamoth and sheminith give specific instructions as to how the instruments were to be played.  (See Chapter VIII of Music of the Bible).  Finally, verse twenty-two mentions another leader "And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song:  he instructed about the song, because he was skillful."  Various writers have made conjecture that he was a voice teacher or a choral director.

Levite Ministers of Music-part 2

Levite Ministers of Music-part 2

            I Chronicles 15:16-24 is another example of Levite music organization.  Verse sixteen states, "And David spake to the chief (8269) of the Levites to appoint (amad 5975)^A their brethren to be singers with instruments of music. . ." and verse seventeen continues, "So the Levites appointed (5975)^A Heman. . .Asaph. . .and Ethan. . ." and verse eighteen "And with them their brethren of the second (4932) degree. . ."All of these musicians as well as the students mentioned in chapter twenty-five of I Chronicles were all under these three chief musicians.  It would seem there could be little doubt that the chronicler is stressing the organization, excellence, and administration of the Levite musicians.  The example left for us is that everyone had a rank and a job and as far as we know they worked together in harmony without one single complaint recorded in scripture.

            I Chronicles 23:1-2 states, "When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son King over Israel.  And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites."  In chapter twenty-five we see a complex organization of church music.  Verse one states, "Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals. . ."  Some writers believe that the term "captain of the hosts" means the chief of the Levites.  If this is so, perhaps Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun--all chief of Levites--helped King David set up the organization mentioned in verses eight through thirty-one.

Levite Ministers of Music-part 1

Levite Ministers of Music-part 1

Although we do not know all the significance of the order and organization imposed on the Levite musicians, we do know from scripture that they were accustomed to a high degree of organization.  6:32-48 tells us of some of that organization when it states in verse thirty-two, "And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem:  and they waited on their office according to their order (misphat 4941)."  Misphat means a formal decree giving this statement the import that their placement was of importance to the program of organization.

            Verses thirty-three to forty-four of I Chronicles chapter 6 tell us that Heman the singer stood in the middle and Asaph stood on his right side and Ethan on his left.  Evidently they stood in their respective positions with their sons or brethren (vs. 33 and 44).  We are not informed as to why they stood in this order, but it was important enough for the chronicler to record.

            I Chronicles 16:5 also explains the order and chain of command of the Levite musicians.  "Asaph the chief (7218), and next (mishneh 4932) to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom:  and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals."  This example show their rank.  Asaph was chief and the rest were "next" or Mishna which means of the second rank.  Note that this organization specified that the Levites of second rank would play melodic musical instruments and that Asaph the conductor would sound or direct with the cymbals.

To my Faithful Blog Readers

To my Faithful Blog Readers

Some of my faithful readers have for many months read my thoughts on music. It is my desire that you now have greater insights into the Scriptures concerning music in the Bible.  Church musicians are not usually language scholars and, on the contrary, they have general tendency to avoid original language study concerning Bible music.

            All too many musicians' libraries consist of a host of volumes on music history, theory, literature, a few volumes of hymn stories, and their favorite hypnology text without a single concordance or lexicon to study the original Bible languages.  I hope that your word study appetite has been stimulated until you will at least invest in the standard works that are now keyed to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.

            As we are now more than half way through the second decade of this twenty-first century, every Christian musician needs to not only be prepared spiritually and musically, but also have a deep understanding of the significance of music in the Bible.  It is important that musicians be able to understand the music of the Bible in Christian perspective.  I Corinthians 2:12-13 states, "Now ye have received, not of the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that ye might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

            No music blog will be able to completely guide church musicians in the twenty-first century.  Only an understanding of what the Book of Books has to say about sacred music will serve as a guide for Christian musicians of the next century.  If my blog has stimulated you to study music in the Book of Books, the many hours that it has taken to prepare these posts have been well spent.

                                                                        G.L.W.

Sing unto the LORD

Sing unto the LORD

            "Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name."  (II Samuel 22:50).  Romans 15:9 says, ". . .I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."  In Psalm 108:3 David proclaimed that he would sing praises among people and nations.  Isaiah 42:11-12 is an exhortation to praise God in the islands.  Again the Psalmist David declared in Psalm 57:9, "I will sing unto thee among the nations."  Paul and Silas sang praises unto God in the prison (Acts 16:25).  Finally, we are admonished to, "Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints." (Psalm 149:1).  The writer of the Hebrew letter (2:12) said, ". . .in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."

            We are instructed in God's Word to sing among sinners, among saints, in foreign countries, in the time of persecution, and in God's house.  We are instructed to sing praise unto Him everywhere.

            "Praise ye the LORD.  Praise the LORD, O my soul.  While I live will I praise the LORD:  I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." (Psalm 146:1-2).  "I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live:  I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." (Psalm 104:33).  We should praise the LORD as long as we live, for He is worthy of our praise.  Finally, in the Revelation John speaks of those who win victory over the beast, his image, and his mark.  "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." (Revelation 15:3).

            Rather than becoming overcome by the responsibility to sing unto the LORD, the Christian musician who sings should consider it an honor and a privilege to sing for God’s glory.  The Christian singer never quits singing unto God.  He or she may retire from regular every day music ministry but my Bible teaches that everyone who breathes must use that breath to praise the LORD.

Philosophical Outcomes—part 3

Philosophical Outcomes—part 3

One thing for sure, public education will not directly teach the next generation of church musicians wrong things about God because they are not allowed to openly teach the knowledge of God (as taught in the Bible) in their music philosophy.  Although federal law has mandated that public education can no longer retain God in our educational knowledge, the fact that they will not directly teach false concepts of God does not indicate that no “God-education” will take place in public schools and universities.  By eliminating God as the Creator and Lord of music education, public education relays strong false messages about the nature and value of music to our young people.

 Public education can no longer recognize God in the development of a philosophical basis for music education.  As a matter of fact, teaching God as the basis of all philosophical thought is forbidden.  The only safe path in public education is to omit the authority of God in any philosophical discussion of music.  In public education, no sacred music concerts are legal and the sacred classics may only be taught or performed as music literature.  It is often mandated that there be no Christmas or Easter concerts.  The only time that it is totally legal to mention God in the music classroom is when the music instructor stubs his toe on the desk leg. 

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

I remember so distinctly those thanksgiving weekends when the whole family would gather at mom and dad’s place.  If it was not snowing we would go quail hunting and if it was snowing or had snowed the day or two before, we would go rabbit hunting.  I think the best part of rabbit hunting was walking through the snow covered fields taking in all the beauty that God had provided by the pure white covering he had painted over all the areas that our eyes could take in.  For as far as we could see observing those Kansas rolling pastures and fields that had been harvested earlier in the fall.

            We took this Kansas utopia for granted as though those hunts on Thanksgiving Day would go on forever.  In the earlier days dad would hunt with us but in the years that followed he would only go as far as the barn yard and then he would disappear in the distance as we got farther and farther away.  Those were wonderful times, but of course they did not last.  Like a vapor those times of hunting have disappeared.  Dad and mom are both gone.  He farm has been divided into three different tracts of land with three different owners.  The smokehouse, chicken house and all the pigeon pens are gone.

            As I look back on those Thanksgiving days, I would like to say to all of you out there who are meeting together at your mom and dad’s house, don’t take these times for granted.  Hug your mom and dad and tell them how much you love them.  If you are now “grandpa and grandma” and the married children and your grandchildren are gathered around your table, be sure that you include Christ our blessed savior in your festivities.

Philosophical Outcomes—part 2

Philosophical Outcomes—part 2

 Any musician who believes the end of all human endeavors is the gratification of self will ultimately come to different philosophical conclusions than a musician whose life is sold out to Christ.  For the committed Christian, music begins and ends with God.  To the humanist, music begins and ends with self.  The musician who has submitted his or her music to the Lordship of Christ believes that all church music is sung and played to glorify God since God owns music.  Conversely, the secular humanists (and the religious humanist) believe that music belongs to man’s true humanness since all music is about self-actualization.  This type of thinker owns his or her music.

 We cannot trust public education to produce Christ-centered musicians who have a Christocentric music philosophy.  Christians never should have trusted the world to formulate music philosophy for Christian young people.  It has always been the responsibility of Christians to train their own. Although many Christian parents have ignored it, the world has never been a friend of grace.  Could you imagine the ancient Hebrews calling in the Philistines to train their Levite sons?  The 20^th century church did just that--they called in the worldly musicians who outwardly profaned the name of Christ to train church musicians.  The result was generation after generation of Christian musicians filled with Philistine philosophy. 

Philosophical Outcomes—part 1

Philosophical Outcomes—part 1

Christian musicians often question the necessity of developing a series of systematic beliefs concerning the nature and value of the whole of music.  Furthermore, they often seem to believe that those values set forth by major public colleges and universities are adequate for Christian musicians.  After all, aren’t the elements of music the same for Christians and non-Christians?  The philosophy of a musician who does not bring his entire musical endeavor under the Lordship of Christ should not be completely trusted. Christians must remember that you can also trust an unregenerate musician to be worldly in his or her philosophical basis.

  Matthew 12:34b reminds us that “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”.  Although Christians and non-believers will agree on some issues concerning music philosophy, they will not agree on many of the major issues that will affect how a musician ultimately musics. .  Remember, direction determines destiny!   The committed Christian will not only think different things about musicing but will also think differently about music and musicing.  The reason is that the Christian musician believes that “…he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)   Any music philosopher who is unwilling to put Christ and what the Bible teaches about music first in his or her life will not come to the same philosophical conclusions concerning music and musicing as the committed Christian.

Thanksgiving Should be Volitional

Thanksgiving Should be Volitional

Leviticus 22:29, “And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.”

            Ratsown (7522) translated “ means one’s delight, desire, favor, or pleasure.  Today is the day set aside in the US to give thanks to God for His bountiful mercies and blessings to mankind.  We all acknowledge that God knows everything past , present and even the future.  So, when a Christian musics praise and thanksgiving to God, our heavenly Father knows whether we mean it or not.  This Scripture states very clearly that thank offerings must be free-will offerings.  Volitional thanksgiving means that this act is the result of a Christian making a conscious choice or decision.   

            On this day which has been designated a day of thanksgiving, we should offer sacrifices of thanksgiving.  We should make these sacrifices of thanksgiving genuine worship acts that are our response to the goodness and mercy of our loving Savior.  Christian musicians should not render these musical offerings as acts of obligation but rather acts of our love responses to our loving forgiving God.

Training Our Own

Training Our Own

1Chronicles 25:6, “All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.”  Think of it, all these musical sons were under the hands of chief musicians who loved and served YHVH.  It is of little wonder that sacred music and musicing came to such a high point during this time in ancient Israel. 

            Temple music was without doubt very God honoring for a number of reasons.  First, these God fearing Temple musicians set about instructing the next generation of musicians ‘in the songs of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 25:7).    Second, the higher order of authority over the sacred music and musicing in the Temple sought out chief musicians who loved YHVH and loved sacred God honoring music.  Third, these musicians were willing to five of their time and talent to the task of training their own. 

            If we will follow this pattern of responsibility, there is much hope for the future of church music in his century.  As Christian musicians we must search our hearts to be sure that we truly love and serve Jesus Christ with all our hearts.  Second, those who are responsible for church administration must not run from the responsibility of selecting a music staff who are conservative and have a love for sacred music.  Third, we must take time to instruct our sons and daughters “in the songs of the LORD”.

Ancient Musical Accuracy-part 2

Ancient Musical Accuracy-part 2 

            It is important to note that St. Paul, who was an educated linguist, used a technical reference to the production of musical sound in the aforementioned discussion of spiritual gifts.  I believe the reason that he used this reference to the music part of music was because he knew that there was a broad understanding of the musical importance of musical production.  This reference should put to rest the silly notion that some Christian musicians have that the music part of music has never mattered much.  Let me emphasize that when we read Bible references to music through 21^st century “Western eyes” with contemporary Christian music views in mind, we will doubtlessly come up with erroneous notions about what the Bible teaches about music.

            So, what do we derive from St. Paul’s reference to music?  One thing we learn is is that the need for musical accuracy is not a Western invention.  We also learn that Paul chose to use a reference to accurate sound production because this phemenon was well understood by the common man at the time this passage of Scripture was written.  We also can rightly deduce that if musical accuracy was important in St Paul’s lifetime, it is still important in the 21^st century.  Church musicians do not have license to merely produce noise when they music before a congregation when one is musicing unto God.

             

Levite Ministers of Music-part 2 .

Levite Ministers of Music-part 2

            I Chronicles 15:16-24 is another example of Levite music organization.  Verse sixteen states, "And David spake to the chief (8269) of the Levites to appoint (amad 5975)^A their brethren to be singers with instruments of music. . ." and verse seventeen continues, "So the Levites appointed (5975)^A Heman. . .Asaph. . .and Ethan. . ." and verse eighteen "And with them their brethren of the second (4932) degree. . ."All of these musicians as well as the students mentioned in chapter twenty-five of I Chronicles were all under these three chief musicians.  It would seem there could be little doubt that the chronicler is stressing the organization, excellence, and administration of the Levite musicians.  The example left for us is that everyone had a rank and a job and as far as we know they worked together in harmony without one single complaint recorded in scripture.

            I Chronicles 23:1-2 states, "When David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son King over Israel.  And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites."  In chapter twenty-five we see a complex organization of church music.  Verse one states, "Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals. . ."  Some writers believe that the term "captain of the hosts" means the chief of the Levites.  If this is so, perhaps Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun--all chief of Levites--helped King David set up the organization mentioned in verses eight through thirty-one.

Ancient Musical Accuracy-part 1

Ancient Musical Accuracy-part 1

1Cointhians 14:8, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”

             The Greek word adelos connotes an indistinct or uncertain sound.  Why did the writer use a word in this passage that means an unclear, indiscriminate, uncertain sounding of the trumpet?  Salpigx (4536) is a Greek word that refers to the quavering or reverberation of a trumpet.  So, the writer is referring to the music part of the blowing of the shofar (7782) instead of some spiritualization of its sound.  St Paul was most probably referring to the ancient blowing of the shofar in the presence of the soldiers in ancient Israel.   

             The reverberations that produced sounds that produced the limited amount of pitches that the shofar (7782) needed to be distinct or obviously the wrong signal would be given to the soldiers.  This mention of the trumpet was given in a discussion of the right use of spiritual gifts.  However, Paul used a reference to the technique of blowing the trumpet.  Furthermore, he referred to the he made reference to the accurate articulation of “sound” (phone 5456).

Singing about Our Chief Corner Stone

Singing about Our Chief Corner Stone

            My Son in law sent me the quote below by pastor Jim Cymbala the other day and I have been thinking about it ever since.  It is one thing to sing about Christ but it is totally another to have a personal relationship with the Christ about whom you are singing!  We as Christian musicians need to be sure that when we sing the gospel we are worshiping Christ rather than the gospel music.  A Christian should never sing or play sacred music for his or her aggrandizement.  As you will see when you read the quotation below, pastor Cymbala got it right when he said, “Sadly, some people use gospel music as a platform to go higher in their field…”  Gospel music should never be used by a musician as a stepping stone.  The gospel message should never be a stone to step upon because it is the message of our Chief “corner stone” Christ Jesus.  

Quote for the Day

            "Gospel music has become very popular in recent years. Unfortunately, there are people involved in gospel music today who have no acquaintance with the gospel itself. The truth is that without the good news of Jesus Christ, there is no hope, no matter how much money a person may have earned in the music industry and how well they are known. Without Jesus there is no joy and no peace. The world testifies to that every day. So many celebrities have all the things this world has ...to offer, yet they have to stay drugged up to keep going. When you have Jesus, you don’t need escapism, because you can give your burdens to him and have hope not just for the here and now, but for eternal life.

            Sadly, some people use gospel music as a platform to go higher in their field; but you can’t go higher than the gospel! There are songwriters who try to write lyrics for gospel songs that are general enough to cross over into mainstream music, and so the gospel message is watered down. Whether we sing gospel music, or listen to it, we need to be a partaker in what we’re singing about. The next time you’re singing a gospel tune, whether the song sings the Lord’s praises or tells about the attributes of God and what he’s done in a person’s life, or shares the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, think of the words you are singing – or writing – and let them come from a heart of gratitude for all that he has done!" ~ Pastor Jim Cymbala   

Scriptures for the Day

Ephesians 2:20, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”

 1Peter 2:6, “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

“Dependence” Day

“Dependence” Day

            William Jennings Bryan once said, "On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence."   Every Christian musician should resist the urge to act independently of our heavenly father.  Every musician who is a self-starter will have the propensity to do things in his or her own strength.  When things are going well we sometimes forget just how dependent we are upon our heavenly Father. 

            When things go wrong we remember prayer, supplication and we come to God in humble submission.  We are quick to tell God that we are dependent on his help and that without him we can do nothing successfully.  I wonder what He thinks when we get so submissive.  If God has a sense of humor I imagine that we amuse Him sometimes.  

            We are approaching the US holiday which our forefathers named Thanksgiving.  We should expand this holiday to take in the other 364 days of the year.  I believe that we should take William Jennings Bryan’s advice and spend Thanksgiving Day and the entire Thanksgiving season acknowledging our dependence upon God. 

Song for the Day Give Thanks by Henry Smith   

Thought for the Day

 Psalm 95:2 admonishes musicians who love and serve God, “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”  If Christian musicians desire to experience God’s presence during the Thanksgiving season must remember to “come before his presence with thanksgiving”. 

Prayer for the Day

Lord, I want you to accept my thanks today.  As You well know, this musician needs Your help today and throughout the Thanksgiving season.  So, I am asking you to make my heart more and more thankful each day that you give me life and breath.  This I am praying in Your sufficient name.  Amen.

Why Should We Sing Psalms? Part 2 .

Why Should We Sing Psalms?  Part 2

       Ephesians 5:19 continues the mandate to sing the Psalms as well as other genres, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16 continues this teaching, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

       Another reason that we are instructed in Scripture to sing the Psalms is that they give Christian musicians the wonderful opportunity to teach (didasko 1321) and to admonish (noutheteo 3560).  The Bible puts a premium on sacred musicing being a vehicle for teaching and learning by gentle admonition and warning.  I am not implicating that psalm singing is the only type of musicing that gives the aforementioned opportunities, but it is definitely one of the ways of teaching the doctrines taught in the Bible.

Thought for the Day

James 5:13 asks two questions, 1) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 2) Is any merry? let him sing psalms.  I guess those Christians who do not sing psalms must be sad all the time.

       Ephesians 5:19 continues the mandate to sing the Psalms as well as other genres, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16 continues this teaching, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

       Another reason that we are instructed in Scripture to sing the Psalms is that they give Christian musicians the wonderful opportunity to teach (didasko 1321) and to admonish (noutheteo 3560).  The Bible puts a premium on sacred musicing being a vehicle for teaching and learning by gentle admonition and warning.  I am not implicating that psalm singing is the only type of musicing that gives the aforementioned opportunities, but it is definitely one of the ways of teaching the doctrines taught in the Bible.

Thought for the Day

James 5:13 asks two questions, 1) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 2) Is any merry? let him sing psalms.  I guess those Christians who do not sing psalms must be sad all the time.

Why Should We Sing Psalms? Part 1

Why Should We Sing Psalms?  Part 1

       Without doubt the most important reason that we should sing Psalms is that the Bible very clearly instructs us to sing Psalms.  It is amazing to me that many Christian musicians completely disregard this Bible command.  The Bible does not leave Psalm singing completely up to those who feel like it, but rather it commands us to sing Psalms unto God.  1 Chronicles 16:9 states, “Sing unto him, sing psalms (zamar 2167) unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”  Psalm 105:2 repeats the command, Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”

        James 5:13 also teaches very clearly, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.  Is any merry?  Let him sing psalms (psallo 5567).”  I suppose those who completely ignore psalm singing may only legitimately do so if they are afflicted and are not happy in the Lord.  So, the Old and New Testaments both mandate very clearly that we are to sing the Psalms unto God.

Thought for the Day

Some of the people that I have known for a long time seem to believe that singing psalms is to formal or too outdated to be useful or practical.  What would our worship be like if we believed that obeying many of the other commands given in the Bible were too liberal for committed Christians? 

The Fountain of Living Waters

The Fountain of Living Waters

Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

            I have written and spoken from this verse in many times but I have always concentrated on the concept of “broken cisterns”. I was reading this verse the other day and a new thought occurred to me.  God’s people had committed two evils one of the evils was hewing out broken cisterns but the other evil was the greatest evil.  God said, “They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters”.  YHVH declared that His people had forsaken Him.

            It is noteworthy that God referred to Himself as “the fountain of living waters”.  God was not only living waters but more importantly He referred to Himself as a “fountain”.  Maqowr (4726) connotes, among other things, a natural continuous flowing source.  This continuous source was not merely water but living water.  Christian musicians are constantly in danger of forsaking the source that will sustain spiritual life.  All busy people have to do is fail to drink of the living water YHVH supplies and, according to this verse they are forsaking God. 

             Azab (5800) was translated here in the AV as forsaken but this Hebrew word also connotes “refusing”.  My father used to say, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”.  The simple lesson found in Jeremiah 2:13 is that God has provided a continuous flow of “living water”, but Christian musicians have the responsibility to drink.

Song for the Day--Springs of Living Water by John W. Peterson

Prayer for the Day

            Our dear Heavenly Father I want to thank and praise You for providing an ample supply of living water to sustain all who love and serve you.  I am asking largely today.  I am praying that you will give your musician’s the good common sense to not only come to this source but to drink of this sustaining water.  I am also asking that You will cause Your busy ministering musicians to  be wise enough to not let Satan cause them to forsake God by refusing to drink and thereby be sustained spiritually.  This I am asking in Your wonderful name.  Amen.

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 6

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 6

            In Matthew 12:34 Jesus said to the Pharisees who were so bitter and negative, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”     Happiness is a choice!  Contentment is a choice. Pleasantness is an attitude of our inner-self.  My former pastor and mentor R.E. Carroll used to say that he often would pray, “LORD handle me, LORD take care of my attitude! LORD I cannot change the other guy or his attitudes or actions but LORD please help me with my attitudes and actions!”

            Years ago I first heard the old saying “If you do not want to get burned you had better stay out of the kitchen”.  I have lived long enough to understand that, as a Christian musician, we often get burned by those who ought to be helping us.  With the advent of email it is easy for them to fire off a cryptic nasty negative message without having to face the one that they are targeting with their anger.  Many Christian leaders seem to have forgotten the Bible’s way of handling a difference found in Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”  As a Christian musician let me admonish you to be a part of the solution rather than becoming part of the problem.

Thought for the Day

Agape love is a love that wants to restore others to fellowship with God and with other Christians.  Christ’s prayer in the garden of Gethsemane was a prayer of forgiveness instead of retribution.

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 5

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 5

            We must all remember that we do not have to live a Christian life in our strength.  Jesus said to Peter, in Luke 22:31-32 … Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee…”  Also 1John 2:1 states, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we don't have a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”  (World English Bible)

            So, we will become bitter and sour in our human spirit, or we will allow God to help us get sweeter and sweeter.  If this is going to be a reality in our lives, we will have to allow the Holy Spirit to help us to forgive and forget. In April of this year I sang in a church choir who performed the Easter portion of Handel’s oratorio “Messiah”.  I sang with a man who was quite a bit older than me.  I was impressed that every word that came out of his mouth was positive.  He had been raised in very modest poverty, but he never mentioned even one bitter memory.  He told me very clearly that “We are a blessed people and we live in a blessed nation.”

Thought for the Day

Love in action, agape love, is love that forgives.  As a Christian musician, you may not be able to forget the things that others have done against you but you can forgive them and you must if you plan to ever make it into the portals of the glory world.

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 4

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 4

            In his discussion or the “Love chapter” Adam Clarke, in his explanatory notes on 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, goes on to say,”This was a proof that love for God and man was lacking; and that without this, their numerous gifts and other graces were nothing in the eyes of God; for it was evident that they did not love one another…”  In St. John 13:34 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

            Hard feelings and old hurts can, either fester and get bigger and bigger and bigger during one’s senior years, or the mature years can be a time when a person allows Jesus the great physician to “Heal our old hurts and resentments”.  Jeremiah 8:22 states, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”  This Scripture means that God will heal our hurts if we will let Him. Ephesians 4:32 teaches us, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”  We cannot control what others say or how they act, but we can control our own thoughts and attitudes.

Thought for the Day

I recently heard a Christian re-hashing some old happenings that should have been buried in the sea of forgiveness, but instead I could tell that they were still festering in his mind.  I have found that the person who refuses to forgive and forget is the one who suffers the most spiritual damage.

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 3

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 3

            So, when one reads “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity I am become as sounding brass” with the knowledge of what we learned from Vitruvius in yesterday’s post, we understand that if a person says that he loves his or her neighbor but does not really care for them—this person’s speech is hollow like the sound produced by the Roman hollow sounding vases.  The great Bible expositor Adam Clarke explained that, at the conclusion of chapter 12 the apostle promised to show the Corinthians a more excellent way to live the way they were living.

            Let’s read 1Corinthians 12:25, [in the chapter just before the one we quoted earlier] “That there should be no schism [i.e. no division] in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  1Corinthians 12:26 also states, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.”  We can see that the Corinthians were so distracted with contentions and were divided and were envious of each other's gifts, that unity was nearly destroyed.

Thought for the Day

During the second half or the twentieth century more churches were split and splintered by music than theology or any other  aspect of Christian living. It is no wonder that the inspired author of the Corinthian letter warned “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 2

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 2

             First, alalazo kumbalon (214 2950), which is translated tinkling symbol in the AV, means a clanging cymbal rather than a tinkling cymbal.   So St Paul is saying that unless we have a genuine Christian love for others our words are like the clanging and banging of a cymbal. Second, the best explanation that I have found of the Greek words echeo chalkos (2278 5475), which is translated sounding brass in the AV, is found in the writings of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio who lived in the 1st century B.C.  He was a Roman architect, engineer, and author of the celebrated treatise De architectura (On Architecture), a handbook for Roman architects.

            Vitruvius explained that the echo chalkos were tuned acoustic brass or bronze vases that were strategically placed around the Roman out-door theaters.  Each vase was tuned chromatically and when a particular pitch was produced by the human voice, that particular vase would amplify the actor’s voice. However, these metal sounding vases produced a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the actor’s voice quality.

Thought for the Day

Efficacious musicing is made possible by a Christian musician being genuine.  Otherwise his or her musicing produces a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the moral nature Savior whom the musician is representing.

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 1

Thoughts on 1 Corinthians Chapter Thirteen-part 1

            There are a couple of thoughts that I would like to leave with you today.  The word charity which is used repeatedly in this chapter is translated from the Greek word agape (26). Albert Barnes, in his Commentary on the New Testament gives the following comments: The words “And have not charity” mean and have not LOVE. This is the proper and usual meaning of the Greek word. The English word charity that is used in many translations of this passage of the New Testament has, according to how it is used in a great variety of meanings; and some of them cannot be included in the meaning of the word here. As here used: (1.) in a general sense it means, love, benevolence, good-will;  (2.) in a more particular sense, it denotes the love and kindness which springs from the natural relations, as the charities of father, son, brother.   

            So, this thirteenth chapter in 1 Corinthians is about love that is love in action. The happy Christian is a Christian who thinks about others and shows this love by caring about others.  I’m a music teacher so I decided to study what the words “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” meant.  There are a number of opinions about what these Greek words mean. Tomorrow we will discuss them.

Thought for the Day

Christian musicians do not find it hard to love other musicians who love them and think like they do.  However, it is another matter when a musician does not respond to them in love and unity. 

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 5

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 5

            One can remove a pig from his muddy wallowing hole, give him  a thorough bath with a scrub brush, but if the pig is allowed to not only return to his wallowing hole but to also again continuously wallow in it, there is absolutely no way that he will remain clean. Psalm 40:1-2 clearly explains, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”  Notice that verse three further explains. “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”  The Cambridge scholars AV marginal reading for the words “horrible pit” i.e. shaown bowr (7488 953) is a “pit of noise”.  Again, I find it odd that so many Christian musicians, pastors and church boards believe that the best way to help a Christian, who has passed form death unto life by the born-again experience, is to subject this Christian to the same horrible pit of noise that he or she wallowed in as a carnal un-regenerated sinner who was dead in trespasses and sins.

            Surely fellowships of believers should provide music for the new man which is of a higher renovated character i.e. “new song” chadash shiyr (2319 7892) rather than the music of the old man and the old life.  I am not saying that it is absolutely impossible for Christians to exist spiritually on a diet of fried musical bologna on white bread made from bleached musical flower that has been stripped of almost all of its life sustaining ingredients, but such a worship diet is by no means the best musical diet. It is ludicrous to suppose that music graduates who have never developed a conservative Bible based music philosophy will desire to feed the people who come to the House of God to worship anything of a deep musical and spiritual value.

            Psalm 40:2 also teaches that God had to pull the psalmist David out of the “miry clay” i.e. yaven tiyt (3121 2916) before he could place him upon the rock and establish his goings.  At least by implication these verses in Psalm forty teach that the old song of the old life in the pit of noise was miry clay that held the psalmist down spiritually.  So, YHVH replaced the old song with a new song of a higher renovated character so that he would not be drawn back into the horrible pit of noise.   

Thought for the Day

If the “new man” has to make changes in various areas of life style, surely this Christian may have to make some changes in the music that he or she allows in his or her life style.  Without doubt this includes worship music and music styles that are closely associated with carnal passions.

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 4

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 4

            Yesterday we discussed that as important as knowledge of famous visual arts and famous musical compositions may be to an undergraduate student’s general education, such knowledge should never be placed above Bible knowledge of music.  Furthermore, musical knowledge, which has been thoroughly interwoven into every Christian student’s music philosophy that is seasoned with a thorough understanding of music as a part of worship from ancient to modern times, is essential to every student receiving general education that is truly Christian.  It is high time that so-called Christian colleges and universities realize that having Christ’s name as a part of the institution does not automatically insure that its graduates will receive a Christian music education.

            Every Christian educational institution that I know of denies that it has been squeezed into the world’s musical mold.  However, as I alluded to in an earlier post in this series, multitudes of Christian colleges and universities believe that it is proper to worship with music styles that were created to feed carnal desires of depraved men and women.  This philosophy of music is fed by the belief that the most effective way to music unto God is to make worship exactly like the carnal music of the world.  It seems odd to me that so many Christian colleges and universities believe and teach, at least by default, that the way to music unto the high and holy triune God is to use music that sounds exactly like the carnal music of this godless world that was produced to appeal to the carnal desires on sinful men and women.

Quote for the Day

Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 3

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 3

            The problem is not fitting such courses into the general education portion of broad based general education, but rather a lack of the belief that every student must have an understanding of what the Bible teaches about music and musicing and have such knowledge interwoven into his or her philosophy of music.  Accrediting associations give accredited member colleges much more general education freedom than many college academic officers will admit.  However, even if there is not much variety in general education curriculums, Christian colleges can always require some Bible based music courses as a part of all professional programs. 

            Music has become the “war department” in multitudes of churches in the last half of the 20th century and now in the second decade of this century.  Every church deserves to have a senior pastor and a minister of music that both have a thorough understanding of Bible principles of music and musicing.  Furthermore, these pastors and ministers of music must be able to utilize this knowledge in a well-developed Bible based ministry philosophy.  Churches cannot expect secular universities to provide Bible based curricular offerings for pastors and ministers of music. However, they have the right to expect Christian colleges and universities to provide and require such offerings of each of their graduates.  If this were to happen, much of the shared ignorance would cease, and Churches would be much better equipped to face this post postmodern world. 

Thought for the Day

You can tell what a pastor really believes about musicing unto God by listening to what he puts up with musically from his worship leader.