ANCIENT
MINISTERS OF MUSIC
Sometimes
we think of the concept of a minister of music as being a modern
invention. However, if one aspect of
Levite Music Administration could be pointed out as most important it would be
the office of the "chief musician."
In the Bible the minister of music is called by several names.
The Book
of Psalms refers to the chief musician fifty-four times. The words chief and musician are translated
from the Hebrew word natsach (5329)
and mean to be eminent, to glitter from a distance and to be
superintendent. These musicians were
chosen to supervise the business of music making in the Temple. Other names for these musicians were: chief singer (natsach 5329) in Habakkuk 3:19; overseer (paqiyd 6496) in Nehemiah 12:42; principal (rosh 7218) in Nehemiah 11:17, meaning to be first, in rank or to be
captain; chief (sar 8269) of the
Levites in I Chronicles 15:22, meaning a head person or a master musician; and
chief (rosh 7218) of the fathers of
the Levites in I Chronicles 9:33. All of
these names carry the meaning of a person in charge that is a leader and has
skill and one who is a responsible person.
Thought
for the Day
It is a foreign concept to many sincere Christians that
God wants His chief musicians to stand out as leaders so much so that they
would be very charismatic or “glitter from afar”. The fact that a Christian musician has submitted his or her life to the
authority of God does not mean that this music leader should stoop his or her
shoulders and act the part of a lowly bashful introvert.
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