Considering Anti-Music-part-part 5
The
ancient Levite musician Chenaniah desired understanding and utilized music as a
means to accomplish his purpose and mission borne in upon him of YHVH. As one studies the OT, it becomes very clear
that the work and purpose of the Levite musicians was not art music, anti-music,
or noise-music, but rather the better understanding of the worshiper. Whether a Christian musician likes it or not,
the music part of worship music (the te’amim) or melodies of the entire OT was
steeped in worthy tradition. This tradition of music worship was established by
high authority as described in 1Chronicles 25:1, “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…”
1Chronicles
25, explains that this established worthy and worthwhile tradition or music
praxis was established in ancient Israel by the chief Levite musicians and
their sons (see verses2-31) and “according to the order of” i.e. the hands of
King David, “Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and
Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied
according to the order of the king.
Whether we like it or not, the Bible teaches very clearly in the 25th
chapter of 1 Chronicles (and at other places in the OT) that all musical
tradition is not to be avoided by the worship leader. According to the Book, the Levite musicians
were not turned loose on the ancient Israelite worshipers to hock their strange
and shocking musical inventions.
Scripture Thought for the Day
Psalm 33:2, “Praise the LORD with harp: sing
unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.”
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