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.