A STATISTICAL LOOK AT THE SINGING THE OLD TESTAMENT.

A STATISTICAL LOOK AT THE SINGING THE OLD TESTAMENT.

             Let us look statistically at what the words translated "singing" etc. represent i.e. what can be derived from this study?  Of the 343 references in the Old Testament to “singing", 176 of them can be placed  in a  category which represents  words used most often as vocal music with some implications of instrumental music.  There are 101 references which represent words used most often as both vocal and instrumental music.  Another category contains the third most responses with fifty-five references used most often for vocal music with perhaps some instrumental music implications.  Still another group contains a less significant amount of references with only eight Scriptures where the words most often instrumental music with perhaps some vocal music implications. A final group has only three words that did not seem to fit any of the other four categories.

            It should be pointed out at this point that the various groups of words in this study are categorized by virtue of the fact that they were MOST OFTEN used a certain way in Scripture.  A thorough review of Scriptures readily shows that a certain Hebrew or Chaldee word is not always used in the same way in Scripture. 

            The following conclusions may be drawn from the singing study of the Old Testament:

1.         Vocal music was very important in the    music of ancient Israel.  The study           revealed that 332 of the total 343          references were directly connected with singing.

 2.  Vocal and instrumental music were often used together in scripture though merely   by implication of the wording in some cases.

3.         Instrumental music seems to be used less by itself than with vocal music.

4.   The hypothesis that instrumental music in the Bible was used most often with vocal             music (perhaps in an accompanying role) seems to be substantiated by this study