I Chronicles 25
In this chapter we see the list of twenty-four orders of
musicians in the order
determined by lot. The lot was a direct appeal to God, and by
it all cases
were decided. It is for this reason that all chance games are wrong,
and
should never be encouraged by the Christian. It is brining down a holy
ordinance to a profane level, and is, without doubt, a breach of the
third
commandment. The expression “prophesied,” which
occurs in vs. 2 and 3, is
used in its deeper signification of singing and playing to the praise of
God, in the
power of the Spirit of God. In v.5 Heman is called “the seer
of the king in the
words of God,” because along with
his gift of song he was endowed with the
prophetic gift, and thus made known to the king revelations of God.
The expression
“to lift up the horn” in
this verse also needs explanation. The Levites did not blow
horns. It was not one of the instruments of worship. The hiring
up of the
horn signifies invariably to heighten or show forth the power of any one.
This is the meaning of the word in this passage. And the
words “to lift up
the
horn” must be connected with the words that follow, thus: “To give
Heman’s race power for the praise of God. God gave to Heman
fourteen
sons and three daughters. We also learn, in v.7, that there were those who
were
“instructed,” and were “cunning” or skilful in the songs of the
Lord. From
these passages we may learn that families, and especially large
families like Heman’s,
are
God’s gifts for the purpose of being used in His service. And secondly, that in
all
praise and singing, whilst we are never to forget the apostolic injunction, “Singing
and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19),
we are to
“sing with the understanding also,” and that
it is to be of the very best kind; and that
with it all there must be that without which it will be empty sound — singing in the
Holy Ghost, as they did who are named in vs. 2-3. Thus “teachers”
and “scholars”
(v. 8) will fill their divinely appointed places to the
glory of God.
The Families of
the Three Chiefs in Song (vs. 1-8)
The twenty-four courses of those who were to be engaged in
the temple service as
singers and musicians fill up this chapter. They are to be taken
from the three great
families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.
1 “Moreover David and the captains of the host” - For the
captains of the host,
as
designating those who superintended the order of temple worship, see ch.22:17;
23:2; 24:6; as also Numbers 4:3; 8:23 - “separated to the service of the sons of
Asaph, and of
Heman, and of Jeduthun,” - (For a clear
instance of the use of the
preposition (lamed) prefixed, as here, see Ezra 8:24.) The
English should appear
“the sons of Asaph.”
Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun belonged respectively to the
Gershon, Kohath, and Merarite families (ch.6:18-32). Thus
these singers and musicians
were drawn from each great branch of Levi; viz. from Gershon, four through
Asaph; from
Kohath, six through Jeduthun; and from Merari, fourteen
through Heman; while the
whole number of those trained to sing was two hundred and
eighty-eight - “who
should prophesy” - The Hebrew μyaiB]Gih"
(Jeremiah 14:14,16) stands for Niphal
participle plural, the singular of which (aB;Nj") appears in the following two verses. These
were the utterers in song of the Divine mind and
will. The essential meaning of the
expression evidently is to use the voice in sacred service, more or
less under Divine
impulse –“with harps, with
psalteries, and with cymbals:” - These
instruments were
used to regulate the time (compare this verse with ch.13:8). For some
particulars
respecting these and other musical instruments used in
“Music” in Smith’s ‘ Bible
Dictionary’ may be consulted with advantage (below – CY – 2012).
“and the number of the workmen according to
their service was:” The literal
translation of the last clause of this verse is, And was
their number, the men of work,
for their service, i.e.
“And the number of workmen for the service was.” The workmen
intend, of course, those who performed the service.
2 “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.” Four sons of Asaph are here given, the
number, however,
not being
expressed, although it is expressed in the cases of Jeduthun and Heman
(vs. 3, 5). “For Asaph,” we find twelve psalms inscribed,
viz. Psalm 1.; 73-83.;
of some of which he was himself the inspired composer. When it is said “for Asaph,”
the meaning is for those “under his hand,” or direction, and who as a band bore his
name, and performed among other odes those which he prophesied. Zaccur. A
descendant after the Return is mentioned in Nehemiah 12:35. Asarelah. This last
of the four sons of Asaph
is called in v.14, Jesharelah. Under
the hands of…
according to the order of.
The Hebrew words are “to the hand of” and
“to the
hands of.”
Between the signification of these two forms, the one expressed in the
singular number and the ether in the plural, there does not
seem to be any
distinction, and accordingly they might be better
translated, under the
direction of… under
the directions of. The latter form is that found in vs. 3, 6.
3 “Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and
Jeshaiah,
Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their
father Jeduthun,
who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to
praise the LORD.”
Six sons are here said to be under the direction of
Jeduthun (or Ethan, ch. 6:44). The name missing is Shimei, supplied by
v.17, and which the Alexandrine Septuagint places fourth in
this list.
This is clear from the list of vs. 9-31, which contains all
the same names
as are found in the present vs. 2-4, and one more, Shimei,
which
therefore offers to supply the place vacant here. The name Zeri
reappears
in v.11 as Izri -
Who prophesied (see headings to Psalm 39.; 62.; 77.:
we do not know, however, that Jeduthun composed any
of these, nor does
the
word “prophesy” necessitate it).
Prophesying with a Harp (vs. 1,3)
“Prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals;”
“Who
prophesied with a harp.” The
point suggested is that music, which is skill
of
hand, may help song, which is skill of voice. The term “prophesying” is
variously employed in the Scriptures. Sometimes it seems to stand,
in a
very general way, for sharing in religious worship. At other times the idea
of
instructing people in the will of God, as it had been immediately
revealed to the speaker, is prominent. And at yet other times there
is
reference to the fore-announcing of coming events. Here, in the
passages
before us, the element of instruction is the prominent
thing, or the exerting
of
a gracious influence on others by music, which should bear direct
relation to the culture of their spiritual life. And this is the proper and the
high function of religious music. Consider:
- INSTRUCTION AS THE EQUIVALENT OF CULTURE. This
involves a large view of instruction, as bearing relation to the whole
man —
heart and feeling as well as
mind. For the purpose of a man’s instruction —
edification, soul-culture — there need not be a direct appeal to his
intelligence, because his receptive faculties are not limited to his
intellect;
a man receives even more through feeling than through
brain and mind. But
in an age when there is an extravagant worship of knowledge,
this point
needs consideration and prominence, in order that better
attention may be
paid to the means for reaching the religious sensibility. John
Howe has a
sentence which may bear on this possibility of culture otherwise
than
through a man’s mind. He says, in one of his most serious
moods, “Nor do
I believe it can ever be proved
that God never doth immediately testify His
own special love to holy souls without the intervention of
some part of His
eternal Word, made use of as a present instrument to that purpose;
or that
He always doth it in the way of methodical
reasoning therefrom.” It is
plain that in our general education a thousand other influences
than the
intellectual reach us and aid us, and other men than those who can be
called intellectual influence us; and we may be sure that the
same is true of
the education of our soul’s spiritual life. Let our idea of
instruction pass
into the larger, broader thought of culture, edification,
and then we see
that:
- MUSIC MAY BECOME AN IMPORTANT AGENCY
IN SOUL-
CULTURE. By many
and various illustrations the refining, ennobling,
educative influence of music
may be shown.
Ø
Childhood songs
implant the first seeds of good.
Ø
Rhyme bears direct
relation to memory, and materially aids the retention
of good sentiments and thoughts.
Ø
Music has a soothing
power, as seen in King Saul (I Samuel 16:14-23);
and often becomes a moral preparation for the due reception of
instruction
in the milder aspects of truth and the gentler forms of duty.
Ø
Music often finds relieving expression for emotions, either of joy or
of sorrow, which are too intense for language.
“Music! Oh how faint, how weak —
Language fades before thy spell!
Why
should feeling ever speak,
When thou canst breathe her soul so well?”
Illustrate by Mendelssohn’s
‘Songs without Words.’
Ø
Music bears direct
relation to religious feeling. Sounds of music bear a
twin influence with the sights of nature: both bring
home to human
hearts some sense of the eternal harmonies and beauties of the
worlds
unseen, and of the glorious God who is above and in them all.
Then the
gift of music, as well as song, must lie on God’s altar.
Of the earth-
temple, as well as of the heavenly, it must be true, “As well the singers
as the players on instruments shall be there.” (Psalm 87:7)
4 “Of Heman: the
sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel,
Shebuel, and
Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and
Romamtiezer,
Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:”
The two names Uzziel and Shebuel,
in this verse, reappear
respectively in vs. 18, 20, as Azareel and Shubael.
It is remarkable that
the ninth and tenth names of this list, with the twelfth,
thirteenth, and
fourteenth, when put together, run into two lines of verse,
which may be
translated, “These bestowed great and high help; I have
abundantly uttered
oracles.” Ewald suggests that these may be the commencing
lines of some
ancient prophet’s oracles (Ewald, ‘Lehrbueh der H. Spr.,’ §
274, S. 672,
7th edit., cited by Keil).
5 “All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the
words of
God, to lift up
the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons
and three
daughters.” For the expression, the king’s seer, and as other
instances of the
office, see ch. 21:9; II Chronicles 35:15, in neither of
which places, however, have we the attendant phrase, in
the words of
God.
Yet we have the same sense strictly implied in ch.21:9, 19.
The expression needs not to be generalized into “in the
matters of
God,” but evidently describes the seer (Heman, Gad, or
Jeduthun) as the
authorized medium of verbal communication between God and
the king.
There is difficulty in assigning the right place of the
clause, to lift up the
horn.
There can be no doubt at all that it contains no allusion whatever to
the horn as an instrument of sound (the almost solitary
approach to which
use of the word is found in Joshua 6:5), but that it falls
in with the very
frequent figurative use of the phrase as it occurs
in the very same words
(Psalm 75:5-6; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 112:9; I Samuel 2:1,10,
etc.),
and which means “to add to the strength” or “honor” of any
one. The
allusion is to the number of Heman’s children being a mark
of the honor
God set on him. The words cannot go with the latter part of
the verse,
while the conjunction (vav) in ˆTeYiw"
opens it. The possible order may be,
All these sons were to Heman, the king’s seer, by the words of God,
to lift
up the horn. The
absence of the third personal pronoun suffix to ˆr,q,
is
noticeable, place the clause where we will The statement of
the fourteen
sons and three daughters belonging
to Heman, in this verse, shows that
up to this point the word “sons” is used in its stricter
sense, however true it
may be that the sense is amplified in vs.10-31.
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.”
This verse needs nothing except exact translation to make
its
meaning clear and consistent, “All these (i.e. the names of vs. 2-4) were
under
the hands (directions) of their father, in the song of
the house of the
Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house
of God, under the directions of the king, Asaph, and Jeduthun and Heman.
7 “So the
number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in
the songs of the
LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred
fourscore and
eight.” This verse introduces a large additional number of those
called for the
present brethren of the foregoing twenty-four. These brethren
(partly composed of their sons, as appears from vs.
9-31) were to aid in
the songs of the Lord, and were apparently under instruction for that
purpose. Each one of the twenty-four had eleven associated
subordinates
with him, and for whose instruction and service he was
probably
answerable. These would, of course, multiply up to the two
hundred four
score and eight mentioned in the
verse. This verse appears (contrary to
the interpretation of Keil, Bertheau, and others) with
sufficient precision to
mark two classes ryviAydeM]lum], and ˆyBiMeh", the latter not embracing the
former, but the two together making up the two hundred and
eighty-eight
spoken of. These two classes will surely satisfy the “teacher and the
scholar” classification
of the following verse; the classes are denoted by the
same Hebrew roots. In v. 7 the passive Pual participle of
the instructed
and the Hiphil participle of the cunning, or skilled,
correspond exactly with
the “scholar” (dymil]t") and the “teacher” (ˆybiMe) of v. 8. The contents of
vs. 9-31 point to the same, being as they are without an
allusion to any
other outsiders — to any but the already introduced names
of “sons” and
“brethren.” The supposing, therefore, of any allusion here
to the “four
thousand” of ch. 23:5 seems unnecessary and unnatural in
whatever way they
were distributed — and probably enough it was in an
analogous manner —
no
distinct reference is made to them here.
Instruction in Songs (v.7)
It was according to the King David’s order that schools of
psalmody were
appointed in connection with Levitical ministrations. He was himself
fitted
by
temperament, by genius, by piety, by proficiency in art, to found such
schools, and to give them an impulse and inspiration. In the skill
and
system with which he gave himself to this work, he showed his
far-sighted
wisdom. For out of his labor and care sprang, directly, all
Hebrew
minstrelsy of later times, and, indirectly, in no small measure, all
Christian
psalmody.
- THE SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE OF PSALMODY.
If the singing of
hymns, the chanting of psalms, the vocal rendering of carols,
canticles, and
anthems, be mere musical exercise and enjoyment, it is no psalmody
in
God’s ear. In acceptable
praise THE HEART IS THE ALL-
ESSENTIAL
ELEMENT! David felt this when
he exclaimed,
“Sing ye praises
with understanding” (Psalm 47:7); and Paul
when he admonished Christians to “make
melody with their heart
unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19)
- THE METRICAL AND MUSICAL FORM OF
PSALMODY. The
utterance of praise may be spontaneous. But if it is to be social,
such as
many may join in, it must be prepared. Thanksgiving, when it
assumes a
permanent shape and finds a social utterance, must come under the
control
of the rules of art. Metrical
language and melody and harmony thus became
the body of which adoration and gratitude, confidence and
love, are the
soul. We see an illustration of these principles in the sacred
minstrelsy of
David. He composed devout and
spiritual odes, and directed that these
should be sung by trained choirs to the accompaniment of
instrumental
music. However different may be the language and the music of
our social
praise, we cannot dispense with art. The choice in psalmody does
not lie
between spontaneity and art, but between bad art and good. Hence
the
perpetual importance of what is called in the text “instruction in the songs
of the Lord.” There
must be teaching and teachers, labor and skill,
adaptation to persons and seasons — all
alike penetrated by
THE SPIRIT OF
TRUE DEVOTION!
It is important to give due attention to “the
service of song in the house of
the Lord.” There
is a danger of carelessness and slovenliness, which spring from
and
conduce to irreverence, thus desirableness of cultivating a devout and grateful
spirit towards HIM WHO “inhabiteth the praises of
and WHO RECEIVES the unceasing adoration of the heavenly hosts.
Consecrated Song (v.7)
“Instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning.”
The
general subject of the consecration of song to the Lord’s service
has been
dealt with in previous homilies. Here two points gain
prominence. Men
who
serve with song must be:
- MEN WITH A GIFT. “Cunning,”
clever, skilled, having this as a natural
endowment. Dwell on the importance of fully recognizing the
Divine
distribution of gifts in our times, as truly as in the age of the
apostles; and
then the practical importance of looking out the men and
women among us
who have a Divine endowment. Each one of us should be anxious
to find
his or her own gift, and each one should be quick to observe
his brother’s
gift. The thing which lifts a man above commonplace is his gift, and in
honoring it we honor God in him.
- MEN WITH THE GIFT CULTURED.
In this matter our responsibility
comes to view. In our service to God we are bound to see to it
that the
men and women of gifts among us have their chance of due
instruction and
culture. Worldly men are keen to discover talent, and train it.
But this
needs to be more fully done within Christ’s Church, and in
respect
especially of the gifts of preaching, music, and song.
Dealing with the song-gift, it may be shown how dependent
it is upon
culture; how it responds to instruction and practice, and what a power it
exerts on men, as hymn-power, anthem-power, chorus-power, song-power.
The ancient legend of Eurydice did but
declare the wondrous spell that ever
goes with beauteous song:
“Perchance at
last,
Zeus willing, this dumb lyre and whispered
voice
Shall wake, by love inspired, to such clear
note
As soars above the stars, and swelling, lifts
Our souls to
highest heaven.”
8 “And they cast
lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the
great, the
teacher as the scholar.” This verse should be translated,
And they cast lots of attendance, small and great equally, teacher
with scholar. The Septuagint translates tr,m,vimi
twOlr;wOg by the words
klh>rouv ejfhmeriw~n – klaerous ephaemerion – course; charge.
Small and Great, Teacher and Scholar (v.8)
We have here an enumeration of the several courses of the
Levites, appointed by lot
to
minister in due order. In the words which precede the enumeration, we have
summarized the variety of ages and classes, all of whom were employed
and accepted
by
the Lord in His service.
- AN EPITOME OF HUMAN SOCIETY AS CONSTITUTED BY GOD.
Our common humanity is
consistent with great variety and intermixture of
elements. It has pleased God not only that generation should
succeed
generation, but that members of the human race of all ages should
exist
together in human society. It is obviously His will that mankind
should be
composed of those who teach and those who learn.
- AN ARRANGEMENT TO WHICH THE PROVISIONS
OF
REDEMPTION EXACTLY CORRESPOND. If the same God
RULES IN
we may expect to find a suitable provision made for the
varied wants
of varied classes. Accordingly we find that the Bible is equally adapted
to YOUNG and OLD; that the redemption of
Christ is limited to
NO AGE or CLASS; that the Holy Spirit
is poured out from
above without regard to the distinctions upon which men often
lay an
undue stress; that RELIGION IS
EQUALLY INTENDED FOR
THE BENEFIT OF ALL MANKIND!
- THAT SOCIETY SHOULD BE SO CONSTITUTED IS
PRODUCTIVE OF MUTUAL ADVANTAGE. The great serve the
small, and the small the great; the scholar is indebted to the
teacher, who
in turn derives many benefits from his pupils. There is no member of the
human race who is not both a BENEFACTOR and a BENFICIARY!
It is well that all should live in voluntary
and cheerful compliance
with this DIVINE ORDINANCE!
- ALL CLASSES AND AGES MAY CO-OPERATE
FOR THE
SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AND THE SERVICE OF GOD.
The cause of
Christ is one which the feeblest child may
help to
advance, and which may employ
the abilities of the greatest and
most learned. Our
Lord disdains
not the lowliest service i.e.; the
widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44); and the loftiest are honored in being
permitted to do His will and glorify His Name (“the kings of the
earth do bring their glory and honor into it.” – Revelation
21:24).
List of the Choirs in the
Order in Which Their Lots Came (vs. 9-31)
The formula, his sons, and his brethren, which
follows twenty-two out of the
twenty-four leaders’ names which now come before us, is
absent from ver.
9, where we should have looked for it, viz. after the name Joseph.
It has
been supposed that this is a mere omission of carelessness.
But this can
scarcely be asserted conclusively. It is observable, for
instance, that the
order of the formula in the same verse, on occasion of its
very first
occurrence, is not identical with the other twenty-two
instances of it, the
word “brethren” preceding “sons,” and the pronoun “he”
being expressed.
The preposition (l) is sometimes expressed and sometimes not expressed
before both the proper names and the ordinal numerals of
the list.
Examination of the contents of these verses shows, either
that it was due to
the Divine direction of the lot (Proverbs 16:33) that an
issue resulted
which looks so unlike mere chance, and the system of which
is so
methodical and traceable; or that the lot-taking was not
one of families and
sons, all thrown together from the first. This supposition
would, of course,
leave room for some such ingenious hypothesis as that of
Berthean, too
artificial by far to be defensible except as a theory that
would indeed work
out the result. He suggests that the modus operandi was
by two urns, one
for the first seven odd numbers, into which were put the
names of Asaph’s
four sons and of the second, third, and fourth of Heman;
the other for the
first seven even numbers, into which were put the six sons
of Jeduthun and
the first of Heman. Turning from such a concocted theory to
these verses,
we find that the first cast brings to the surface the second
son of Asaph,
and the second cast brings up the eldest son of Jeduthun.
At the end of the
seventh all of Asaph’s sons are exhausted, and what would
have been his
next place (the ninth) is occupied by the second son of
Heman, whose
eldest had just taken the sixth place so thrown out by the
lot. At the end of
the fourteenth throw Jeduthun’s six sons are all used up,
and all the
remaining places belong to Heman’s sons, but still in the
order in which
they are thrown out by the lot.
9 “Now the
first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to
Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons
were twelve:
10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve:
11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve:
12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve:
14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve:
18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah”- (see ch.15:18, 21) - No other of these
twenty-four
names is found elsewhere out of this chapter in the history, a
just indication
of the trustworthiness rather than the contrary
- “he, his sons,
and his brethren, were twelve:”
22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve:
25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve:
27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve:
28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve:
29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve:
30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were
twelve:
31 The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were
twelve.”
The
Service of the House of God (vs.1-31)
In this chapter, which gives the musical arrangements made
for the “service of the
house of the Lord,”
we have suggestions which take our thoughts over the wider
ground of public worship. We have:
- TWO ELEMENTS WHICH IT SHOULD INCLUDE. Divine service is
felt to be essentially incomplete without:
Ø
Praise. All who love the
house of God delight “to give thanks and to
praise the Lord” (v. 3). We have such a
God for our God that we can
“give thanks, and praise” Him whenever we remember Him. The
devotees of heathen deities cannot do so; they can only prostrate
themselves abjectly before their gods, or deprecate their capricious
wrath: there is nothing in the
beings they worship worthy of
their honor. In the only wise God, in the holy and pitiful Father
of our spirits, in the righteous Lord of all, in the merciful
Redeemer of
mankind, in the patient, striving, cleansing
Spirit of God, in THIS GOD, WHO IS OUR GOD, we have
ONE whom we can praise continually, and with all the
energies and faculties of our nature, and then feel that
we have failed to render unto HIM
“THE GLORY DUE
UNTO HIS
NAME.”
Ø
Instruction. There were to be workmen “who should prophesy”
(v. 1), and they “prophesied with
a harp;” i.e. their function was
to utter sacred, instructive, inspiring words in their
capacity as
choristers. The music of the sanctuary
was to be subordinated to
the utterance of Divine truth, the sound to the sense, the ear
to the soul. One
musical leader was even spoken of as “the
king’s
seer in the words of God” (v. 5). Here we have an argument
a fortiori. If in the
act of praising, when the first end in view
is the offering
thus presented to God Himself, we are to use
words which will be instructive and elevating to
the worshippers,
how much more are we to
provide that other parts of Divine
Service shall
be full of sacred instruction, shall tend to edify,
to enlighten, to
sustain!
- FOUR FEATURES BY WHICH IT SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED.
Ø
Order. The whole chapter is an argument for this; the division
into
choirs, with their respective leaders, and the arrangement as to
their
turn of service, speak of careful orderliness. The beauty of
holiness in
which we should worship requires that there be no confusion,
embarrassment, disorder (I Corinthians 14:33, 40).
Ø
Excellency. They were duly “instructed
in the songs of the Lord”
(v.7). No doubt they were
taught to take their parts well “under
the
hands
of their father,” or of some competent
teacher. In everything
we do in God’s house
we should aim at excellency. Whether it be in
offering
prayer, or in reading,
or in
preaching, or in singing,
EVERY ONE SHOULD DO
HIS VERY BEST! There is no
place where men and women should be so desirous of putting
forth their utmost talents as in THE
HOUSE OF HIM from whom
ALL FACULTY and ALL
Ø
Variety. The instruments of music used were various — “cymbals,
psalteries, and harps.” Doubtless others would have been used if
they had been known and found fitting. We may do better to use
one instrument of music only, but we do
not well to make God’s
service monotonous. We should make it as attractive with variety
of engagements, freshness of thought and newness of method
as
is consistent with REVERANCE and PROPRIETY!
Ø
Amity. “They cast lots… as
well the small as the great, the
teacher as the scholar.” The arrangement was ‘made so that
there should be no partiality in
the appointment made, and,
if possible, no dissatisfaction with the place taken. We
should
shun giving offence, and also taking it. Happy the Church where
there is
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