About the Origins of Music in the Worship of God
Since the dawn of creation, man has been offering music as a celebration of praise and an act of worship to his Creator, Who is God, the Almighty.
For example, "As they were coming home, when David returned from
slaying the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel,
singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with songs of
joy, and with instruments of Music." (I Samuel, Chapter 18, verse 6)
and "David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as
singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres,
harps and cymbals." (1 Chronicles, Chapter 15, Verse 16) and "David was
clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who
were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenani'ah the leader of
the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod. So all Israel
brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the
sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps
and lyres. (1 Chronicles, Chapter 15, Verses 27-28) and "They were all
under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the
LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God."
(I Chronicles, Chapter 25, verse 6)
Music is a fitting instrument of praise and worship. As Plato quoted the
Greek philosopher Socrates in defining the importance of music and poetry,
he said,
"Hence, Glaucon, the decisive importance of education in poetry and music:
rhythm and harmony sink deep into the recesses of the soul and take
the strongest hold there, bringing that grace of body and mind which is
only to be found in one who is brought up in the right way. Moreover,
a proper training in this kind makes a man quick to perceive any defect
or ugliness in art or in nature. Such deformity will rightly disgust
him. Approving all that is lovely, he will welcome it home with joy into
his soul and, nourished thereby, grow into a man of a noble spirit."
It is interesting to note that Socrates, a person who was a gentile
and who lived before the Lord Jesus Christ, confessed the great importance
of music and its affectations upon each soul of humankind, as being a wholly
true phenomenon.
Music in Full Operation Manifests Before God as a Sweet Sounding Joy
"King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and
a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people
dedicated the house of God. The priests stood at their posts; the
Levites also, with the instruments for music to the LORD which King David
had made for giving thanks to the LORD--for his steadfast love endures
for ever--whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite
them the priests sounded trumpets; and all Israel stood." (II Chronicales,
Chapter 7, verses 5-6)
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