17 Apr

Instrumental Music in the Old Testament

WORSHIP ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

In the search for instrumental music in the Old Testament, one need not go very far. In Genesis 4:21, among the offspring of Cain, we read of Jubal, identified as “…the father of all those who play the harp and flute.” Thus, we have the beginning of instrumental music described for us. From this point onward, we find references to instrumental music in many Old Testament passages. Instruments were used for a variety of reasons:

  • To call an assembly together (Numbers 10:1ff);
  • To give commands in battle (Joshua 6:4);
  • To worship false gods (Daniel 3:5);
  • For entertainment or celebration (Genesis 31:27);
  • To give honour to the king (1 Kings 1:34);
  • As a means to bring calm and relaxation (1 Samuel 16:23); and
  • In the worship of the God of heaven (Psalm 150).

The association of instruments with worship began early in the history of God’s people of the Old Testament. We find references to instruments used in worship in the Torah and the history books:

  • After the Israelites were released from captivity in Egypt, we’re told Miriam and the women of Israel with her sang praise to God with timbrels (Exodus 15:20-21).
  • In the days before Saul’s coronation, Samuel told the future king of Israel that he would “…meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying” (1 Samuel 10:5).
  • When the ark of God was moved from the house of Abinadab, “…David and all Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals” (2 Samuel 6:5). Unfortunately, they transported the ark on a cart drawn by oxen, ignoring God’s instruction in the Law about how the ark should be moved (Exodus 25:14; Numbers 4).
  • Sometime later, the ark was moved, this time “…the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD. Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy” (1 Chronicles 15:15-16).
  • 1 Chronicles 25:1 tells of David arranging for the service of those who would prophesy, sing, and pray. It reads, “…David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals…“ We’re told of the children of Heman, “All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of the house of God” (v 6).

Throughout the Psalms, David made mention of praising God with instrumental music. Notice a few examples:

  • “Praise the LORD with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings” (33:2)
  • “…on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God” (43:4)
  • “The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the maidens playing timbrels” (68:25)
  • “Sing to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the LORD, the king” (98:5-6)

The worship of God with instrumental music was a big part of David’s life, and the culture of Jewish worship is evident. There are still more and more examples of such in the Old Testament Scriptures. But it is important to acknowledge that they engaged in worship with instruments, not simply because they enjoyed instrumental music and were talented players, but because God approved of their use. Note:

“And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment (1) of David, (2) of Gad the king’s seer, and (3) of Nathan the prophet, for thus was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.” (2 Chronicles 29:25-28)

Hezekiah, king of Israel, led the people of Judah in a return to the ways of God. He opened and repaired the doors of the temple (v 3), gathered the Levites together, and ordered them to sanctify themselves (v 5) and to, cleanse the temple (v 15-17), and then make sacrifices to make atonement for Israel (v 21-24). As seen in the text above, Hezekiah also arranged for the Levites to offer worship on instruments. In this time of renewal, instrumental music was included “…according to the command of….” David, Gad, and Nathan. These had lived several generations before and had used instrumental music in worship in their time. The writer of Chronicles reveals that this was not a matter of tradition or the commandments of men. Hezekiah included instrumental music in the revival of his day “…for thus was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets” (2 Chronicles 29:25). Hezekiah would have been wrong if he had not stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with the cymbals, stringed instruments and harps. He and his people would have failed to obey the command of God.

Some will refer to these Old Testament examples and commands as evidence that we can and should use instrumental music in worship. However, the examples and the commandments to use harps, trumpets, stringed instruments, and the like under the Old Covenant are not authoritative for those subject to the New Covenant. We have no right to borrow or bring forward things from the Old Testament. Some things of the Old Covenant have been repeated in the New. We observe and obey those, not because they were in the Old, but because they are in the New.

Consider an illustration regarding wills and covenants. In the early 1980s, my grandfather had a will drafted by his lawyer. Then, in the mid-1990s, a few years before he passed away, he had the same attorney write up a new will. Things had changed in the family, so he wanted his will to reflect that. After he passed away in 1997, we went to the lawyer’s office. Both wills were in the dossier, but only one document was pulled out for use that day – the 1990s will. The same man wrote them; both documents were signed and witnessed, but only one was valid that day. The creation of the 1990s will cancelled out the 1980s will. The two documents had many of the same provisions and stipulations, but none were valid because they appeared in the 1980s will. That document was null and void.

The same is true of the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament writers tell us, “…He has made the first obsolete…“ (Hebrews 8:13). Again, the Lord has “…wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross…“ (Colossians 2:14). Again, He has “…abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances…“ (Ephesians 2:15). There are commandments and teachings given in the Old Testament which are repeated in the New. Therefore we are subject to them – not because they were in the Old, but because they are in the New. We have no right to borrow and justify using practices given exclusively in the Old Testament. This is true concerning the sacrifices, the feast days, the dietary restrictions, the tithe, the burning of incense, and other practices God gave to Israel. It is also true of our worship in song. We cannot justify instrumental music today because it was used under the Old Covenant.

Judaizing teachers were a problem in the early church. They were Jews who had obeyed the gospel but would not let go of Moses’ law. Not only did they not let go for themselves, but they also sought to impose the Law on the Gentiles coming to Christ. Acts 15:1 introduces the issue by saying, “…certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'” They were zealous for circumcision. Verses 5 and 24 indicate they expected the Gentiles to keep other elements of the Law as well. Paul and Barnabas argued against this, as did Peter and James. In the end, a letter was penned by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem and distributed among the Gentiles indicating that those who had gone out from Jerusalem troubling the Gentile converts to Christ did so without the blessing of the leadership – “…to whom we gave no such commandment….”

Later, Paul wrote the book of Galatians and was still dealing with the Judaizers. He penned in 5:1-4,

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed, I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

If we go back to Moses’ law in one thing, we are a debtor to keep the whole law (v 3). We do not get to choose what we want to bring forward from the law. It is all or nothing. But if we seek to justify ourselves and what we do in the service of God by the Law of Moses, then we are entangled in a yoke of bondage (v 1), negate the benefit of coming to Christ (v 2), are estranged from Christ (v 4), and have fallen from grace (v 4).

For the Jews to please God, they needed to search the Scriptures to see what the Lord expected of them. The same is true today. The difference is this: they were to search the Old Testament, which contained God’s commandments and ordinances for them; we are to search the New Testament, which contains God’s commandments and ordinances for us. In our next issue, we will search the New Testament and see what God says about the use of instrumental music in worship for the church.

_____________________________
April 2023 | GROW magazine

Print Friendly, PDF & Email