Footnotes for -
Brass, Strings and Percussion? - The facts about Bible
instruments and the strong rules restricting their use in worship
1
David’s first assembly of instruments for the first and disastrous recovery
of the ark included timbrels or tambourines (2 Samuel 6.5, 1 Chronicles
13.8). While the ark remained at the house of Obed-edom, David radically
reformed and revised all the arrangements for its transportation to bring
them into line with the law. At this time he was given (with Gad, the king’s
seer) new commands for musical instruments (2 Chronicles 29.25).
The timbrel was not now included, and never again appears in any list of
instruments for direct or Temple worship. The second stage of the recovery
of the ark (representing the ongoing rule) was accomplished without them.
The cymbals were probably
mainly used as a means of conducting the orchestra, as in 1 Chronicles
15.19 only Asaph, the chief musician, and other leaders play them.
Back
2 The
history of the use of the trumpet in worship went back to Numbers 10 where
God commanded two silver trumpets for the calling of the people to the
Tabernacle. The priests were to play them, and continued to do so in future
generations. They were to be blown on special feasts and in the beginning
of months over the burnt offerings to remind the people of the nature of
their historic deliverance. They were never instruments for accompanying
‘ordinary’ worship. Generally, the number of trumpets used on special occasions
continued to be two (1 Chronicles 16.6). Exceptionally, 120 priests played
trumpets at the consecration of Solomon’s Temple. This was the largest
crowd ever gathered for worship, and the largest and longest burning of
offerings.
Back
3 The
orchestra assembled to accompany the ark for the second stage of its recovery
(an open-air procession) had three cymbals, eleven lyres and six harps.
Once the ark was inside the tent the orchestra was reduced to eight harps
and lyres, one cymbal and two trumpets. The size of the orchestra changed,
but never the types of instrument. The restriction was maintained. In 1
Chronicles 25.1-7, the total number of musicians was 288, of which
about 260 were the choir. Back
4 ‘Synagogue’
is a New Testament word, but we use it here as a useful term for regional
and district centres of worship in other words, the Jewish local church.
Back
5 With
the single exception of Psalm 5, which was to be accompanied with
a lone flute. This very plaintive psalm was sung on pilgrimage. Back
6 Some
expositors say this speaks of both the earthly sanctuary and the
wider firmament. In this case, this psalm is another which covers the whole
spectrum of life from Temple worship to civic and social life. Back
Article
index
