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Pop-Idiom Music
In Worship and Evangelism
by Dr Peter Masters
Dr Peter Masters is minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London,
England (C.H. Spurgeon's church) and has kindly granted us permission
to reproduce "Pop-Idiom Music" here. If you have any questions
or queries about this article, please feel free to write to Dr Masters
at the address given below, or
contact us at Freedom Ministries.
Section 11d
Instruments for Illustration Only
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Psalm 150 summons us to praise God with tambourines, dance,
stringed instruments, organ (or pipe), trumpet, cymbals and harp.
But once again we are immediately made aware that the psalmist has in
mind not just the sanctuary (ie - the Temple worship) but also
the national celebrations associated with the historic deliverances
and victories, for he says - Praise him for his mighty acts (v2).
We remember that the tambourines
and the dancing were not allowed in
the Temple, but were always associated with national festivals and other
times of special social rejoicing.
This psalm undoubtedly makes a
figurative use of all these instruments,
because the psalmist even calls upon
the angels and the saints in glory to
worship God with them, and they
would obviously not literally use the
poor instruments of this world. The
psalmist calls to the occupants of
Heaven when he says - Praise him in
the firmament of his power, which is
the infinite expanse where angels fly
at God's command, and where the
ransomed live and reign in glory.
What, then, do these 'figurative'
instruments signify? They are used to
describe the character of our praise.
We let each 'instrument' teach us
something about the mood and vigour
which should characterise true,
worthy, heartfelt worship.
The great Puritan preacher, David
Dickson, observed that the plurality
and variety of these instruments were
fit to represent divers conditions of the
spiritual man, and to teach what stirring
up there should be of the affections and powers
of our soul to God's
worship; what melody each should
make to show the excellency of God's
praise, which no instrument, nor any
expression of the body, could adequately set forth.'
Andrew Bonar wrote, 'In this
psalm's enumeration of musical
instruments, there is a reference to the
variety which exists among men in the
mode of expressing joy and exciting
feeling.'
The trumpet sounds the note of victory, and our praise should resound
with triumph and exaltation. The psaltery and the harp give the
sweet tones of feelingful gratitude and love.
The tambourine and dance speak of
the effervescent energy, effort and
enthusiasm of children and young
people engaged in a favourite skilled
activity.
Organs or pipes were instruments of
pleasure rather than worship, and
remind us that true praise should be
the highest enjoyment of believers, not
merely a duty.
The loud and resounding cymbals
are an allusion to the volume, strength
and power of worthy praise.
Psalm 150 only makes sense as a
richly figurative psalm, which uses the
passion and tone-colours of various
instruments to highlight the feelings
and moods of true worship.
We conclude, therefore, that this
glorious psalm was never intended to
be reduced to a catalogue of instruments which could literally be used,
and to give a licence to dance for the
Lord! To interpret it in this way only
makes the psalm contradict the regulations about instruments given
elsewhere in the Old Testament.
The psalmist seeks to deepen our
concept of
feelingful praise, not to
endorse instruments for the Temple
which were previously banned, and to
do this he refers to them in a figurative, poetic way.
The Old Testament in no way
endorses or encourages the use of
modern-idiom music in worship and
witness as any careful study of the
musical passages rapidly reveals.
Restraint and regulations were even
then the order of the day, for the
'helps' were not allowed to spoil the
essential spiritual worship of God's
people.
The use of instruments only broadened out where the national
celebrations or cultural life of the nation were involved, but for direct
spiritual activity, wise limitations were applied
so that the spiritual things were pre-eminent.
These articles remain
© Copyright Dr Peter Masters 1983
The Metropolitan Tabernacle
Elephant and Castle
London SE1 6SD
England, UK
who should be consulted before any further copying, storing or distribution, either
in whole or in part is made by any means.
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