Harper II.7
James Dodson
CHAPTER VII.
THE PRECEPTIVE THEORY—FURTHER PROOF THAT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC WAS CEREMONIAL.
(2.) Another ground for regarding the use of instrumental music in worship as a part of the temporary ceremonial system is the peculiarly close relation which the instrumental service bore to the ritual routine of the tabernacle and the temple.
So far as we have evidence, instrumental music as a part of worship was confined to the tabernacle, and its successor, the temple, and was produced by none, ordinarily, but the members of the tribe of Levi, the peculiarly typical tribe. It may be urged in opposition to this statement that the first instance in which we read of the use of instruments in a religious spirit, is in the record contained in Ex. 15:20, 21, of the conduct of Miriam and other Israelitish women after the passage of the Red Sea.
In this case no mention, it must be admitted, is made of sacrifice; but on the other hand it is not clear that the instrumental exercise described was meant to be a part of formal worship. It was not till the close of the majestic song by Moses and the men of Israel, which was unmingled with any instrumental music, that Miriam and the other women went forth in triumphal fashion “with timbrels and with dances.” The song of the men, it is expressly said in v. 1, was addressed to the Lord, and each one of them employed the words, “I will sing unto the Lord.” On the other hand, the song of the women, while doubtless pervaded by a deep spirit of religious fervor, was not addressed directly to the Lord, but formed a response to the sublime ode which had been sung by the men and an echo of it;
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for it is said (v. 21): “And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously,” etc. The words translated “them” and “sing ye,” are masculine, a fact which shows that Miriam addressed neither the Lord, nor the women who were in her train, but the host of men whose deep-toned notes had just died away. This, then, is not an instance of the use of instrumental music in worship proper, and, therefore, militates not against the assertion that a strikingly close relation subsisted between sacrifice and instrumental music.
At a later date, when the Mosaic economy was established, it deserves notice that while no provision was made for the service of song in the worship of the tabernacle, there were two trumpets made by divine direction for the use of the priests, and of them alone, as we learn from Numb. 10:1–10. It may here be noted, that in Hebrew Scriptures there are four words rendered equally “trumpet” in our version, namely, the words, “chatzotzerah,” “shophar,” “yovel,” and “takoa;” but as each of the last two occurs but once in the Old Testament and, besides, do not concern us in our present discussion, our attention will be restricted to the first two. Of these the first is commonly believed to mean a straight, the second, a crooked trumpet. In connection with the worship of God, the former, that is the chatzotzerah, might be used by none but the priests. It does not appear that before the time of David, these priestly trumpets were employed in producing music proper; but rather for the purpose of making proclamations and lending an air of importance to certain solemnities. Specifically this direction was given touching the use of the two silver trumpets (Numb. 10:10): “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings.”
Afterwards, when David was raised up to order the musical service of the sanctuary, many priests were appointed to use trumpets similar to the two original silver trumpets, and to use them in some sense as a part of the service of song. As much as this appears to be taught in 2 Chron. 5:11–13, where we are informed that 120 priests joined with the Levites in the exercise of praise; the singing and the trumpeting being in harmony, or blending together into one volume of musical tones. Thus we have the signal trumpets of the early tabernacle developed into the music trumpets of the temple, and in the two original silver trumpets we discern the germ of the entire instrumental part of the temple music. Hence it seems hardly doubtful that the instrumental element of this music was closely connected with the priestly order, and with sacrifice the central ordinance of the ceremonial system.
It is true, the same period which witnessed the development spoken of, saw also the appointment of others than priests to make music in the temple, but the others appointed were Levites belonging to the priestly tribe and coadjutors of the priests.
It is also true that even in the temple service, the trumpets were still reserved for the use of the priests, while other instruments were assigned to the ordinary Levites; but this does not indicate that in the trumpets there was anything more
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ceremonial than in the harp or the psaltery. The trumpets being adapted to the function of directing or commanding, appeared peculiarly appropriate to the priests as officially superior to their brethren of the Levitical tribe.
Now, it is apparent that the trumpet music was peculiarly associated with the office of the priests, who were typical functionaries, and it seems a reasonable conclusion that it partook of the typical, or at least symbolical character of those services assigned to the priests. Indeed, ardent advocates of the use of instrumental music in worship, concede that the trumpet music at least was symbolical and ceremonial, a feature of the transient Old Testament worship. To any who admit this, there are three remarks which may be made. First, If the music of the trumpet was ceremonial, then that sort of music at least has been abolished as a lawful element of worship, the ceremonial law having been abrogated. Hence, the enthusiasts for instruments, now ought to be careful to exclude this element of full orchestral music when they render praise to God. Second, The question seems to call for a reply, “What was there in the sound of a trumpet more than in the sound of a cymbal or harp, allying the former to the ceremonial system, if the latter also was not so allied?” Third, If the use of trumpets can be explained as symbolical, surely the use of other instruments can be so explained. Should it be said that the limitation of the trumpets to the priests, while ordinary Levites were to use other instruments, proves that there was something special in the trumpets to account for this distinction, I would grant it; but would add that the special thing in question was not anything peculiarly ceremonial, but the adaptation of the trumpet to give direction and express authority.
The considerations already offered to prove the identification of instrumental music with the peculiar ceremonial rites of the Mosaic economy, particularly that of sacrifice, receive confirmation from the account given of the revival which occurred in the time of Hezekiah, and of the restoration by that King of the imposing worship of the temple. With reference to those matters the following record is made in 2 Chron. 29:25–28: “And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad, the King’s seer, and Nathan, the prophet: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets and with the instruments ordained by David, King of Israel. And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.”
To all that has been said, it will doubtless be objected that the line of argument pursued would prove that vocal music pertained to the ceremonial system, and with it has been abolished.
My answer to this cavil is that, according to remarks already made, vocal music and the use of words in connection with it, do not partake of the same sensuous character as instrumental music, and, therefore, less readily might be supposed to
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belong to a transient ceremonial system, like that of the Jews. Moreover, for the use of vocal music and of the psalms in the praise of God, we have express authority in the New Testament, while for the use of instruments we find, according to our judgment, no such authority. The objection would have been more plausible, had the New Testament been as silent in relation to singing and the use of the psalms in worship, as it is in relation to the use of instruments. Had it been the mind of God that the more sensuous element of the service of praise should be perpetuated beyond the Old Testament times, there surely would have been some notice taken of it in the New Testament; for that element, because of its sensuous character and manifest congruity with the ceremonial arrangements, was less likely than singing to be regarded as deserving of perpetuation in the new and more spiritual economy.