God’s Word for You
1 Chronicles 25 Summary - Music and Prophecy
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Chapter 25 is all about the divisions of the musicians of David’s court and the temple court, but very little is said about music itself. But there are remarkable passages about the relationship between David’s musicians and prophecy, as we shall see.
2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the LORD.
4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.
6 All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king. (NASB)
Martin Luther said: “Oh, the art (of music) is a noble commodity. One shouldn’t use it for pay, for purse or coffer. The art is easy to practice, is esteemed everywhere, benefits all people, and nevertheless preserves its own integrity. Yet nobody wants to learn or love it.”
Johann Sebastian Bach, a Lutheran composer from the baroque period, said, “The final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”
We know from Scripture that David was a brilliant musician (2 Samuel 22:1, but also a marvelous singer (2 Samuel 23:1), a composer of songs (Psalm 3:1), a writer of excellent poetry and music lyrics (1 Chronicles 16:7), and that he made instruments and even invented new ones (Amos 6:5). When God blessed David, David sang to God: “I will sing and make music to the Lord” (Psalm 27:6). A favorite instrument of David’s and possibly his own invention was the nevel asor, the ten-stringed lyre (Psalm 33:2, 92:3, 144:9). David took a personal interest in the arrangement of the musicians in temple worship. Having three excellent musicians at his disposal, he made three main divisions. These divisions were formed along family lines.
But the remarkable news of the chapter is almost casually reported that the priests also prophesied with their music. Now, we should be clear: In the Scriptures, to prophesy is not always to predict the future, but more often to proclaim the truth of God’s will. But we also know from the headings of many Psalms that these men, Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were also among the inspired writers of the Scriptures—they were numbered among the prophets (Psalms 50, 62, 77, 88, and 73-83). As one of our Seminary presidents wrote: “Prophecy did not have to be accompanied by some wild, ecstatic display before it could qualify as true prophecy. It was subject to and carried out under the supervision of legitimate authority. Even in the Old Testament ‘the spirits of the prophets [were] subject to the control of the prophets’ (1 Corinthians 14:32).” A prophet is a go-between, delivering the word of God to people and explaining it in a way people can understand.
David and Jeduthun composed a Psalm together that assures us: “My soul finds rest in God alone” (Psalm 62:1). What better explanation could there be about the way we should apply the First Commandment to our lives? Be at rest, weary soul, confused soul, regretful soul, because true rest, the rest that comes with the forgiveness of our sins, is in God alone.
Asaph sang about God’s enemies with the simple and clear words: “Make them like tumbleweed, O God” (Psalm 83:12). And Heman sang: “May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry!” (Psalm 88:2). He pictured God actually turning his head to listen more carefully to our prayers. Of course, God doesn’t need to do that, but the prophet gave us a beautiful picture to give us comfort, confidence and peace. The enemies of God do not really become tumbleweeds, but they are powerless before God, and they are useless for anything except the very thing that tumbleweeds are used for: burning in the fire.
Thank God for the musicians that beautify our worship but also help us to see a little more clearly, to love a little more dearly, and to follow a little more nearly.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.