1 Chronicles 6:31 And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.… The "house of the Lord" is the place whither we go primarily to worship him. So, at least, it should be. We may have learnt to go thither in order to enjoy, sacred oratory or even for some less honourable purpose. The primary end of service in the sanctuary is the worship of God; and the service of song should be regarded as one most important feature of public worship. In sacred song we present ourselves to God in every attitude which our souls can assume toward him, and if we went and sang together with the heart as well as with the voice, and then returned, we should have rendered an acceptable offering and gained a valuable blessing. If "the service of song in the house of the Lord" be perfect, or as perfect as it is possible to make it, there will be - I. AN APPROACH TO GOD IN EVERY VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL ACCESS. In our hymns: 1. We shall adore him, as when we sing, "Great God, how infinite art thou!" etc., or "My God, how wonderful thou art!" etc. 2. We shall praise and bless him, as when we sing, "Oh for a thousand tongues to sing," etc. 3. We shall confess cur sin to him, as when we sing, "Oppressed with sin and woe," etc. 4. We shall make supplication to him; for there is no essential distinction between "praise" and "prayer." In the latter we frequently bless God for his mercies, while in the former we often supplicate him for his blessing, as when we sing, "Guide me, O thou great Jehovah," etc. 5. We shall reconsecrate ourselves to him, as when we sing, "My Saviour, I am thine," etc., or "Lord, in the strength of grace," etc. 6. We shall intercede with him on behalf of others, as when we sing, "O Spirit of the living God," etc. II. A SACRED SUMMONS, AS IN HIS HOLY PRESENCE, TO FIDELITY AND DEVOTION. We shall call upon ourselves and one another to illustrate our truest and highest convictions as Christian men and the soldiers of Christ, as when we sing, "Stand up, stand up for Jesus!" etc., or "Ye servants of the Lord," etc. We shall have holy and elevating fellowship with the whole Church of Christ, as when we sing, "Come, let us join our friends above," etc. III. SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS VOCAL PARTICIPATION. Our service of song will be only a hollow sound, unmusical in the Master's ear, if we rise no higher than the harmony of blending voices. There must be living, spiritual sympathy. All souls must join together as well as all tongues. In this great matter of the service of song, as in all other things, "the Lord looketh upon the heart." We must "make melody in our hearts" unto him, or the sound of our song will rise no higher than the roof of our building; it will not reach his throne. IV. UNIVERSAL PARTICIPATION. Choral singing may find its place in the new dispensation as it did in the old; but it must take the "lower room." Congregational psalmody is the desideratum, the perfect thing, the standard at which to aim. "Every creature in heaven and on the earth" did John hear saying, "Blessing, and honour, and glory" etc. (Revelation 5:13); "A great multitude, which no man could number... stood.., and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God," etc. (Revelation 7:9, 10). Let the Church on earth anticipate the Church in heaven, by every voice, the voice of a great multitude, being heard in the accents of praise, participating in "the service of song in the house of the Lord." This will be: 1. A source of joy to each participant. 2. A service to fellow-worshippers. 3. An acceptable offering to the Saviour. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest. |
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