1 Chronicles 25:1: “Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.”

September 13th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

What an interesting statement to make about these musicians who were leading worship. They were to “prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.” These musicians were chosen for their ability to proclaim, or declare, the word of the Lord with their instruments. We have seen from other places in Scripture that prophesying is not always predicting the future or foretelling. It can also be proclaiming truth, speaking forth truth or forthtelling. The Hebrew word used here for “prophesying” (naba) means “to speak by inspiration.” So here it seems prophesying means to praise through singing the psalms of David, proclaiming truths already revealed by God through David’s writings.

We believe that God also has people today who are enabled by the Holy Spirit to lead us in worship. Modern song composer Steve Camp said, “Music is a powerful tool from the Lord Jesus Christ to His church, intended for worship, praise, encouragement, edification, evangelism, teaching, admonishing and exhorting God’s people to holiness.”

Sometimes a little humor is the best illustration. There was a traditional church that had a problem.

The church organist was ill, and the church secretary had hastily arranged a replacement.

“All right,” said the minister from the pulpit. “Let’s all sing hymn number 132.”

“Sorry, Reverend,” said the organist, “I don’t know that one.”

“That’s all right,” said the minister. “We’ll sing hymn number 76 instead. We all know that one.”

“Sorry, Reverend,” said the organist, “I don’t know that one either.”

“Well, don’t worry about that,” said the minister. “Let’s sing hymn number 684. That’s a simple song that we all learned in Sunday School.”

The organist said, “I’m sorry, Reverend . . .”

But before she could finish, someone shouted from the back, “That organist is an IDIOT!”

“Now wait a moment,” said the minister, “that’s no way for a Christian to speak. I want whoever said that to stand up!”

No one stood up.

“All right,” said the minister, “if they won’t stand up, I want the person next to them to stand up!”

Still no one stood up. After an awkward silence, a little man at the back stood up and said, “Reverend, I didn’t call the organist an idiot, and I’m not sitting next to the person who did. But what I want to know is, who in the world called that idiot an ORGANIST?”

“LORD, help us to make a joyful noise to You this day.”

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¹ Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: ² Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. ³ Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise 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, and Mahazioth: ⁵ All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.  ⁶ All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.  ⁷ So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight. ⁸ And they cast lots, ward against ward , as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. ⁹ Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: ¹⁰ The third to Zaccur, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹¹ The fourth to Izri, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹²The fifth to Nethaniah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹³ The sixth to Bukkiah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁴ The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁵ The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁶ The ninth to Mattaniah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁷ The tenth to Shimei, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁸ The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ¹⁹ The twelfth to Hashabiah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁰The thirteenth to Shubael, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²¹ The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²² The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²³ The sixteenth to Hananiah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁴ The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁵ The eighteenth to Hanani, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁶ The nineteenth to Mallothi, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁷ The twentieth to Eliathah, he , his sons, and his brethren, weretwelve: ²⁸ The one and twentieth to Hothir, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ²⁹ The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he , his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ³⁰ The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: ³¹ The four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.