Sing a song

Last time, we studied about the psalms being poetry. Not the type of poetry that we are accustomed to, but poetry, none the less!

The Psalms in our Old Testament are also songs. 

I guess we could think of the Book of Psalms as a hymnal!

I think we can prove our point by looking at the languages of the ancient world: how they said the title of the compilation of psalms. 

In the Hebrew Bible, the title of the Psalms is "Tehillim," which means "songs of praise."  And in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, we see the term "Psalmoi." Looks a lot like our English word for the psalms, right? The verb form of this Greek word referred to the plucking of strings with the fingers. (In my mind's eye, I immediately see a banjo, but ancient Greeks were thinking more of harps and lyres!) Eventually, the word "psalmoi" came to mean "sacred songs sung to musical instruments."

We see other clues besides the titles for the Book of Psalms. There are numerous musical terms in the book that tell us these were written to be sung. The word we read as "psalm" would have been "mizmor" in the Hebrew, and we see it fifty-seven times! The Hebrew word "sir" means "song" and it's found in the heading of thirty of the psalms! 

In fifty-five of the psalms we see a reference to the "choir director," too. And there are many times that musical instruments are referred to: stringed instruments and wind instruments, too. The scholars have some difficulty with some of the musical terms -- I wonder if they are instructions for the different voices? Sopranos? Altos? Tenors? Basses? (grin) The scholars tell us, too, that in Psalms 45 and 69 it's possible that the reference to "Lilies" is the name of a familiar tune, and that the words of the song were to be sung to that tune. When I look in some of the translations, I also see the note "a wedding song" and if you read that psalm, you can see how lovely it is, and how it would fit that occasion!

Looking to our New Testament, we have mentioned that the references to "psalms" are found to be in the context of music -- songs and hymns that believers are encouraged to sing.

speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Psalms are not, however, always cheery. Some of them are laments and some are meditations. Some are downright sorrowful and others speak in a meditative fashion of how the writer is trusting in God. One thing that they seem to have in common though, is that they glorify God. Kinda hard to figure why some peeps have been so resistant to the idea of music in worship, no? (Grin)  Music plays such an important role in our lives and in our worship.

While the lyrics of the Psalms remain with us, the notes do not. I guess the possibility is there for the Jewish people of today to sing these, and that they might be following pretty closely in the tunes of the ancient worshipers. But I don't think we can find specific notes or documentation for the tunes for each and every psalm . . . I wonder why? Perhaps this is another example of God's providence: maybe God allowed this to be, so that each culture down through the ages could compose music which sounded "just right" to them. I expect that those who have tried to set the psalms (in part or in whole) to music have grown to appreciate them all the more, as they pondered the words and allowed them to sink into their thirsty souls.

I know that as I embroider verses (I have a habit of doing so) I am able to contemplate them and let God speak to me in ways that are different from when I am studying them with my Bible in my lap. It's a peaceful way to draw His Word inside and keep it there for when Satan buffets me.

I think that each generation must learn to appreciate the poetry and the musical characteristics of the Psalms. I hope this study will help us to use them as we worship our Father.

More tomorrow . . . . .