1 Chronicles 25--David Organizes the Musicians

1 Chronicles 25
English Standard Version

David Organizes the Musicians
25 David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, 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, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to 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, according to the promise of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 They were all under the direction of their father in the music 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 order of the king. 7 The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the LORD, all who were skillful, was 288. 8 And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

​9 The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him and his brothers and his sons, twelve; 10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 11 the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 14 the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 20 to the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 21 to the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 22 to the fifteenth, to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 23 to the sixteenth, to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 24 to the seventeenth, to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 25 to the eighteenth, to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 26 to the nineteenth, to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 27 to the twentieth, to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 28 to the twenty-first, to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 29 to the twenty-second, to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 30 to the twenty-third, to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 31 to the twenty-fourth, to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

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The priests have their assignments, and the other Levites have their assignments.  Now it is time for certain people to receive assignments as singers and musicians to always be praising the LORD together--specifically as they led the people to sing the Psalms.  It is an important job, but also one to which we do not often give enough weight or thought.  It is something heavy to lead people into worship on a regular basis and to be sure that the words that you sing are in alignment with the message that the LORD wants His people to receive.  While we know the primary modality of people learning the Word of God is preaching and teaching, the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is also integral to discipleship and Christian education in general.  The songs the people sing to themselves when they are alone are the theology that they truly believe.  These men led the people in worship every day as they came to offer their blood sacrifices.  How was this something to give thanks for?  Because the LORD was gracious to offer them the way of salvation through substitutionary atonement, and it pointed to something even greater when all our sins would be washed away.  This is something the writers of the Psalms understood, I think the priests and Levites were meant to understand, and in turn, the people would understand as they listened to the teaching of the priests and other Levites and heard the music of these musicians.

Now for why I said being a musician or singer is hard.  Do you ever go to church and not feel like singing because you feel like you just need to be filled, or you know you messed up that week and wonder how you can praise the LORD, even though you've confessed your sin and repented?  Now imagine that you not only are there as part of the congregation to receive the Word through preaching and communion, and singing, but you are responsible to lead others in worship in any of these ways that the priests, Levites, and musicians were responsible for.  Don't you imagine that there were times that they had a hard time leading worship when it was their turn to lead? Don't look at these men who were chosen by David and assume they were always perfect all the time.  They needed grace and mercy as much as the person on your left and on your right at church, even if they stand in front of you up on a stage or stand behind a pulpit.  Pray for all those who lead your congregation and those who minister to others in these different ways--even for the people that do things that we might think "less important" like being a doorkeeper.  David says that he longed to be a doorkeeper in the house of the LORD so that he could just be there in the presence of the LORD.  It didn't matter what job David had, he just wanted to be in the presence of the LORD worshiping Him.

I can't say much more about the men listed other than to say it took a lot of people to lead the people, and it was a family thing.  People born into these families knew this would be their role and from an early age they would be taught to play their musical instruments or sing in the choir so that they could serve the LORD in the Temple and wherever else He called them to play and sing.  Oh, the doors music opens up for us that would otherwise be closed.  People will listen to music when they will not listen to preaching, yet the words of hymn or psalm can be the message that the recipient will continue to hear over and over again as they continue to hear the song and sing it to themselves, long after they have usually forgotten the words of the sermon (that's nothing against preaching, it's just human nature to remember music better than lecture).  At this time of year, maybe it would be appropriate to let all those who serve in your church in big ways and small ways that you are thankful for how they minister to you week after week.