Ways to Praise - Zamar | Pastor Mike Fortune | September 14, 2019

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Ways to Praise (Part 3) - Zamar

  1. Instruments Galore (Psalm 144:9; Psalm 57:7-10; Lyrics; Psalm 149:1-3; Psalm 150; Psalm 68:24-25; 2 Chronicles 5:11-14; Quotes; 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Chronicles 15:16,19,28-29; 1 Chronicles 16:5,42; 1 Chronicles 25:1,3,6; 2 Chronicles 30:21-23,25; Nehemiah 12:27,42-43; Psalm 98:1,4-9; Psalm 33:1-5; Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 101:1)

Psalm 144:9 (Scripture Reading)

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will sing your praises [זָמַר zamar] with a ten-stringed harp. 

 

Psalm 57:7-10

7 My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises [זָמַר zamar]! 8 Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. 9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. 10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

 

Third Day "Your Love Oh Lord"

Your love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness stretches to the sky
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows like the ocean's tide
I will life my voice
To worship You, my King
I will find my strength
In the shadow on Your wings

 

Psalm 149:1-3

1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. 2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. 3 Praise [זָמַר zamar] his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.

 

Psalm 150

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! 2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

 

Psalm 68:24-25

24 Your procession has come into view, O God—the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary. 25 Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines.

 

2 Chronicles 5:11-14

11 Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day. 12 And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 14 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.

 

Bedlam of Noise?

It is impossible to estimate too largely the work that the Lord will accomplish through His proposed vessels in carrying out His mind and purpose. The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. - Ellen White, Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p36

 

Conducted Aright?

This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. - Ellen White, Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p36

 

Properly Conducted

The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with such a confusion of noise and multitude of sounds as passed before me last January. Satan works amid the din and confusion of such music, which, properly conducted, would be a praise and glory to God. - Ellen White, Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p37

 

A Big Bass Drum?

A fanatical teaching termed “The Doctrine of Holy Flesh” was started in 1900 in Indiana, leading the conference president and various workers into serious error. This theory alleged that those who follow the Saviour must have their fallen natures perfected by passing through a “Garden of Gethsemane” experience, thus acquiring a state of physical sinlessness as an essential preparation for translation. Eyewitness accounts report that in their services the fanatics worked up a high pitch of excitement by use of musical instruments such as organs, flutes, fiddles, tambourines, horns, and even a big bass drum. - Compilers note prior to Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p36

 

Timbrel, Hand Drum
The most ancient means of marking rhythm was the clapping of hands, a method which is still employed. Among the instruments of percussion, the timbrel or hand-drum ("tof") is the oldest and most popular. It is very simple, consisting of a broad or narrow hoop of wood or metal over which the skin of an animal is stretched. Sometimes small, thin pieces of metal are hung upon the rim, which jingle when the timbrel is shaken, as in the modern tambourine. The instrument is held high in one hand, while the performer beats on the drumhead with the fingers and the back of the other hand. The form of the instrument is similar to that of the modern tambourine, as is also the manner of playing on it. - http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14399-timbrel

 

Guitar in Church

At this place is one of the oldest companies of Sabbath-keepers in Sweden. They number about fifty. Here there was the greatest interest in the meetings. Our people hold their meetings in a union house built by dissenters, and open to all denominations. Here a plan quite common in Sweden, but new to us, was adopted to supply the lack of an organ. A lady who occupied a room adjoining the meeting-hall, and who had charge of the building, was a skillful player on the guitar, and possessed a sweet, musical voice; at public worship she was accustomed to supply the place of both choir and instrument. At our request she played and sung at the opening of our meetings. - Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions p.194

 

Organ in Church

At one point in church history, certain musical intervals were thought to be sensual. The Babylonian Talmud refers to a woman's voice as 'a sexual incitement.' The early church forbade the men and women to sing together, because it was seen as a symbol of sexual union. Carlstadt stated,  'Relegate organs, trumpets, and flutes to the theater. Better one heartfelt prayer than a thousand cantatas of the Psalms. The lascivious notes of the organ awaken thoughts of the world. - Steve Miller, The Contemporary Christian Music Debate, p.28

 

Instruments Galore

The use of musical instruments is not at all objectionable. These were used in religious services in ancient times. The worshipers praised God upon the harp and cymbal, and music should have its place in our services. - Ellen White, Evangelism, pp. 500-501

 

More Energy

I saw there was great necessity of more energy being manifested by the commandment keepers in their meetings. - Ellen White, Manuscript 3, 1853, Manuscript Releases vol 5 page 424

 

1 Samuel 10:5

5 When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.

 

1 Chronicles 15:16,19,28-29

16 David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals. 19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals. 28 So all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres. 29 But as the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David skipping about and laughing with joy, she was filled with contempt for him.

 

1 Chronicles 16:5,42

5 Asaph, the leader of this group, sounded the cymbals. 42 They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God.

 

1 Chronicles 25:1,3,6

1 David and the army commanders then appointed men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. 3 They worked under the direction of their father, Jeduthun, who proclaimed God’s messages to the accompaniment of the lyre, offering thanks and praise to the Lord. 6 All these men were under the direction of their fathers as they made music at the house of the Lord. Their responsibilities included the playing of cymbals, harps, and lyres at the house of God.

 

2 Chronicles 30:21-23,25

21 So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. 22 Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. 23 The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week. 25The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah.

 

Nehemiah 12:27,42-43

27 For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. 42 They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director. 43 Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.

 

Psalm 98:1,4-9

1 Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. 4 Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! 5 Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, 6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King! 7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy 9 before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.

 

Psalm 33:1-5

1 Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord; it is fitting for the pure to praise him. 2 Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. 3 Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. 4 For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. 5 He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.

 

Hebrews 13:15

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 

 

Psalm 101:1

1 I will sing [זָמַר zamar] of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you [זָמַר zamar] with songs.