Scripture has at least 56 chapters that are explicitly directed to musicians.
1. Psalms has 55 chapters that have the same wording in their headings, “To the chief musician”:
4-6; 8-9; 11-14; 18-22; 31, 36; 39-42; 44-49; 51-62; 64-70; 75-77; 80, 81, 84, 85, 88; 109; 139, 140
-Of these, only the heading of Psalm 88 does not begin with these words.
-Interestingly, although nine messianic Psalms are included (8, 22, 41, 45, 49, 68, 69, and 109), some key ones are not (2, 16, 72, 78, 96, 110, and 118).
2. Habakkuk ends with similar wording: “To the chief singer on my singed instruments” (3:19). It seems that this phrase applies only to the final chapter of the book.
Because these are the only chapters in Scripture that are explicitly addressed to musicians, it seems to me that every Christian musician should make these 56 chapters a special focus of his study sometime early in his life. They should also be covered in some manner in all music programs in Christian colleges and universities.
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