Musical instruments or terms having specifically to do with them are mentioned explicitly in the Psalms at least 49 times.a An examination of these occurrences reveals that the Spirit has stressed the importance of stringed instruments above that of both wind instruments and percussion instruments.
Stringed Instruments
| Stringed |
Mentions |
Verses |
Psalms |
Commands |
| Harp |
14 (33:2; 43:4; 49:4; 57:8; 71:22c; 81:2c; 92:3c; 98:5 (2x); 108:2; 137:2; 147:7; 149:3; 150:3b) |
13 |
13 |
6 (33:2a; 81:2c; 98:5; 147:7; 149:3; 150:3b) |
| Psaltery |
8 (33:2b; 57:8; 71:22a; 81:2c; 92:3b; 108:2; 144:9; 150:3b) |
8 |
8 |
3 (33:2b; 81:2c; 150:3b) |
| “Instrument of ten strings” |
3 (33:2b; 92:3a; 144:9) |
3 |
3 |
1 (33:2b) |
| “Stringed instruments” |
1 (150:4b) |
1 |
1 |
1 (150:4b) |
| “Neginoth” |
6 (4:1; 6:1; 54:1; 55:1; 67:1; 76:1) |
6 |
6 |
|
| “Sheminith” |
2 (6:1; 12:1) |
2 |
2 |
|
| “Neginah” |
1 (61:1) |
1 |
1 |
|
| “Play skillfully” |
1 (33:3) |
1 |
1 |
1 (33:3) |
| “Players on instruments” |
1 (68:25b) |
1 |
1 |
|
| Total |
37b |
25b, c |
23b, c |
9c |
Wind Instruments
| Wind |
Mentions |
Verses |
Psalms |
Commands |
| Trumpet |
4 (47:5; 81:3; 98:6; 150:3a) |
4 |
4 |
3 (81:3; 98:6; 150:3a) |
| “Cornet” |
1 (98:6) |
1 |
1 |
1 (98:6) |
| “Organs” |
1 (150:4b) |
1 |
1 |
1 (150:4b) |
| Total |
6d |
5c |
4c |
4c |
Percussion Instruments
| Percussion |
Mentions |
Verses |
Psalms |
Commands |
| Timbrels |
4 (68:25c; 81:2b; 149:3; 150:4a) |
4 |
4 |
3 (81:2b; 149:3; 150:4a) |
| “Loud cymbals” |
1 (150:5a) |
1 |
1 |
1 (150:5a) |
| “High sounding cymbals” |
1 (150:5b) |
1 |
1 |
1 (150:5b) |
| Total |
6 |
5c |
4c |
5c |
Discussion
The data about musical instruments in the Psalms shows that stringed instruments (or terms specifically pertaining to them) are mentioned more than three times as often (37 times) in the Psalms as are wind instruments and percussion instruments combined (12 times). Information about stringed instruments is mentioned in more than three times the number of verses in the Psalms (25 verses) than is information about wind instruments and percussion instruments combined (8 verses).
Moreover, stringed instruments (and other information about them) are mentioned in more than three times the number of Psalms (23 Psalms) than wind instruments and percussion instruments are (6 Psalms). Strikingly, nine Psalms mention only stringed instruments (Ps. 33, 43, 49, 71, 92, 108, 137, 144, 147), but only one Psalm mentions only a wind instrument (Ps. 47), and no Psalm mentions only percussion instruments.
The Psalms also reveal that God has commanded the use of stringed instruments nine times in the Psalms, which equals the total number of commands for the use of wind instruments and percussion instruments. Six Psalms have commands for the use of string instruments (Ps. 33, 81, 98, 147, 149, 150), while commands for the use of either wind or percussion instruments are found in four Psalms (Ps. 81, 98, 149, 150).
Another facet of the greater importance of stringed instruments in the Psalms directly pertains to corporate worship in a distinctive way. Of the 55 Psalms that the Spirit inspired to be directed explicitly to the chief musician, eight have explicit mentions of stringed instruments or terms pertaining specifically to them at the beginning of the Psalm (Ps. 4:1; 6:1; 12:1; 54:1; 55:1; 61:1; 67:1; 76:1).
Four other Psalms explicitly have content about stringed instruments, but their content is later in the Psalm (Ps. 49:4; 57:8; 68:25; 81:2). The Spirit, therefore, has inspired explicit mentions of information about stringed instruments in 12 such Psalms!
By striking contrast, none of the 55 Psalms explicitly directed to the chief musician have content about wind or percussion instruments at the beginning of the Psalm. Three of the 55 Psalms do have later content in them about wind (Ps. 47:5; 81:3) and percussion instruments (Ps. 68:25; 81:2).
The Spirit has thus inspired content about stringed instruments in four times as many such Psalms (12 total) compared to content about wind or percussion instruments (3 total for both wind and percussion instruments)! This far greater proportion stresses the comparative importance of stringed instruments above wind and percussion instruments.
These facts about what the Spirit has revealed about musical instruments through the Psalms plainly teach us that stringed instruments are far more important than are either wind instruments or percussion instruments. The primacy of stringed instruments in the Psalms therefore is undeniable.
Application
Musically conservative brethren who choose to use wind and percussion instruments only sparingly and in limited ways in their corporate worship have full biblical justification to do so. The biblical data in Psalms does not necessitate that either wind instruments or percussion instruments are to be used prominently in corporate worship.
Moreover, churches that cite the mentions and commands in the Psalms concerning percussion instruments to justify the use of rhythmically dominant music in their corporate worship would do well to consider whether what they are doing in their corporate worship properly accords with what the Psalms teach us about the primacy of stringed instruments in corporate worship.
Notes:
a I am fully aware that there is more data in the Psalms that may pertain to the use of musical instruments. I have chosen not to treat that data because there are significant uncertainties about what that data signifies. For example, some sources hold that Nehiloth in Psalm 5:1 has to do with the use of flutes (see the translation note in the NET Bible), but they state that this understanding is uncertain.
b Psalm 45:8 has the same Hebrew word that is rendered as “stringed instruments” in 150:4.
c The totals do not equal the sum of the numbers in each row of this column because some of the entries are from the same verse, Psalm, or command, respectively.
d Psalm 87:7 may speak of the use of pipes or flutes.
e As needed, I will be making changes, corrections, additions, etc. to the information in this post. I would appreciate feedback about any factual errors that need correcting.
f Photo Credit: D. Hendrix
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