Day 716: 1 Chronicles 25- Music Matters

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,[a] 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.

Meditation
Music matters in worship but a heart responding to God’s grace and focused on God’s glory matters more than worship times, styles, or traditions. This said, we must recognize the Bible communicates that music matters in worship.
 
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most influential composers of all time and he said of this chapter that it is the foundation of all God-pleasing church music (HGM Williamson as quoted in the ESV Expositors Commentary Series, p 1061). Music matters in the worship of the Lord.
 
David is preparing the next generation to bring the ark into Jerusalem, supplying and organizing the temple project with specific detail. Today we read of the organization of musicians into twenty-four different divisions.
 
David’s direction included three key leaders: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (Yes, you read that right. One guy’s name is “Heman”! And he had fourteen sons and three daughters, all under his direction for music in the house of the Lord (5-6)).
 
David’s direction communicates the importance of organized and developed music. The diversity of instruments is repeated, too. Cymbals for contemporary, harps for traditional, and lyres for people wanting to go mid-evil. That is the point, right? No. The heart of the person worshipping is the priority for the Lord.
 
Christians worship God from the heart (Psalm 86:12), in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Worship Is an expression of loving God with all our heart (Matthew 22:37) and this gives substance to why music matters in worship.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What is your focus in worship- The style of music, the time of your service, or the One whom you are worshipping?
 
-Why is it easy to get distracted by music more than the meaning of why we are worshipping to begin with?
 
-How does God’s grace guide your heart to focus on God’s glory in worship?
 
Key Verses
1 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