QUESTION
What is the significance of playing musical instruments/ beating drums in the work of salvation/ spreading the Gospel?
MY SUGGESTED ANSWER
The importance of musical instruments in the church can never be over-emphasized.
The use of musical instruments originates from among the Jewish people who use the following musical instruments among many of their musical instruments which include: kinnor (lyre), nevel (harp), tof (tambourine), shofar (ram's horn), trumpet, etc. to accompany their liturgical worship.
Are you aware that Jubal is the father of all who plays musical instruments and drums (lyre and harp)? Cf. Gen. 4: 21
Jewish music is music that exists in both traditions of religious music as sung in the synagogue and domestic prayers, and of secular music.
So, since Christianity is an offshoot of the Jewish tradition and culture, the church in her continued with the ever-green rich culture of the Jewish tradition in her liturgy. These are the reasons we have many references from the old testament about the use of musical instruments in our liturgical worship and the promotion of the Gospel.
No wonder, David was able to win the heart and mind of God with his songs using musical instruments.
Below are some among many of the musical instruments used for worship.
***Psalm 150: 3. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him harp and lyre
***Psalm. 43: 4..... With harp, I will praise God
***Exodus 20: 18. At the sound of a trumpet...
***Leviticus 25: 9. You shall sound a ram's horn...
***Judges 3: 27. At arrival, he blew the trumpet.
***Job 21: 12. They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
***Psalm. 81: 2-3. Raise a song, strike the timbrel, the sweet-sounding lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon...
***Psalm 149: 3. Let them praise His name with dancing, let them sing with timbrel and lyre.
***2 Sam. 6: 5. David and the house of Israel celebrated before the Lord with all kinds of musical instruments such as lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
***2 Chronicles 15: 14. They made an Oath to the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and with horns.
Meanwhile, the Papal encyclical of Second Vatican Ecumenical Council on MUSICAM SACRAM instruction on music in the liturgy, 5th March 1967; Nos 5, 62, 63, 65
5. It says liturgical worship is given a more noble form when it is celebrated in song... and of cause by nature, musical instruments accompanying the songs uplift the soul.
62. Musical instruments can be very useful in sacred celebrations, whether they accompany the singing or are played as solo instruments.
63. On the use of musical instruments, the culture and traditions of the individual peoples must be taken into consideration... Hence, local drums and other local musical instruments become a means of propagating the faith.
64. The use of musical instruments to accompany the singing can act as a support to the voices, render participation easier, and achieve a deeper union in the assembly.
(My dear, kindly consult the encyclical for more)
Vatican 2 says further that music expresses the" soul of the people" and is to be prompted especially in the singing of liturgical texts themselves.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN THE CHURCH.
Musical instruments do the followings...
1. They uplift the soul.
2. They invite the universe to take part in praise.
3. They equip us to praise with more diverse creativity.
4. They allow us to bring more forms of beauty.
5. They refresh the biblical testimony of instruments in worship.
6. They are consistent with God's use of the works of human hands.
7. The instruments are a key way that worship is inculturated.
8. The instruments help people express themselves with personal and cultural authenticity.
9. Instruments give a greater vocabulary of praise.
10. The use of local instruments such as local drums and other local musical instruments helps the local people to understand more the liturgical mystery of the gospel.
Permit me to explain No. 10 further
In every traditional setting, like masquerading for instance, every masquerade has its beating and it sends a mysterious signal to the locals who worship that same masquerade. For more reasons, you will hear the chief priests and the women chanting mysterious incantations as a form of worship to the deity masquerade. The local drums accompany the mysterious chanting.
So, the same as narrated above in the spirit of inculturation helps the local people to understand the mystery of the gospel deeply.
Imagine how joyful people feel once their local drums are used in worship, and compare how boring and unspiritually fulfilled they feel when western musical instruments are used solemnly which is not part of the local settings they are used to from their childhood.
These are the few points I can contribute. I hope they are useful.
Thanks for the opportunity.
Comments