Singing in Israel’s Experience
289
was stayed upon God, and he sang. [See
Psalm 3:1-8
.]—
Patriarchs
and Prophets, 741, 742
.
Part of the Sanctuary System—In bringing to the temple the
sacred ark containing the two tables of stone on which were written by
the finger of God the precepts of the Decalogue, Solomon had followed
the example of his father David. Every six paces he sacrificed. With
singing and with music and with great ceremony, “the priests brought
in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place.”... As they came
out of the inner sanctuary, they took the positions assigned them. The
singers—Levites arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries
and harps—stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred
and twenty priests sounding with trumpets. [See
2 Chronicles 5:7,
12
.]—
Prophets and Kings, 38, 39
.
Songs for the Battle—“Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face
to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell
before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children
of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to
praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.”
Early in the morning they rose and went into the wilderness of
Tekoa. As they advanced to the battle, Jehoshaphat said, “Hear me, O
Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God,
so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.”
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto
[453]
the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness.”
2 Chronicles
20:14-21
. These singers went before the army, lifting their voices in
praise to God for the promise of victory.
It was a singular way of going to battle against the enemy’s army—
praising the Lord with singing, and exalting the God of Israel. This
was their battle song. They possessed the beauty of holiness. If more
praising of God were engaged in now, hope and courage and faith
would steadily increase. And would not this strengthen the hands
of the valiant soldiers who today are standing in defense of truth?—
Prophets and Kings, 201, 202
.
Nehemiah’s Record of the Levites’ Songs—The Levites, in their
hymn recorded by Nehemiah, sang “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone;
Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host,
the earth, and all things therein, ... and Thou preservest them all.”
Nehemiah 9:6
.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 115
.