“David and the
captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of
Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and
with cymbals” (1 Chron. 25:1).

In 1 Kings 1 we
see King David as a decrepit old man; Abishag ministered to him, seeking almost
in vain to keep the spark of life from going out. But when Solomon’s title to
the throne was disputed by Adonijah, David blazed forth as much the king and
man of might as ever, and secured for Solomon the throne and the succession.
The “man after [God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:22), realizing as his end drew near
the glory that awaited his successor, made full and ample provision not merely
for Solomon’s own throne, but above all, for the glory and the worship and
service of the house of God—that which was dearest to his heart.

David provided
not only for the building of the temple, but for the worship of the Levites,
the courses of the priests, the porters at the gates, and all the details. We
can imagine with what keen delight this old man would arrange all. Faith could
see, not the bare threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (1 Chron. 21:28; 2
Chron. 3:1), but the stately temple filled with worshiping priests and singing
Levites, and over all, the overshadowing glory. And faith could rejoice, though
for sight there was nothing. So it should ever be for us. Sight has nothing to
show, but how lively the view that faith opens up!

It is in
connection with the ordering of the Levite service of worship that we have an
expression that should arrest our attention:“David … separated to the
service … [those] who should prophesy with harps.” We would naturally
think of harps being used to play upon to aid in the melody of the worship, but
there seems to be distinct meaning, as we know there is in every word of
Scripture, in this word “prophesy.” They were to prophesy with harps;
that is, they were to speak for God, which is really the thought of
prophesying. And does it not seem a strange combination? The harp suggests
praise, worship, and joy offered to God; the prophesying suggests, as it were,
God’s voice for His people to hear. Without doubt, the thought that underlies
it, first of all, is that their playing with harps was not a natural exercise,
but under divine guidance. As the incense was made according to the formula
given to Moses, and nothing could be added or taken from it, so the melody
which was to accompany the sweet psalms of praise was also ordered of God.
This, of course, does not set aside the thought of their being men of gift and
of training, but it reminds us of the fact that everything connected with God
must be under His control.

We have another
mention of an instrument of music in connection with the exercise of prophecy
in the life of Elisha—when the kings of Judah and Israel and Edom were stranded
in the wilderness without water, and the enemy threatened them. In their
helplessness they turned to the prophet of the Lord who, for the sake of
Jehoshaphat, came to their relief. “Bring me a minstrel,” Elisha said. “And it
came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon
him.” It was in connection with what we might call praise that God gave His
word of deliverance for these kings.

This opens up a
very important thought for us and one that we forget all too easily. Nothing is
more needed among the people of God than prophecy. What would we be without
God’s word for us? Of course, we have the written Word, that which embodies all
the truth of God revealed to us, and which it is at once our privilege and
responsibility to feed upon and to be filled with. But the word in season, the
word from the Lord out of His written Word, that which appeals to conscience
and to heart and ministers “edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (1 Cor.
14:3), how important, how necessary to receive this!

If we turn to
the Old Testament prophets, we see that their message consisted largely of
warning, of denunciation of evil, of lamentation over the declension of a
people privileged as no other nation. The pages of the prophets are stained
with their tears, and yet who that has read, “Isaiah’s wild measure” but has
heard the sound of the harp mingling its melody even when the theme was most
sad, and sending a glimmer of hope over the darkest pages. Rising above and
reaching beyond all the gloom is that clear, triumphant note of victory that
looks on to the end, assured that at the last the harps will have not a
message of sorrow but one of unmingled joy and delight.

Putting it very
simply, the thought suggested by the harps is the spirit of praise and worship.
Even our sins ought to be sung out to God, as it were. The book of Psalms as a
whole gives us this thought. No matter how humbling the sin, how deep the
humiliation, how sore the oppression of the enemy, the harp is never laid
aside. It all goes up, as it were, to God in worship. And is there not deep
instruction in this? None are more easily discouraged than the people of God
when their failures are brought to remembrance. They are overwhelmed. Mere
calling sin to mind will never give deliverance from it; but here comes in the
harp of praise too; for in spite of all weakness and manifold shortcomings, how
much we have to praise for!

There is
lacking among us, no doubt, much of that faithfulness that marked the prophets
of old. “He who has My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully” (Jer. 23:28) is
too easily forgotten, and while we do not prophesy “smooth things” of deceit
(Isa. 30:10), there may be the passing over, the avoiding those painful “wounds
of a friend” (Prov. 27:6) that heal while they smite. This is included in the
“exhortation” that the apostle Paul speaks of in 1 Cor. 14:3. We must deal
faithfully with one another and we may all prophesy. But let us always take our
harp when we prophesy. Let us always remember that we can praise God and that
the accompaniment to the saddest message that we may have to bring to our
brethren is the sweet song of redemption. Oh, how this illumines whatever may
have to be said! How it changes denunciation into entreaty! How anger is melted
to tears, and even over those who have gone farthest astray, how the yearning
pity mingles with the faith to count upon their recovery as we deliver, it may
be, a message of sorrow!

In quite
another connection we have a similar thought:“Be careful [or anxious] for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6). The supplication suggests
strong entreaty of hearts that have a sense of need and must have an answer
from God. Yet coupled with it is that “thanksgiving” that lightens the burden
and, in anticipation, praises God for the answer. Do we always remember to
mingle thanks with our prayers as we wait long for the answer, as it is
deferred until the heart well nigh grows sick? Let us remember the
thanksgiving, for our God does hear and will in His own way and time give an
answer of peace. Meanwhile, too, “the peace of God that passes all
understanding [keeps our] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We have been
speaking of admonition. This is connected, in Col. 3:16, with psalms and hymns:
“Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Be the punctuation altered as
it may, the close connection between the admonition and the psalms and hymns
is, to say the least, suggestive of prophesying with the harp. In our own
experience, have we not oftentimes received the tenderest and most effectual
admonitions in the melody of praise?

Yet, gracious Lord, when we reflect

How apt to turn the eye from Thee,

Forget Thee, too, with sad neglect

And listen to the enemy,

And yet to find Thee still the same,

‘Tis this that humbles us with shame.

It seems as
though the very joy of God’s grace, instead of making us forget our own wrong,
leaves us not hopeless and discouraged but draws us closer to Himself:

Astonished at Thy feet we fall.

Thy love exceeds our highest thought.

Henceforth be Thou our all in all,

Thou who our souls with blood hast

bought.

May we henceforth more faithful prove

And ne’er forget Thy ceaseless love.

This is but one
illustration of what, without doubt, has been frequently the experience of
God’s beloved people. Have we not often expected a blow, felt that we deserved
it, that nothing short of some correction from the rod of God could move us,
and been surprised and melted into deepest contrition by the sweet voice of the
harp bringing the message of love that never changes?

Then, too, the
one who brings the needed message of admonition is also prone to discouragement
sometimes, forgetting his own weaknesses as he things of those of his brethren.
He goes in gloom, with but little hope of seeing results, to do that which is a
most unpleasant duty, and he does it faithfully, but in a hard way. He goes
away unsuccessful and doubly depressed. How different it might have been had he
taken his harp with him and remembered that it is grace alone that restores, as
it is grace alone that saves.

We must not
think that all prophecy is admonition or that every message from God is a word
of warning. How far this is from the truth! Has a father nothing but correction
for his children? It is the exception, rather than the rule. What happy family
is there where admonition is the prevailing atmosphere? It comes with all the
greater force because of its comparative rarity. But prophecy goes on always.
The Father is always speaking to His children and would use us as His
mouthpieces for His message. Exhortation, edification, and comfort are all
included in it, and how everything is lightened and rendered effective by the
spirit of praise! We come with happy hearts and speak to one another for
edification, and how different it is when, in a mere perfunctory way, we go
over truths clear to the mind, but lacking in just that one thing which makes
them effective and which the spirit of praise furnishes! Is there not, too
often, an atmosphere of depression among the people of God? They are looking at
one another, and like Joseph’s brethren, starving as they look into one
another’s faces, and yet their Bibles are in their hands, full of most priceless
truth. Constraint, the fear of man, and occupation with one’s brethren have
hindered the free outflow of that which should come in all its simplicity and
with all its power. What is the remedy? Take the harp. Strike a few notes.
Think of the love of God, of His grace and goodness; think of what redemption
is, and how all constraint vanishes! The Spirit of the Lord is free because we
are occupied, not with one another, but with Christ, and thus there is the
liberty which comes from the Spirit’s freedom.

Take again the
meeting for prayer. How many heavy hearts come to the prayer meeting. Do they
go away heavy or light? It is a libel upon the grace and love of God to carry a
heavy heart away from where we have met with Him. He will surely give a word of
help and blessing if the eye has been turned to Him, or if the harp of praise
has become the vehicle for the message of prophecy.

It is needless
to enlarge. We have simply dwelt upon one idea, looking at a few of its many
sides. The spirit of praise is absolutely essential. God dwells amid the
praises of His people (Psa. 22:22; Heb. 2:12). There can be no sense of His
presence without worship, and there can be no true liberty without praise
accompanying it. Let us then take a lesson from David’s provision. Let us learn
more than ever to prophesy with the harp, and to do everything with
thanksgiving. How light it would make our lives, and what a foretaste it would
give us of that time near at hand—we know not how near—when the melody of the
harp will sound out in all its entrancing sweetness as we sing:“Unto Him who
loves us and has washed us from our sins in His own blood … to Him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever” (Rev. 1:5,6).

(From Help
and Food, Vol. 19.)