In addition to planning and funding the temple, David spent time preparing the temple servants to be ready when Solomon finished the temple. King David, gifted by God to be a poet and musician himself, takes great care in choosing who will lead worship and prophesy in the Temple of God.  David leaves no stone unturned in the preparation of giving God his best.  No doubt, David will be involved in training the musicians, writing new songs, while putting together a worship team solely for The Temple of God who will praise God and give Him thanks with their harps and lyres as well as with their beautiful voices!  They have one job—worship God with thanksgiving, honor, and praise!

Can we close our eyes and imagine what this would sound like? With all these people participating in praise; would it be what heaven might sound like? Jesus reveals a glimpse of the sounds of heaven to John;

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”  Revelation 4:6-11, NIV

WE are created to worship our God!

1 Chronicles 25

The Musicians

David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:

² From the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.

³ As for Jeduthun, from his sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord.

⁴ As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. ⁵ (All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.)

⁶ All these men were under the supervision of their father for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king. ⁷ Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288. ⁸ Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties.

9 The first lot, which was for Asaph, fell to Joseph,
his sons and relatives	12
the second to Gedaliah,
him and his relatives and sons	12
10 the third to Zakkur,
his sons and relatives	12
11 the fourth to Izri,
his sons and relatives	12
12 the fifth to Nethaniah,
his sons and relatives	12
13 the sixth to Bukkiah,
his sons and relatives	12
14 the seventh to Jesarelah,
his sons and relatives	12
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah,
his sons and relatives	12
16 the ninth to Mattaniah,
his sons and relatives	12
17 the tenth to Shimei,
his sons and relatives	12
18 the eleventh to Azarel,
his sons and relatives	12
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah,
his sons and relatives	12
20 the thirteenth to Shubael,
his sons and relatives	12
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah,
his sons and relatives	12
22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth,
his sons and relatives	12
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah,
his sons and relatives	12
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah,
his sons and relatives	12
25 the eighteenth to Hanani,
his sons and relatives	12
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi,
his sons and relatives	12
27 the twentieth to Eliathah,
his sons and relatives	12
28 the twenty-first to Hothir,
his sons and relatives	12
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti,
his sons and relatives	12
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth,
his sons and relatives	12
31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer,
his sons and relatives	12.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Who is better gifted and qualified by God to put together the worship teams than King David, the poet and musician himself!  Interestingly, David and the army commanders selected the musicians. This partly indicates the importance of music in the context of life and worship. Perhaps the years of military duty had given these men a special perspective on the musical abilities of these Levites during the hectic days of battle and army camping. David himself a musician, had a particular appreciation of the power of music to enhance the proclamation of God’s messages!

King David brings order to worship. 

The divisions of the musicians into worship teams ensured that qualified instrumentalists were available for each of the 24 divisions of the priests. Orderly worship doesn’t have to stifle creativity or prevent the Holy Spirit from moving among people. God is not disorganized. Our Enemy is the author of confusion! 

When we plan worship carefully and prayerfully, amazing moments of spontaneous worship develop. But a lack of planning or organization tends to result in confusion rather than creativity.  We are created to worship God with committed hearts and laser focused minds. We come to worship with our whole being with expectant anticipation of our souls being filled by God’s Holy Spirit. God is the focus.  We are the worshippers.

Lord,

I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul. Thank you for giving us a place to gather to worship you with praise and thanksgiving with others.  Singing with each other in praise to You encourages our walk with You!  Hearing you speak to us through your prophets dedicated to be your mouthpiece stirs our hearts and fills our hearts, minds, and souls with how to be more like you.  The bottom line is everything is all about You!  You created all to worship You!  Your Goodness and Glory are seen more clearly as we worship you in Spirit and in Truth.  So, Lord, keep us honest. Keep us humbled before you as we worship You corporately and individually. Real Life is truly all about You and our response to You.

In Jesus Name, Amen