Prior to the psalms being written what did the Church in the OT sing?

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Richard
CofE
UK

Hymns and Spiritual Songs?

Good question

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Christopher Reeder
Husband to Kara, Father to Abigail (8), Caleb (7), Grace (5 1/2), Zoë (4), Elijah (2), Hannah (1), and Mary (due February 2010)

Member: Pilgrim Presbyterian Church (OPC), Raleigh, NC

I am not convinced that the Church (the worshipping assembly of saints) sang anything prior to the Davidic establishment. The only instances we have of song are prophetic utterance (Deborah, Judges 5.3) Civil rejoicing (Numbers 21.17; Exodus 15.1, 21) and revelry (Exodus 32.8). There is not any inspired record of worship song prior to David.

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Rev. Todd Ruddell
Pastor, Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCGA)
Wylie, TX
www.christcovenantreformedpc.org

Our best marks can contribute nothing to our justification, ...that is proper to faith. Faith cannot lodge in the soul alone, and without other graces; yet faith alone justifies before God.--G. Gillespie

Isn't that like asking, "Prior to the Scriptures being written what did they read?"

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Larry Bray
Elder - Reformed Presbyterian Church of Boothwyn, PCA
Boothwyn, PA - http://www.rpcb.org/
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
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Christian ritual costs nothing and is worth nothing. True Christian religion costs all that we have and is worth everything.

Thanks, that is the position I am leaning to. When would you say that the Egyptian Hallel came into being and came to be linked with the Passover?

Not in my estimation.

Prior to the building of the Temple by Solomon was singing a part of the worship? The book of Leviticus deals with sacrifice and behaviour. By the time of the Temple there would have been the Davidic Psalms as well as those collected from the sons of Korah, Asaph etc. The first mention of singing is Laban who claims he would have sent Jacob off with joy and songs (Gen 31.27) The first recorded song to the Lord would be that in Ex 15 which the Israelites sung after passing through the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh's army. The next time singing is mentioned is during the worship of the golden calf in Ex 32.18.

Whatever the 'Book of the wars of the Lord' was (Nu 21.14) the song in v17-18 may have come form it. Perhaps that was their "hymnbook"? Deborah's song is Judges 5 is the next recorded song and as the lyrics are in God's word we can only assume God inspired them to sing these words.

David appointed singers (1 Chro 15.16,23) when brining the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Perhaps they sang some of David's Psalms?

However any suggestion as to what the Israelites sung prior to the Psalms being written is mere speculation. Perhaps he did inspire people to sing from their hearts an appreciation of God's own greatness, majesty and works.

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Stuart
Elder, Lambeg Baptist, Northern Ireland, UK

In Him the fulness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form and in Him you are complete (Col 2.9-10)

The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God. (RM M'Cheyne)

Pastor Steven Dilday's sermon series on the the History of the Service of Song may be of interest.

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Andrew

Guess what I shall be doing on the train tomorrow!

Eating and takin' a nap?

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
Facebook - The Calvinist Vent
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It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

Just to add, we see in the time of Saul that there were singers:

"And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.

And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night."

1st Chron. 9:32-33

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Raymond Victor Bottomly
Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

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From Edersheim: The Temple, its Ministry and Services:

The singing of the 'Hallel' at the Passover dates from very remote antiquity. The Talmud dwells on its peculiar suitableness for the purpose, since it not only recorded the goodness of God towards Israel, but especially their deliverance from Egypt, and therefore appropriately opened (Psa 113) with 'Praise ye Jehovah, ye servants of Jehovah'--and no longer of Pharaoh. Hence also this 'Hallel' is called the Egyptian, or 'the Common,' to distinguish it from the great 'Hallel,' sung on very rare occasions, which comprised Psalms 120 to 136. According to the Talmud, the 'Hallel' recorded five things: 'The coming out of Egypt, the dividing of the sea, the giving of the law, the resurrection of the dead, and the lot of the Messiah.' The Egyptian 'Hallel,' it may here be added, was altogether sung on eighteen days and on one night in the year. These eighteen days were, that of the Passover sacrifice, the Feast of Pentecost, and each of the eight days of the Feasts of Tabernacles and of the Dedication of the Temple. The only night in which it was recited was that of the Paschal Supper, when it was sung by every Paschal company in their houses, in a manner which will hereafter be explained.

Edersheim, in the rest of his works, does not mention the use of the Hallel before the Levitical choirs of the Davidic establishment.