I didn't drop out of this discussion but it was a very busy weekend. I was looking through Edersheim's The Temple and It's Ministry here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/temple.html
If you look in the html version you can find an interesting history about instrumental music that I believe relates to the issue of "creativity"
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/temple.htm#v-p16.8
This further got me thinking: we are specifically commanded to praise God with the harp, lyre, cymbals, hands and some other instruments in praise. It seems that Temple Worship at least obeyed those enjoinders. I have yet to see an EP person arguing that we are violating the RPW by ignoring that detail. If moving the ark of the Covenant by a cart instead of poles borne by Levites is a violation of a positive command of the RPW why are we not in violation of it by using any but the instruments commanded by God?
[Edited on 4-10-2006 by SemperFideles]
If you look in the html version you can find an interesting history about instrumental music that I believe relates to the issue of "creativity"
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/temple.htm#v-p16.8
Understand that there was a primacy given to the human voice in the Temple Worship but I wonder the following: Was David inspired by God to invent a 10 stringed instrument for use in the Temple? Did he perhaps have incedible skill that He used for the Glory of God? There is certainly no command prior to David inventing the instrument so worship went on for centuries prior to its introduction. It was at some point, certainly, a new element in Levitical worship.<h4 id="v-p18.1">The Influence of David</h4>
<p class="normal" id="v-p19">The music of the Temple owed its origin to David, who was
not only a poet and a musical composer, but who also invented musical
instruments (<scripRef passage="Amos 6:5" id="v-p19.1" parsed="|Amos|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.6.5">Amos 6:5</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="1 Chron 23:5" id="v-p19.2" parsed="|1Chr|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.23.5">1 Chron 23:5</scripRef>), especially the ten-stringed <i>Nevel</i>
or lute (<scripRef passage="Psa 33:2" id="v-p19.3" parsed="|Ps|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bibles.33.2">Psa 33:2</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Psalm 144:9" id="v-p19.4" parsed="|Ps|144|9|0|0" osisRef="Bibles.144.9">144:9</scripRef>). From the Book of Chronicles we know how fully this
part of the service was cultivated, although the statement of Josephus (<i>Anti</i>.
viii. 3, 8.), that Solomon had provided forty thousand harps and lutes, and two
hundred thousand silver trumpets, is evidently a gross exaggeration. The Rabbis
enumerate thirty-six different instruments, of which only fifteen are mentioned
in the Bible, and of these five in the Pentateuch. As in early Jewish poetry
there was neither definite and continued metre (in the modern sense), nor
regular and premeditated rhyme, so there was neither musical notation, nor yet
any artificial harmony. The melody was simple, sweet, and sung in unison to the
accompaniment of instrumental music. Only one pair of brass cymbals were allowed
to be used. But this "˜sounding brass´ and "˜tinkling cymbal´ formed no part of
the Temple music itself, and served only as the signal to begin that part of the
service. To this the apostle seems to refer when, in <scripRef passage="1 Corinthians 13:1" id="v-p19.5" parsed="|1Cor|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.13.1">1 Corinthians 13:1</scripRef>, he
compares the gift of "˜tongues´ to the sign or signal by which the real music of
the Temple was introduced.</p>
<h4 id="v-p19.6">The Harp and Lute</h4>
<p class="normal" id="v-p20">That music was chiefly sustained by the harp (Kinnor) and
the lute (Nevel). Of the latter (which was probably used for solos) not less
than two or more than six were to be in the Temple orchestra; of the former, or
harp, as many as possible, but never less than nine. There were, of course,
several varieties both of the Nevel and the Kinnor. The chief difference between
these two kinds of stringed instruments lay in this, that in the Nevel (lute or
guitar) the strings were drawn over the sounding-board, while in the Kinnor they
stood out free, as in our harps. Of wind-instruments we know that, besides their
silver trumpets, the priests also blew the Shophar or horn, notably at the new
moon, on the Feast of the New Year (<scripRef passage="Psa 81:3" id="v-p20.1" parsed="|Ps|81|3|0|0" osisRef="Bibles.81.3">Psa 81:3</scripRef>), and to proclaim the Year of
Jubilee (<scripRef passage="Lev 25:9" id="v-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|25|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.9">Lev 25:9</scripRef>), which, indeed, thence derived its name. Originally the
Shophar was probably a ram´s horn (Jos., <i>Ant</i>. v. 5, 6.), but afterwards
it was also made of metal. The Shophar was chiefly used for its loud and
far-sounding tones (<scripRef passage="Exo 19:16, 19" id="v-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|19|16|0|0;|Exod|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16 Bible:Exod.19.19">Exo 19:16, 19</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Exodus 20:18" id="v-p20.4" parsed="|Exod|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18">20:18</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Isa 58:1" id="v-p20.5" parsed="|Isa|58|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.1">Isa 58:1</scripRef>). At the Feast of the New
Year, one priest with a Shophar was placed between those who blew the trumpets;
while on fast-days a priest with a Shophar stood on each side of them"”the tones
of the Shophar being prolonged beyond those of the trumpets. In the synagogues
out of Jerusalem the Shophar alone was blown at the New Year, and on fast-days
only trumpets.</p>
<h4 id="v-p20.6">The Flute</h4>
<p class="normal" id="v-p21">The flute (or reed pipe) was played in the Temple on twelve
special festivities.<a style="mso-footnote-id:ftn28" href="#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote"><![if !supportFootnotes]><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><![endif]></span></span></a></p>
<p class="normal" id="v-p22">These were: the day of killing the first, and that of
killing the second Passover, the first day of unleavened bread, Pentecost, and
the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles. Quite in accordance with the social
character of these feasts, the flute was also used by the festive pilgrim-bands
on their journey to Jerusalem, to accompany "˜the Psalms of Degrees,´ or rather
of "˜Ascent´ (<scripRef passage="Isa 30:29" id="v-p22.1" parsed="|Isa|30|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.29">Isa 30:29</scripRef>), sung on such occasions. It was also customary to play
it at marriage feasts and at funerals (<scripRef passage="Matt 9:23" id="v-p22.2" parsed="|Matt|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.9.23">Matt 9:23</scripRef>); for according to Rabbinical
law every Jew was bound to provide at least two flutes and one mourning woman at
the funeral of his wife. In the Temple, not less than two nor more than twelve
flutes were allowed, and the melody was on such occasions to close with the
notes of one flute alone. Lastly, we have sufficient evidence that there was a
kind of organ used in the Temple (the <i>Magrephah</i>), but whether merely for
giving signals or not, cannot be clearly determined.</p>
<h4 id="v-p22.3">The Human Voice</h4>
<p class="normal" id="v-p23">As already stated, the service of praise was mainly
sustained by the human voice. A good voice was the one qualification needful for
a Levite. In the second Temple female singers seem at one time to have been
employed (<scripRef passage="Ezra 2:65" id="v-p23.1" parsed="|Ezra|2|65|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2.65">Ezra 2:65</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Neh 7:67" id="v-p23.2" parsed="|Neh|7|67|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.7.67">Neh 7:67</scripRef>). In the Temple of Herod their place was supplied
by Levite boys. Nor did the worshippers any more take part in the praise, except
by a responsive Amen. It was otherwise in the first Temple, as we gather from <scripRef passage="1 Chronicles 16:36" id="v-p23.3" parsed="|1Chr|16|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.16.36">1
Chronicles 16:36</scripRef>, from the allusion in <scripRef passage="Jeremiah 33:11" id="v-p23.4" parsed="|Jer|33|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.33.11">Jeremiah 33:11</scripRef>, and also from such <scripRef passage="Psalms as 26:12" id="v-p23.5">Psalms
as 26:12</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Psalm 68:26" id="v-p23.6" parsed="|Ps|68|26|0|0" osisRef="Bibles.68.26">68:26</scripRef>. At the laying of the foundation of the second Temple, and at
the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the singing seems to have been
antiphonal, or in responses (<scripRef passage="Ezra 3:10, 11" id="v-p23.7" parsed="|Ezra|3|10|0|0;|Ezra|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.3.10 Bible:Ezra.3.11">Ezra 3:10, 11</scripRef>; <scripRef passage="Neh 12:27, 40" id="v-p23.8" parsed="|Neh|12|27|0|0;|Neh|12|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.12.27 Bible:Neh.12.40">Neh 12:27, 40</scripRef>), the two choirs
afterwards apparently combining, and singing in unison in the Temple itself.
Something of the same kind was probably also the practice in the first Temple.
What the melodies were to which the Psalms had been sung, it is, unfortunately,
now impossible to ascertain. Some of the music still used in the synagogue must
date from those times, and there is no reason to doubt that in the so-called
Gregorian <i>tones</i> we have also preserved to us a close approximation to the
ancient hymnody of the Temple, though certainly not without considerable
alterations.</p>
This further got me thinking: we are specifically commanded to praise God with the harp, lyre, cymbals, hands and some other instruments in praise. It seems that Temple Worship at least obeyed those enjoinders. I have yet to see an EP person arguing that we are violating the RPW by ignoring that detail. If moving the ark of the Covenant by a cart instead of poles borne by Levites is a violation of a positive command of the RPW why are we not in violation of it by using any but the instruments commanded by God?
[Edited on 4-10-2006 by SemperFideles]