What instruments to use in worship...

[irresistible_grace]

How do you determine which instruments you do NOT use in worship?
I only use the "fruit of lips" but ...
If you use instruments in worship, how do you determine which instruments you use?

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Whatever it is it should only be used to guide singing, not overpower it, and not for entertainment purposes.

 

[Kevin]

We don't use any that we do not have, or if no one knows how to play it, then we don't use it.

In other words, we use what we have & what we know how to play.

 

[irresistible_grace]

Whatever it is it should only be used to guide singing, not overpower it, and not for entertainment purposes.

Don't the little notes above the words in the psalter and/or hymnal guide the singing without overpowering it and without entertaining?

---------- Post added at 02:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:54 PM ----------

We don't use any that we do not have, or if no one knows how to play it, then we don't use it.

In other words, we use what we have & what we know how to play.

We all have voices and know how to use them?
Some may be better at singing than others but we do not excuse those from singing in "corporate" worship that are less skilled than others. Do you?

---------- Post added at 03:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 PM ----------

None of the instruments that are found in scripture (except the "fruit of lips") have ever been employed in any church I've ever attended. So, I'm curious ... If NOT by Scripture ... How do you determine which instruments you do NOT use and which you do?

 

[Scottish Lass]

Don't the little notes above the words in the psalter and/or hymnal guide the singing without overpowering it and without entertaining?

Only if you know what they mean and what to do with them. I don't.

 

[KMK]

How do you determine which instruments you do NOT use in worship?

Are you asking if there are moral grounds for excluding some instruments? I think the practical reasons are obvious.

 

[Zach]

Don't the little notes above the words in the psalter and/or hymnal guide the singing without overpowering it and without entertaining?

Only if you know what they mean and what to do with them. I don't.

I like have instrumentation because it helps me understand the music.

 

[Andrew P.C.]

The question is wrong. It's not about the instrument but rather about the motive behind wanting/excluding things within worship. What is the purpose for asking the question?

 

[Edward]

Ones that are not suitable for the tunes selected? Ones for which there is no suitable arrangement, and not time or money for making an arrangement?

Once you make a decision that you'll use instruments, aren't you beyond singling out particular instruments?

 

[jwithnell]

We are living stones in the church God has built. If that includes a mandolin or recorder player and it fits with the style of music being played, let those talents be put to good use. A trumpet with piano would be wonderful for God of Our Fathers or for Joy to the World. An acoustic guitar would be lovely for What Child is This ...

 

[Peairtach]

Don't bother using any musical instruments in formal worship. Add nothing and take nothing away. The silence on instruments in the New testament is eloquent.

The Apostle never mentions the office of musical director, or the gift of music. Indeed the only time they are mentioned in the Epistles is to call them lifeless intruments in I Corinthians 14:7.

Although they were used in Old Testament worship, musical instruments are not necessary in NT worship, which is simple, spiritual and Scriptural.

They are no more necessary to NT worship than cherubim in the architecture of the Church or Temple.

There may be - indeed is - a cultural realm of informal worship, e.g. classical concerts, Christian concerts, where instruments may be used. But they should be kept out of the regular stated sevices of Divine worship, as they get in the way of it.

The glory of NT worship doesn't consist aurally in a well-tuned organ, piano, praise band, brass band, etc, anymore than it consists visually in an ornate cathedral.

The glory of NT worship is in Christ revealed in the Word of God - nothing added or taken away. Our worship is not to be mediated through an dead instrument. Keep it simple.

 

[JBaldwin]

We have a variety of instruments available to use in worship at our church, and we use what works the best with the songs we are singing and that often changes with every song. In other words, we use instruments that will not overpower the music, but help the congregation sing better. We have available to us: keyboard, guitar, mandolin, banjo, double bass, cello, recorder, djembe, and drum box. Often the instruments drop out, and we have nothing but the human voice. Recently, we sang "A Mighty Fortress" with cello, guitar and recorder. It was quite nice--just loud enough to keep the music going.

 

[seajayrice]

Great question. There are a few that clearly should not be used, just a few that come to mind:

Washboard
Kazoo
Harmonica
Snare drum
Trombone
Congas
Sousaphone
Xzylaphone
Fuzzbox

 

[Edward]

Trombone

?

We've used trombones in worship. I understand (but have not yet been convinced by) those who say RPW precludes any instruments, but I don't understand a 'no trombone' position.

 

[jennywigg]

Trombone

?

We've used trombones in worship. I understand (but have not yet been convinced by) those who say RPW precludes any instruments, but I don't understand a 'no trombone' position.

We have used a trombone, too. I still don't get the RPW, I guess.

 

[Mindaboo]

I am with Anna and Zach. I don't read music, and I am grateful for the musicians who give of their time and talents to guide us as we sing. We use a piano, violin, viola, and two guitars. Once in a while one of the young men in our congregation will play mandolin. We also have a group of 6 young ladies who sing acappela occasionally. I think the man who leads/picks our music does a wonderful job of making sure the music is solid, and that it is always done tastefully.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

We are living stones in the church God has built. If that includes a mandolin or recorder player and it fits with the style of music being played, let those talents be put to good use. A trumpet with piano would be wonderful for God of Our Fathers or for Joy to the World. An acoustic guitar would be lovely for What Child is This ...

I know that some churches are against the use of using musical instruments in services, but I have to admit that I never understood this. How can you argue that using an instrument in a service is wrong? Where in the bible does it say not to use a musical instrument?

Here is a Psalm below that references musical instruments in worship. So in modern day Christianity how would it be wrong to play the piano, guitar, or keyboard?

Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Psa 98:5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
Psa 98:6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
Psa 98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
Psa 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together

 

[jwithnell]

The silence on instruments in the New testament is eloquent.

musical instruments are not necessary in NT worship

I fully respect that we have a difference of opinion on this within the reformed community. But this particular presentation I find baffling. How we can separate the NT from the old when it comes to worship unless the initial activity is directly tied to the sacrificial system? And we do plenty in worship that the NT does not specifically mention, such as infant baptism, stating our belief in the trinity ...

 

[au5t1n]

How we can separate the NT from the old when it comes to worship unless the initial activity is directly tied to the sacrificial system.

If I understand them correctly, both positions within the Reformed community require a separation regarding instruments between Testaments. In the OT God commanded certain Levites (and only those Levitical familes) to play certain specific instruments (not any they wanted) in connection with the sacrifice in the Temple. As far as I know, all Reformed churches regard those commands as ceremonial and expired. Modern instrumentalists regard instruments as a circumstantial aid to singing, not as a continuation of the OT element. At least that's my understanding of the position.

Something I've always found interesting is that when a worship leader at a hymn-singing or contemporary church wants to make a particular hymn or stanza "extra special," they'll often drop out the instruments and have the congregation sing a capella.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Well that is the argument against Musical Instrumentation in NT worship. The use of instruments in OT Worship (remember that category, not David strumming his lute in the fields or celebratory trumpets after a victory) was intrinsically tied to the slaughter of bulls and the Temple worship. It is not accidental that the Jews did not use musical instruments to guide their singing in the synagogue.

 

[Peairtach]

JWithnell

How we can separate the NT from the old when it comes to worship unless the initial activity is directly tied to the sacrificial system?

Well it's interesting that music was introduced by David under the guidance of the Holy Spirit at a time when the visual glory of the Tabernacle/Temple was also being augmented. We have an augmentation of the aural glory at the same time as there is augmentation of the visual glory.

NT worship does not consist in visual or aural glory, but in the simple presentation of Christ in His Word, leaving it to the Spirit to do the work.

There is no necessity for visual or aural glory in NT worship, whereas visual and aural glory were commanded in the OT, even more so in the Davidic period, maybe in order to anticipate the real glory of the New Covenant and the Heavenly Eschatalogical Kingdom (Heaven and, also, the New Heavens and New Earth)

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (I Cor 2:2, ESV)

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. (Gal 3:1)

I may not be as "strict" as some who hold to the RPW as I believe there is an informal realm where worship overflows from the regular worship of God, where instruments may be used e.g. putting a Bach or Handel CD on the player, Christian concerts and soirees, etc.

 

[Philip]

Congas

I've seen congas used well, actually, mostly in churches where the worship had a black gospel feel to the music.

It is not accidental that the Jews did not use musical instruments to guide their singing in the synagogue.

What instruments used at the time would have been conducive to congregational singing?

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

It is not accidental that the Jews did not use musical instruments to guide their singing in the synagogue.

What instruments used at the time would have been conducive to congregational singing?

Any number of stringed instruments that existed at the time. Like the Lyre.

The Biblical Musical Instruments

 

[Philip]

Any number of stringed instruments that existed at the time. Like the Lyre.

The lyre doesn't seem like an instrument suited to congregational singing at all.

It would be interesting to see a historical study of how congregational singing furthered the invention of new instrumentation (apart from the well-documented link between hymnody and musical notation).

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Really? King David seemed to think it worked all right.

1 Chronicles 13:8
Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

 

[py3ak]

Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Psa 98:5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
Psa 98:6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
Psa 98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
Psa 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together

Today we sang from Psalm 118:27, bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
The fact that we use the words doesn't mean we are going to physically carry out everything that is said - hence we don't bring double-edged swords or enchained monarchs to the Sunday services.

Psalm 149
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written

 

[Philip]

Really? King David seemed to think it worked all right.

1 Chronicles 13:8
Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

Sorta sounds like dancing in the streets, too: not congregational singing.

 

[raekwon]

Great question. There are a few that clearly should not be used, just a few that come to mind:

Washboard
Kazoo
Harmonica
Snare drum
Trombone
Congas
Sousaphone
Xzylaphone
Fuzzbox

I'm going to guess that this is a joke, and if not, I'd love some rationale. (We've used four of these instruments.)

 

[Edward]

(We've used four of these instruments.)

I'm pretty sure that we've never used a Kazoo or a Washboard. And I don't recall a harmonica, and don't even know what a Fuzzbox is. The rest are either yes, or I think so but don't specifically recall. Then again, I didn't attend the evening services where the music was more contemporary.

 

[raekwon]

We've used a washboard, a harmonica, a snare, and congas.