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Evidence of "choir not in the Bible? Bah!!
Posted : 26 Feb, 2015 09:36 AM
First Ill share the meaning of "choir" .
Next, Ill demonstrate that the Bible has a multitude of examples.
choir
(kwīr)
n.
1. An organized company of singers, especially one performing church music or singing in a church.
2.
a. The part of a church used by such a company of singers.
b. The part of the chancel in a cruciform church that is occupied by this company of singers.
3.
a. A group of instruments of the same kind: a string choir.
b. A division of some pipe organs, containing pipes suitable for accompanying a choir.
4. An organized group: a choir of dancers.
5. One of the orders of angels.
intr.v. choired, choir�ing, choirs
To sing in chorus.
David wrote about the "choirmaster". Who did the choir master master over? A choir perhaps?!!
Psalm 81:1-3
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.
Explanation of this passage:
Chapter 81
This psalm was penned, as is supposed, not upon occasion of any particular providence, but for the solemnity of a particular ordinance, either that of the new-moon in general or that of the feast of trumpets on the new moon of the seventh month, Lev. 23:24 ; Num. 29:1 . When David, by the Spirit, introduced the singing of psalms into the temple-service this psalm was intended for that day, to excite and assist the proper devotions of it. All the psalms are profitable; but, if one psalm be more suitable than another to the day and observances of it, we should choose that. The two great intentions of our religious assemblies, and which we ought to have in our eye in our attendance on them, are answered in this psalm, which are, to give glory to God and to receive instruction from God, to "behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple;�� accordingly by this psalm we are assisted on our solemn feast days, I. In praising God for what he is to his people (v. 1-3), and has done for them (v. 4-7). II. In teaching and admonishing one another concerning the obligations we lie under to God (v. 8-10), the danger of revolting from him (v. 11, v. 12), and the happiness we should have if we would but keep close to him (v. 13-16). This, though spoken primarily of Israel of old, is written for our learning, and is therefore to be sung with application.To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm of Asaph.
Verses 1-7 When the people of God were gathered together in the solemn day, the day of the feast of the Lord, they must be told that they had business to do, for we do not go to church to sleep nor to be idle; no, there is that which the duty of every day requires, work of the day, which is to be done in its day. And here,I. The worshippers of God are excited to their work, and are taught, by singing this psalm, to stir up both themselves and one another to it, v. 1-3. Our errand is, to give unto God the glory due unto his name, and in all our religious assemblies we must mind this as our business. 1. In doing this we must eye God as our strength, and as the God of Jacob, v. 1. He is the strength of Israel, as a people; for he is a God in covenant with them, who will powerfully protect, support, and deliver them, who fights their battles and makes them do valiantly and victoriously. He is the strength of every Israelite; by his grace we are enabled to go through all our services, sufferings, and conflicts; and to him, as our strength, we must pray, and we must sing praise to him as the God of all the wrestling seed of Jacob, with whom we have a spiritual communion. We must do this by all the expressions of holy joy and triumph. It was then to be done by musical instruments, the timbrel, harp, and psaltery; and by blowing the trumpet, some think in remembrance of the sound of the trumpet on Mount Sinai, which waxed louder and louder. It was then and is now to be done by singing psalms, singing aloud, and making a joyful noise. The pleasantness of the harp and the awfulness of the trumpet intimate to us that God is to be worshipped with cheerfulness and joy with reverence and godly fear. Singing aloud and making a noise intimate that we must be warm and affectionate in praising God, that we must with a hearty good-will show forth his praise, as those that are not ashamed to own our dependence on him and obligations to him, and that we should join many together in this work; the more the better; it is the more like heaven. 3. This must be done in the time appointed. No time is amiss for praising God (Seven times a day will I praise thee; nay, at midnight will I rise and give thanks unto thee ); but some are times appointed, not for God to meet us (he is always ready), but for us to meet one another, that we may join together in praising.
Now we have :
For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.�Nehemiah 12:46
We see that [singers] is used here. That would mean there were more than ONE and more than one constitutes a choir.
Explanation of Nehemiah 12:46
Asaph was a great choir-master; so great that his name lingered on for many .generations after his death and in all Israel�s after history the Temple singers were known as "sons of Asaph." Here was a man whose talents and whole life were consecrated to God and used in one particular direction, in the ministry of sacred song. Who knows how many hearts in Israel were turned more reverently toward the God of Israel, and how many minds to the more sober consideration of the Covenant and their responsibilities as a chosen and separated people to God, in consequence of that ministry? The ascending of praise and thanksgiving to God is a very lovely thing in Divine worship; and it is more than that. The heart�s devotion can rise to heaven on the wings of song, and the renewal, the re-affirming, of one�s own consecration can be carried to God by the voice of thanksgiving. It is a part of the service in which all can join and express for themselves in their own way the love and gratitude they feel for all his benefits.
More scripture on praising the Lord in song. By the above definition although not stated; we know a group gathered together in song is determined a CHOIR.
Psalm 95:1
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Acts 16:25
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Here Samuel mentions men(plural of man) and women(plural of woman) singing.
2 Samuel 19:35 ESV / 4 helpful votes
I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
Matthew 26:30
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Hmm (they) would be more than one. Isnt that also what a choir is? hmm
Psalm 150:4
Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
This Psalm would be an example of an ensemble ie a choir of musicians .
May the Lord bring you to an understanding of his Holy Scripture .
Gods grace to you
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