Jubal's Lyre: Music in the Everyday
Jubal's Lyre is an occasional series exploring the significance of music and musicians in the Bible.
In our first reflection found in the May issue of the “Southern Spirit,” we ended with a brief overview of music being used at pivotal events in the Divine story. When most of us recall musical references in the Bible we think about significant worship events, psalmic exultations, even prophetic utterances during which music is present. But the Bible also showcases music in everyday life. We find references to music as part of daily activity, and indeed rejoicing, but not necessarily as part of established religious practice. The Lord recognized music as a part of normal activity, allowing it to play a vital role in such events.
Take the interaction between Jacob and Laban as described in Genesis 31. Here Jacob, in frustration, leaves the deceitful Laban, a man who had indeed deceived him on multiple occasions. The scene is rife with tension, but we get a glimpse into the potential for daily, non-sacred music, as Jacob’s father-in-law laments over Jacob’s secret departure. In verse 27 Laban says, “Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps?” I would like to hear the music Laban could have supplied, wouldn’t you? He must have had some good musical servants to offer such a farewell salute, if indeed he was being truthful. This would not be worship music, just happy, joyful music for a family occasion, as strange as it may seem to us after the fact.
Another early musical event is led by our songster Miriam, just after the Red Sea is crossed. It is an expression of immediate joy, spontaneous worship, and creative song. Exodus 15:21 has her declaring, “Sing to the Lord for He is exalted. The horse and rider he has hurled into the sea…” Miriam sings, perhaps with other women in dance and with tambourine. There is no formal worship yet among the Hebrews; the Tabernacle, and all that will imply, is yet to come. No doubt these ladies embraced and utilized the musical styles they experienced while in Egypt!
Interestingly, a much fuller song of rejoicing concerning that sea crossing appears earlier in the chapter: “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: I will sing to the Lord, for he is exalted…” (v 1). So perhaps Miriam’s improvised song, short and to the point, becomes later a more extended, polished song of joy. There are therefore two versions, the short and the long, the latter, the long song, being that which points toward “organized” praise and worship. It also might indicate a kind of early antiphony, call and response, that will soon become a trademark of Hebrew song.
So whatever kind of music Miriam first sounded, it was not “organized” or part of a formal worship pattern—these were to come later as the Hebrews received God’s commandments and became a nation. Egyptian hieroglyphics from this era do contain images of Semitic-looking musicians, identified by some scholars as perhaps being Hebrews. Music was a strong part of their culture and continued to be for centuries. Music was a natural part of their lives.
In our next reflection, we encounter further “spontaneous” music-making, but not of such an uplifting nature. This will be balanced by Moses’ determined use of music as a teaching tool for the rising nation of Israel.