In this chapter, which gives the musical arrangements made for the "service of the house of the Lord," we have suggestions which take our thoughts over the wider ground of public worship. We have -

I. TWO ELEMENTS WHICH IT SHOULD INCLUDE. Divine service is felt to be essentially incomplete without:

1. Praise. All who love the house of God delight "to give thanks and to praise the Lord" (ver. 3). We have such a God for our God that we can "give thanks, and praise" him whenever we remember him. The devotees of heathen deities cannot do so; they can only prostrate themselves abjectly before their gods, or deprecate their capricious wrath: there is nothing in the beings they worship worthy of their honour. In the only wise God, in the holy and pitiful Father of our spirits, in the righteous Lord of all, in the merciful Redeemer of mankind, in the patient, striving, cleansing Spirit of God, in this God who is our God, we have One whom we can praise continually, and with all the energies and faculties of our nature, and then feel that we have failed to render unto him "the glory which is due unto his Name."

2. Instruction. There were to be workmen "who should prophesy "(ver. 1), and they" prophesied with a harp;" i.e. their function was to utter sacred, instructive, inspiring words in their capacity as choristers. The music of the sanctuary was to be subordinated to the utterance of Divine truth, the sound to the sense, the ear to the soul. One musical leader was even spoken of as "the king's seer in the words of God" (ver. 5). Here we have an argument a fortiori. If in the act of praising, when the first end in view is the offering thus presented to God himself, we are to use words which will be instructive and elevating to the worshippers, how much more are we to provide that other ports of Divine service shall be full of sacred instruction, shall tend to edify, to enlighten, to sustain!

II. FOUR FEATURES BY WHICH IT SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED.

1. Order. The whole chapter is an argument for this; the division into choirs, with their respective leaders, and the arrangement as to their turn of service, speak of careful orderliness. The beauty of holiness in which we should worship requires that there be no confusion, embarrassment, disorder (1 Corinthians 4:33, 40).

2. Excellency. They were duly "instructed in the songs of the Lord" (ver. 7). No doubt they were taught to take their parts well "under the hands of their father," or of some competent teacher. In everything we do in God's house we should aim at excellency. Whether it be in offering prayer, or in reading, or in preaching, or in singing, every one should do his very best. There is no place where men and women should be so desirous of putting forth their utmost talents as in the house of him from whom all faculty and all opportunity have been received.

3. Variety. The instruments of music used were various - "cymbals, psalteries, and harps." Doubtless others would have been used if they had been known and found fitting. We may do better to use one instrument of music only, but we do not well to make God's service monotonous. We should make it as attractive with variety of engagements, freshness of thought and newness of method as is consistent with reverence and propriety.

4. Amity. "They cast lots... as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar." The arrangement was 'made so that there should be no partiality in the appointment made, and, if possible, no dissatisfaction with the place taken. We should shun giving offence, and also taking it. Happy the Church where there is concord from the choir and no discord within it. - C.

Learn:

I. THAT SIN INVERTS THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS. "They died before their father."

II. THAT SIN DEPRIVES OF BLESSINGS WHICH GOD CAN BESTOW. They "had no children."

III. THAT SIN OFTEN OVERWHELMS WITH FEARFUL RUIN.

IV. THAT SIN IS OFTEN MENTIONED IN HISTORY TO WARN OF ITS CONSEQUENCES.

(J. Wolfendale.)