Ancient Sounds for a New Millennium
by Dean F. Schultz

Three thousand years ago something happened in a little town called Bethlehem. A couple of curious fingers belonging to a ruddy-faced, shiney-eyed shepherd boy named David began to strum the strings of a harp for the very first time.

There was no recording studio to record this ancient sound, nor did David have any intention of becoming a star, though before long he would be singing praises to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who calls all the stars in the heavens by name.

The manner of praise that overflowed from the fingers, lips, and dancing feet of this feisty young shepherd boy, later destined to be a king, is being restored to the Body of Christ in this prophetic hour for the purpose of waking and shaking the nations of the earth with the praises of Him who called us "out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

At first glance the shepherd boy and I would have little in common. He was born in antiquity in the town where the promised Messiah of Israel would later enter the world through a virgin’s womb (Isaiah 7:14). I was born on May 14, 1951, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, three years to the day after Israel celebrated her independence as a nation.

David’s religious heritage was Judaism. Mine was Christianity, which is rooted in Judaism. David’s Jewish parents had him circumcised as an infant as a sign of their covenant with God. My parents had me baptized, like generations before me, as the sacramental sign of God’s grace on my life and their covenant to faithfully raise me to know and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

David grew up amidst the briars and hills of Bethlehem listening to the baaaaahhhhhing of his father’s sheep whom he no doubt called with his whistle, calming their restlessness with his harp and shepherd’s flute. I grew up in subdivision called Briarwood Hills, where I rode my bike, played ball, and fought with my brother and sisters. I would not have the benefit of being around sheep until later in life.

The simple sound of a ten-string harp was foreign to me. Instead, my musical world consisted of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and other popular groups of the 60s, which my buddies and I spent hours trying to imitate in our own rock ’n roll band. "Worship" music was played in church on Sunday morning where everyone was supposed to "worship." The music was magnificently played on a pipe organ, and I did gain an appreciation for corporately worshipping together with family and friends, thus ending the experience. Little did I know that God had much more to say about the subject of worshipping Him!

An Introduction to Psalmic Worship

I first experienced the dynamics of "psalmic worship" while serving as a missionary in the Washington, D.C., area in the early 80s. While rummaging through a Christian bookstore one summer I ran across a book on worship which introduced an easy to play acoustic instrument called the Autoharp. The book went on to explain how one could make beautiful sounding chords by simply pressing a button and strumming. Having never learned how to read music or play an instrument other than my mouth flute (whistle!) and drums, the Autoharp sounded like a simple way to accompany scripture songs and hymns.

I subsequently purchased an Autoharp, and it soon became my constant companion during morning devotional walks that I took in a beautifully wooded park located a few blocks from our Maryland home. Soon my "quiet times" became "louder" as I sang songs to God from a praise book which showed what Autoharp buttons to push to accompany the various songs.

As the months passed I began to replace the songs in the book with the Psalms and would accompany them with spontaneously composed chords on my Autoharp. After I shared about my new discovery with my pastor, he invited me to sing a Psalm in a Sunday morning worship service. After I ministered that morning he came up to me and said excitedly, "It sounds like David’s Praise!"

My life has never been the same since. In the days that followed I began receiving invitations to minister on my harp and speak on the subject of worship at churches, conferences, and retreats. Soon, people began giving me other kinds of stringed instruments that I incorporated into what eventually became known as the ministry of "David’s Praise."

Other expressions of praise were birthed in my life as well. Since I was already "coloring outside of the lines" of my worship tradition, I had nothing to lose by lifting my hands, shouting for joy, clapping, bowing, leaping, and skipping, and occasionally even whirling around like a tornado before the God of heaven.

At times these expressions of praise would be so passionate that I would find myself thinking, "Father, is this okay with you?" My sense was that it was okay, especially since the spiritual intimacy that I would experience during these times of praise and worship was refreshing to say the least, especially if I was battling depression or discouragement.

During this time a passion was ignited in me to embark on an in-depth study of praise and worship. I began to notice that during times of revival and restoration in the Old Testament the "musical instruments of King David" were restored to accompany the renewed rejoicing of God’s people. A lack of praise and the playing of instruments was usually indicative of spiritual apostasy or captivity.

After beginning this study, I became friends with a brother who led a prayer meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. He invited me to come and help lead worship on my instruments for the weekly gathering. After a wonderful morning of praise and prayer, a lady whom I had not met before began to share with me about her interest in "Davidic" praise and worship. She then asked me if I had studied about what took place in David’s Tabernacle, after he brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and she promised to send me some literature, tapes, and a book. When the materials finally arrived, I devoured them intensely with the hope that I could glean information to include in my teaching.

Hebrew Insights

As I began reading the listing of Hebrew words related to praise and worship in the materials that she sent, I felt like Josiah taking out a copy of the law and reading it for the first time after it had been hidden for a number of years. As the definitions of Hebrew words related to praise and worship unfolded before my eyes, I realized that the manner of praise that I had experienced in the woods for the past several years were rooted in the God-breathed words of Holy Scripture. In addition, the Greek terms contained in the literature synthesized wonderfully with the Hebrew terms.

Space does not permit an in depth exegesis of these words, but I would like to share some of the basic meanings. For instance: Zamar means to pluck the strings of an instrument, to sing, to praise; Todah means to extend the hands in a sacrifice of praise or thank offering; Shabach, to shout or address in a loud tone; Tzahal, to shout for joy; Qara, to proclaim, call out; Yodah, to worship with extended hands; Barak, to kneel, to bless, to salute; Tehillah, to sing or to laud, to be clamorous (childlike) in praise or song; Gul, to spin, to rejoice, be glad, be joyful, rejoice; to go in a circle; Chul, to twist or whirl in a circular or spiral manner; Karar, to dance (whirl), to go or move in a circle; Rekad, to stamp, to spring about (wildly or for joy), to dance, jump, leap, or skip (like a young calf released from the stall); Dalag, to spring or leap; Pazaz, to leap, to bound, to be light, agile; Chagag, to move in a circle; Shawkhaw, to prostrate oneself; Leannoth, sing loudly to create attention; Shaggaion, various songs, irregular rhythm, wild, enthusiastic, highly emotional poetic form that carries with it the idea of a rambling lyric; Naba, to sing or speak (prophesy) by inspiration; Shuwr, to sing while strolling along like a minstrel, turning suddenly.

As we begin this new millennium, I believe that it is critical for the Body of Christ to be taught about biblical musicology and the role that it has played historically in revival and spiritual awakening. Praise according to Psalms needs to be restored in this generation to help advance the Kingdom of God into the nations of the earth. In the same way that King David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem accompanied by singing, instruments, dancing (whirling), joyful shouting, and celebration, it is time for the Church to recover her scriptural roots of praise which transcend culture and generations. In order for this to happen, Christians need to become acquainted with the "language of the Hebrews" (Nehemiah 13:24) so that the divine paradigms for praise according to the Psalms can be restored.

Get ready, dear friends! What happened in the little town of Bethlehem three thousand years ago was only a prelude of what is yet to come!!!!!

Dean F. Schultz, founder and president of Worship Equippers, has ministered internationally as a preacher, worship teacher, and psalmist, focusing on the Jewish roots of Christian worship. He is dedicated to equipping the Body of Christ for personal, family, and corporate worship by using worship arts, parabolic teaching visuals, and multimedia presentations to make the Bible come alive for his audiences. Dean and his family live in Potomac Falls, Virginia.

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