Thur.'s Devo - The Cymbalist

Read 1 Chron 16
David brings the ark and sets it in the middle of the tent he has made for it. It will stay here until Solomon builds a temple for it. David is making the ark more accessable to the people. That is what God did on Pentecost. He made his Holy Presence accessable to his people. What caught my attention was the people he put in charge of this ark: Asaph, in particular. I decided to single him out and see what I could learn about him and what he represents to us. He is a descendant of Gershom, Moses' son. He is a Levite and a chief of his people. David appointed him to minister before the ark, record what happened, and lead the people in thanking and praising the Lord. In verse 5 it says that the Levites praised God with psalteries and harps, but Asaph made a sound with cymbals. In 1 Chron 25:1 it says they prophesied on these instruments. So, I wondered what a cymbal might mean to us. The meaning of cymbal is "to rattle together as ears reddening with shame or teeth chattering with fear". They were made of brass which speaks of "filthiness". There's the answer- when the people heard the cymbal, it brought repentence and change. It would be like a good sermon on sin. He alone was given this part, I guess because he lived a blameless life that would not compromise his message of repentence. Later in scripture it says that he was a "keeper of the forest". Forests are full of trees which stand for people. He was like a sheperd or a pastor to the people.
He is also a recorder who records history and a seer who prophesies the future.
Asaph means "gatherer". Asaph was in charge of unity. He was to bring the people together as one. God is going to use people in our generation to be children of Asaph. They will live holy lives and God will use them to bring a word of remembrance of what God his done and call the people to repentence. It will be like a cymbal going straight to the heart and causing a change.
He wrote 11 Psalms: 73-83. They all have to do with the penalties of sin. He spoke to the people of judgment. He encouraged them to do what was right because the benefits are life. He stood right beside the man who played the harp that draws us into the beautiful presence of God. We need them both: the harp and the cymbals.
David placed in his hand parts of three Psalms (105, 96, and 106) that he was to deliver to the people. Notice that he uses the words: remember, judgments, save us, gather us, deliver us, trees of the forests...all meanings of his name.
Lord, may we remember all you have done on this earth and be always humbled by your majesty and always thankful of you hand. We adore your ways and trust in them. Cause us to hear the cymbals in our lives and be quick to repen