Soothe the Beast with a Beat
[This is another segment in the Music in the Bible series which begins in Genesis and finishes in Revelation.]
"Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.” (1 Samuel 16:16-23)
Saul, Israel's first king did not fully understand the assignment and is being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Any born again believer who courts disobedience to the Lord's will knows what this feels like and it is very unpleasant to say the least. But instead of repenting and asking God for help, Saul turns to music to find a solution for his troubling anxiety. This is another example of how God uses everything for His purpose--even distress brought on by sin.
David has a reputation for, not only being a great musician, but that of a warrior since he slew the giant Goliath with nothing but a stone from his slingshot. Warriors respect each other even if they are mortal enemies sometimes (which Saul and David turned out to be later), so based on what he heard about David's battlefield beat and his excellent harp playing, he summons him to his court to play heavenly music to ease his troubled soul. Unfortunately, the treatment only relieves the symptoms and does not address the underlying condition and that is the fact that Saul has been a bad king, relying upon his own strength and popularity more than the will of God. The beat goes on.
The Whispers -- And the Beat Goes On
