The
Restoration of the Tabernacle of David

These are the last days and we live in awesome times!  But God's big plan is still moving forward.   Doesn't matter if we're walking on the moon or if we have manned space stations, God's Word will come to pass.

Acts 15:16-18
16    'After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up;
17    So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.'
18    "Known to God from eternity are all His works.
(NKJ)

God speaks in this scripture (which references Amos 9:11) that He will restore the Tabernacle of David.  Most of us agree that we are in the last days.  We need to find out what the Tabernacle of David is all about because God said He would restore it.   We need to be able to recognize it and embrace it.  When God is doing something, we should be part of it. Right?

The first question that comes to my mind is why does He intend to restore David's Tabernacle?  From the verse above it is clear that He wants the rest of mankind to seek Him.   The restoration of the Tabernacle of David is evangelistic "so the rest of mankind may seek the Lord".  Take a look at Psalms 40:3:

Ps 40:3
3    He has put a new song in my mouth-- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
(NKJ)

What is the new song?  We will talk about this further in this study.  Note here that this says many will see the new song and fear and trust in the Lord.  The word "fear" means to revere.  The word "trust" means to hie for refuge.  "Hie" means to go quickly, hasten.  What we see here is that many will see the new song and it will cause a reverence or fear of the Lord and they will go to Him quickly for refuge.  This is evangelism.  This then, is one of the primary reasons God is restoring the Tabernacle of David:  Evangelism.

This study is an overview that is limited to the praise and worship aspects of the Tabernacle of David.  We could write volumes about it, covering the spiritual aspects etc.  Because this is evangelistic, I feel that the Church needs to understand what it is all about and participate in it.  This is not limited to musicians.

1 Chr 15:16
16    Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.
(NKJ)

Singers were also to be appointed to service in the Tabernacle of David.   Singers, you need to understand what the musician's role is so you can interact with them in the the praise and worship.  We will discover in this study that prophetic song is basic to the psalms and this is in great part what God is restoring in the Tabernacle of David.

There are seven basic forms of praise in the Bible. All of them involve physical activity.  All these definitions are taken from the Strong's Exaustive Concordance:

1. Yadah: Strong's 3034.   Genesis 29:35 is the example.    This is to hold out the hands.  Notice that this is physical activity.

2. Towdah: Strong's 8426.  Josh 7:19 is the example.   An extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers.   Notice that this is physical activity.

3. Zamar:   Strong's 2167.  Judges 5:3 is the example.  A primitive root [perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea of striking with the fingers]; properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music.  Notice that this is physical activity - to play an instrument and sing.

4. Tephillah:  Strong's 8605.   Psalms 17:1 is the example.  From 6419; intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn.   Notice that this is physical activity - to sing.

5. Shabach:  Strong's 7623.   Psalms 117:1 is the example.   A primitive root; properly, to address in a loud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud.  Note that this is a physical activity - shouting.

6. Halal:  Strong's 1984.   2 Chronicles 5:13-14 is the example.   A primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify: (stultify is to make appear foolish or ridiculous.)  Notice that this is physical activity.   This one is the "go for it" abandonment in praise.  It is what they did when the glory cloud filled the house so that none could stand to minister....

7. Tehillah:  Strong's 8416.  Psalms 22:3 is the example.  From 1984; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn.  Notice this is physical activity.  A hymn - singing; which is physical.

These are the seven basic forms of praise in the Bible.  All are physical activity.  Worship is spiritual, not physical.   One can praise and worship at the same time.  One can praise without worshipping and one can worship without praising.  We have redefined praise and called it worship in the church today with regard to singing and playing music.  There is no definition of worship in the Bible that suggests it involves music.   Worship is a spiritual thing.

Worship is "proskuneo" in the New Testament.  It is derived from two words "pros" and "koun".   "Pros" means toward.  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God".  This word with is "pros" meaning toward.   "Koun" means dog.   What is this?  Toward dog?

Toward God.  That is what the Word (Jesus) is.  We should be toward God, like Jesus is.  What about the "koun" part?  Dog?  This doesn't make sense unless you look at the attributes of a dog.   Dog is called man's best friend.  A dog is loyal, obedient and trusting.   If old Shep is laying in the corner asleep and you call his name, he will immediately turn his eyes and attention to you, ready for any command you may give him. We need to be like these words "toward" and "dog".    We need to have our lives, our everything toward God.  We need to have the attributes of loyalty and obedience -- a setting of our hearts to please our master.

You could say then that worship is a spiritual positioning or relationship with God.  It is placing Him on the throne instead of us.   It is recognizing Him as Lord and Master and acting accordingly.

Matt 14:33
33    Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." (NKJ)

Notice here that they did not play a song. They did not tap out a beat with the oars nor did they sing.  They did not fall down.  It says "they came and worshipped (proskuneo) Him.   They simply said "truly You are the Son of God."   This clearly says it.  Worship is a spiritual positioning..

Praise is a physical activity.  The songs we sing and accompany with instruments is praise.  The word for it is zamar (as defined above).  We can proskuneo while we zamar, but zamar is not proskuneo.   The reason I put so much emphasis on this is that if we say music and songs are worship, then we get into a quality thing.  Does the better musician worship better?  If music is worship, can we begin to worship music?  I think this is an area in which we need to be careful.

Take a look at the word tehillah (number 7 in the definitions above).  This is a hymn.  We will take a look at what a hymn is.   First I would like to point out that God inhabits tehillah.

Ps 22:3
3    But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.
(NKJ)

The word praise in this verse is "tehillah".  This is the only verse in the Bible that says God inhabits the praises of His people.  Do not misunderstand me.  He responds to all forms of praise, but He inhabits tehillah.   I am not saying He can't inhabit the others.  I am saying the Word does not say that He does. 

So why does God choose to inhabit a hymn (tehillah)?  Let's go to the New testament and define what a hymn is since the word does not occur in the Old Testament.

Eph 5:18-19
18    And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19    speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
(NKJ)

We see here that there are three types of songs that we are to sing when we assemble.  Let's define them and understand what they are.  First, what is a psalm?  Per the Strong's Concordance:

5568 psalmos (psal-mos');

from 5567; a set piece of music, i.e. a sacred ode (accompanied with the voice, harp or other instrument; a "psalm"); collectively, the book of the Psalms:

A set piece of music.  That means it has been recorded and is reproducible.  Don't we have hymn books?  Aren't they "set music"?   Could it be that we have altered another definition?  Evolution of language is a fact of life.  We must take care with the Word of God not to define a word out of existence.  Substituting definitions for the three types of songs, the verse does not say "set piece of music, set piece of music and spiritual songs", does it?  Wouldn't that be repetitious?  A hymn then must be different than a psalm.  By definition then, a hymn is:

5215 humnos (hoom'-nos);

apparently from a simpler (obsolete) form of hudeo (to celebrate; probably akin to 103; compare 5667); a "hymn" or religious ode (one of the Psalms):

Comparing the two words, we see that both are odes.   What is an ode?

5603 oide (o-day');

from 103; a chant or "ode" (the general term for any words sung; while 5215 denotes especially a religious metrical composition, and 5568 still more specifically, a Hebrew cantillation):

Any words sung.  Both the psalm and the hymn are "any words sung".  Notice in the above definition of ode, any words sung is in contrast to metrical composition or Hebrew cantillation.  What I'm getting at is this.  A psalm is a set piece of music and since an ode is any words sung (common to both psalm and hymn) then a hymn must be other than set music which would be spontaneous.  Any spontaneous words sung is a hymn.  Once a hymn is set down and recorded, it   then becomes a psalm.  Our hymn books are really psalm books.  They are hymns (spontaneous) that have been recorded - hence they become psalms.

Look at the verse again "spontaneous song, recorded songs and spiritual songs".  Doesn't this make more sense?  Notice the word tehillah is derived from halal.  This means that the hymn (tehillah) has the flavor of halal.  So then we have tehillah which is a spontaneous song which has the flavor of halal.  It is 'go for it' singing to God from the heart.   God inhabits this.  Why?

God is creative and spontaneous song is creative.  Need I say more?  Why am I dwelling on this so heavily?  Take a look at spiritual songs.  What are they?  A spiritual song is "ode pneumatikos".  We already know ode is any words sung.  What is pneumatikos?

4152 pneumatikos (pnyoo-mat-ik-os');

from 4151; non-carnal, i.e. (humanly) ethereal (as opposed to gross), or (daemoniacally) a spirit (concretely), or (divinely) supernatural, regenerate, religious:

KJV-- spiritual. Compare 5591.

Spiritual.  Any words that are spiritual.  This would be from God.  The song of the Lord.  If the words are from God, then they are prophetic.  So we are to sing spontaneous songs, recorded songs and prophetic songs.

This raises the question; "how can I sing prophetically if I am not a prophet"?  Paul says that he would have us ALL prophesy.  That means all, including you.  Therefore it is within our grasp.  Jesus lives in you, correct?  Jesus is the Prophet.  If He is in you, then He can prophesy through you.  Therefore open your mouth and it will happen, if you let Him.

Look at this idea.  Since God inhabits tehillah, if you sing spontaneuosly, He lives in every word.  Since He is living in every word, if you yield to Him, it is Him singing.  Hence you are now singing the prophetic song.  All a prophet does is speak the words God gives.  What is the difference if it is sung?  None.   In fact if you search a little, you will find the the book of Psalms contains many prophetic songs.  You will also find prophetic songs outside of the book of Psalms. Consider this:  The Book of Psalms is the "Book of Tehillahm".  Tehillalum is plural for tehillah.

If you say you can't sing spontaneously, then how do you pray?  The bottom line is you can.  Look at this:

Mark 9:23
23    Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
(NKJ)

Phil 4:13
13    I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
(NKJ)

If you say "I can't" then you need to read the above passages again; and again; and again until you can.  "I can't" does not line up with the word of God.

Does it seem like we got off track?  Didn't we set out to delve into the Tabernacle of David?  Yes, we took a side trail to establish that the prophetic song is still something we should do.  It is the New Testament that tells us to sing three types of songs when we come together.  Somehow we have dropped that back to one - the songs out of books.  We thought we accomplished something when we threw away the "hymn books" and started using overhead projectors.  All we did was come up with a "hymn book" that the whole church could read at once.  The "hymns" are now current songs written by worship leaders of this day.  We have only changed the songs we sing and how we access them for the body to sing.   What we're missing is the spontaneous song and the prophetic song.  The prophetic song was very much a part of the Tabernacle of David.

David set out to have prophetic song as evidenced by the following:

1 Chr 16:4
4    And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel: (NKJ)

The word commemorate is "to record".  Why would David want songs that are already written to be recorded?  He wouldn't!  He knew full well that the songs would be prophetic.  That is why he appointed recorders.  God is raising up again the Tabernacle of David and that includes the prophetic song.   Nowhere in the New Testament or the Old Testament did He tell us to stop singing prophetically.  We just did.  Why?  Because we fulfilled the Word of God when we (the Church) drove the musicians out.   Before you can rebuild something, it must be torn down.  The church tore it down, now God is rebuilding and restoring.

If you want to validate the idea of prophetic song further, look at:

1 Chr 15:22
22    Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;
(NKJ)

The word "music" here is translated singing in some translations of the Bible.   It is "massa'" in the Hebrew dictionary.  It means 'prophetic burden'.   Chenaniah taught the musicians and singers to prophesy.

Church, the days of two fast songs, a slow song and a sermon are coming to a close.  God is restoring the Tabernacle of David.  How do I know?  It is the last days and He said He would do this in the last days. 

Heb 1:1-2
1    God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2    has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
(NKJ)

If it was the last days then, it is even more so the last days now. Therefore, the Tabernacle of David is being restored now.  Look at the changes in the music in the church.  There are still those that argue that drums and loud music are of the devil.   This is unfortunate.  It only takes a cursory look the instruments used in David's time to see there were many instruments including cymbals.  Cymbals are loud.   What about a 4,000 piece orchestra with all of Israel singing and praising (halal)?   This is loud.  Ever hear 200 trumpets?  One trumpet can be heard for miles.  Imagine 200 at once!  Sound is cumulative.  I am not saying we should set out to damage our ears.  I am saying that we should not be so worried about the volume of the praise.  If it gets loud, then let it.  If musicians and singers are skillful, there will be dynamics in the music.  There will be soft and strong in the levels.  If not, find a Chenaniah and have them receive instruction.

Jesus said if we're not for Him, we are against Him.  If He is doing something, as His servants, we want to work with Him and not against Him.  He is restoring the Tabernacle of David and I want to be working with Him.

So, we see that we are to sing spontaneously and prophetically when we assemble.   What is the role of the musician in the Tabernacle of David?  To answer this primarily, look at the following verse:

1 Chr 25:1
1    Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:
(NKJ)

Do what with their instruments?  Prophesy!  How can you prophesy on an instrument?  Sound is words without the words.  In other words, words are expressed three ways; 1) in our thoughts; 2) written down and 3) spoken.  Spoken words use sound to reach the listener.  If the sound of an instrument reaches your ears and the musician is playing the music God is giving him, then He is indeed prophesying with His instrument.  Clearly the above verse says that it can be done.  Moreover, it says the musicians were set apart to do just that!   We have this mindset that if something doesn't make sense, we explain it away.   We should seek God to have Him explain it to us.  If the word of God says we can prophesy on our instruments, then we can. To understand how, one needs to dig a little.

The secular world knows how to use music to influence us.  Listen to the background music in a movie and consider what is being played and how it relates to the scenes you are viewing.  Do this with commercials.  Try this in the stores that use music in the background.  I think lights will come on for you.   Music does have an effect on you, without using words.  What about the church that puts on worship music while ministry is taking place?  Music goes straight to the spirit.  You cannot intercept it because there are no words for the rational mind to capture and process.   If the musician (sold out for God) hears from God, interprets that musically and plays it and you listen, God is literally speaking directly to your spirit through a living vessel.

In the realm of the spirit, God uses music to prepare the heart for His word.   A study of selahs will uncover the role music plays in prophetic psalms.

Just what is a selah?  It means to pause and reflect.  It also has numerous other meanings.  In music, selah is a suspension of music.   This does not mean to be suspended by a string.  Suspension is tension.   Music is tension and release.  Selah also means musical interlude or more plainly, it is when the musicians play without the singers.  Ever notice how the psalms have the word selah in them?  Some have more than one.  Does the song stop?  No.  The musicians play and then the singing comes back in.  There are five basic types of selahs and they are determined by the "flavor" of the words.  When you see the word selah, you should review the words in context with it and you will be able to hear in your mind the kind of music played.  Many of the psalms have instructions as to what instrument is to be used and even the type of music to be played.

If the words of the psalm speak of warfare, then the music would be warfare music.   Satan knows this.  That's why rock music sounds the way it does.  It is Warfare!  He uses the music to prepare the spirit and then injects his demonic, evil words.  Satan knows the principles that God set in place when He created music, and he uses them against us.  If the church played the same type of warfare music and used the Word of God, would this be any less warfare?  It would be using what God established to bring war against our enemy.  It is not the music that creates the problem.  It is the heart of the musician and the words sung that determine the effect of the music and whether a given piece music is good or evil; whether it is of God or of satan.

Musicians have been taken out of the church when it was and is God's plan to have them there.  We need to examine our praise and worship and get back on track.  Psalms 149 tells us why we praise God.  Nowhere in the Bible does it say the type of praise God implemented through David has been done away with..  In the early Church, they did not have the New Testament so they based their praise and worship on the Old Testament.  The Tabernacle of David was torn down by man, not by God.  We must recognize that God is restoring it and we need to embrace that restoration, understand it and participate.   Where is halal?  Where is shabach?  Where is the prophetic song?   Where is the spontaneous song?  Who stole it from the Church?  God is creative and He wants to express Himself through His people. 

*   *   *

The above is intended as an overview and is not a complete teaching on the Tabernacle of David.   To go fully into this would require a book, which is currently being refined and prepared for release.  It will be released in written form and electronic form also in the very near future.  If you are interested in obtaining a copy in either format, check back to our web site periodically or email me at prophetikos@cableone.net and I will notify you by email when it is available.

My wife Nancy and I are available to teach on this subject as well as minister with prophetic psalms.  It requires approximately eight hours of time to teach in its entirety although the thrust of it can be presented in one meeting as an overview, as this writing has done.  You can call us at 208-284-3451 or email us at prophetikos@cableone.net to arrange for us to come.  We are prepared to teach as well as involve musicians and singers in hands on application of the prophetic song.  We are prepared to lead worship and to demonstrate by doing, the prophetic song both instrumentally and vocally.