The beat of a “different” drum

Our Church just recently started a new service called “Sunday Nite Live”. Not such a big deal you might say. However in conservation circles we move in, it’s quite revolutionary. Especially when one of the features of the service is the music played by the band. That’s right a band! Including, *shudder* a drum kit! Now this might seem quaint and out dated for many, but again in cconservative evangelical Australia the use of drums is still viewed by many as taboo. After all they’re evil and they drown out the spirit of God and definitely aren’t found in the Bible! … or are they?!

First, just to clarify, in case anyone thought otherwise… I thought the new Sunday evening service went very well!

Now… I had always been one of those that held the “drums were not mentioned or used in the Bible” position. Not necessarily naively, I had looked into it before (briefly) - especially whilst in Kenya as drums featured prominently in African music. However I had not formulated a strong opinion or defence either way. Certainly the concept of the modern drum is not found in scripture. When you consider the cultural and ethnic differences of the Middle East 2-3000 years ago and modern Western Society this is not that big a deal and doesn’t prove or justify in the slightest a defensible position either side of the “drum debate”.

However a bit of a search in a few different translations (uh-oh I guess I’m already in trouble eh?!) shows the term “hand-drum” used to translate the Hebrew word “toph” in Exodus 15:20 as one of the instruments used to accompany Miriam’s psalm. Most versions however translate it as a “timbrel”.

One old commentary (Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible) explains the timbrel or “toph” thus:

“a timbrel–or “tabret”–a musical instrument in the form of a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It was beat with the fingers, and corresponds to our tambourine.”

Another (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill 1690-1771) says:

“timbrels were a sort of drums or tabrets, which being beat upon gave a musical sound, somewhat perhaps like our kettledrums;” (read more about Kettle Drums here)

Now regardless of how you frame it - whatever this “toph” instrument was - it was a skin stretched over a ring or box of some kind that you beat! In 21st Century speak - any street vox pop would resoundingly tell you that describes a drum!

With that in mind, consider the significance of the following verses:

Psa 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Psa 150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Psa 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Psa 150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

And just to be safe that’s the KJV translation. (oh, and John Gill, quoted above, was Charles Spurgeon’s predecessor in London and was an ultra cconservative Baptist pastor - ie one of the hero’s of the conservative evangelical movement!)

By the way, I thought the use of the instruments was very subtle in our new Sunday night service. The singers featured more prominently from where I was sitting, and at times I wasn’t even sure if any of the instruments, other than the keyboard were being used. So whilst the diehards might still find fault - someone will always fill this role no matter what you do (!), I thought the presentation was balanced and effective and honouring to the Lord. Well done to all involved! I hope they don’t wait so long for the next one