A Zamar Praise
As I was listening to some worship music on Pandora the other day, there was a message in a song that caught my attention. The song was “The Anthem”, by the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International Praise and Worship Team. The part that caught my attention was at the 5 minute and 40 second point where the pastor starts to talk while the band plays in the background and the choir sings Halleluiah, and this is what he says:
I want you to lift your hands for just a moment, let’s worship God.
I want to hear that guitar for just a moment.
I just want you to minister on that guitar.
The bible calls it a “Zamar praise”
The praise upon the string instruments is a Zamar praise.
The bible says that Saul called for David to offer a Zamar praise when he was troubled with the Spirit.
There are some of you that are troubled in your spirit,
But as we worship God in this fashion, He is going to set you free!
Zamar praise? Worshipping on a guitar? Praise upon the string instruments? Set me free? Yes! He definitely had my attention because I love to praise God through worship music, and I can be the first to tell you that doing so will set you free! It will also change your mood and take you from anger to forgiveness, hurt to healing, and it can turn happiness into gratitude so much so that your heart explodes and sometimes tears will flow down your face releasing so many emotions that you never knew you had bottled up inside of you.
But a Zamar praise? What exactly is that? I had to know! So, I started out by asking Google, “Where in the bible does Saul call for David to offer a Zamar praise?” and that led me to 1 Samuel 16:14-23, titled:
David in Saul’s Service
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil[a] spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
As I read this passage, I found that I could relate to Saul because I too can be soothed with music, and as I read about David playing the lyre for him, I could actually imagine and see all of his anxieties and fears leave his body as the music played. I could also see him start to relax because this is what music does for me too.
I also think about “ministering on the guitar” like the pastor talked about, and although I can’t play the guitar myself, or any other instrument for that matter, I can see myself listening to this Zamar praise with my eyes closed, and my hands in the air, praising God from a space where there is music all around us, but in that moment, it is just me and Him together. A Zamar praise, the praise upon the string instruments, a praise where you can worship God when you feel troubled in your Spirit and know that He will set you free! Thank You Jesus!
Prayer
Father, thank You for teaching us different ways to praise and talk to You. Abba, sometimes we just don’t have the words to say in prayer, so the opportunity to connect with You and worship You through Your Spirit is a beautiful blessing. Thank You for Your gift of music and stringed instruments, and the way that they can calm us when we feel troubled, and also for the way that they help us lift You up in praise when we feel joy! Thank You for Your word, Your love, and Your grace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen