Scriptural References to Instruments (Biblical)

In Scripture, musical instruments serve a purpose within and for the life of the covenant community; their function was not a matter of individual self-expression, as is often the case today. Musical instruments in general are designated by the term kelim (instruments for singing, Amos 6:5; 1 Chron. 16:42; the instruments of David, 2 Chron. 29:26; Neh. 12:36). The fact that this Hebrew term also denotes utensils and implements of various types, such as kitchenware, weapons, and "things" generally, including the "baggage" by which Saul was hiding when Samuel came to anoint him (1 Sam. 10:22), underscores the utilitarian nature of musical instruments in the biblical perspective. Music, along with all the worship arts, was not a means of individual self-expression but an activity that performed a specific function within the life of the covenant people. Several passages in Scripture provide brief lists of instruments used in the worship of the Lord (1 Sam. 10:5; 2 Sam. 6:5; 1 Chron. 1…