The Bible speaks about music and instruments in various passages, often highlighting their role in worship, celebration, and even warfare. Drums, while not explicitly mentioned in most translations, are understood to be part of the percussion instruments used in biblical times. The tambourine and timbrel, which are similar to drums, are frequently referenced in Scripture. Let’s explore what the Bible says about the power of percussion in worship and praise.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Musical Instruments
The Joyful Sound of Percussion in Worship
Throughout the Bible, instruments were used to glorify God, and percussion played a vital role in this. Drums and tambourines were instruments of joy, celebration, and praise. The rhythmic beat helped people express their deep gratitude and excitement for the Lord’s blessings.
Psalm 150:4
“Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes!”
Exodus 15:20
“Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced.”
Psalm 98:4
“Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!”
Judges 11:34
“When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy.”
2 Samuel 6:5
“David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.”
Drums in Battle and Victory
In biblical times, music and percussion were often associated with battle. Drums and tambourines were used to celebrate victories, announce triumphs, and set the rhythm for marching soldiers. The beat of drums was a call to action and a declaration of God’s power over the enemy.
Numbers 10:9
“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.”
Joshua 6:20
“When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.”
1 Samuel 18:6
“When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.”
2 Chronicles 20:22
“At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.”
Jeremiah 31:4
“I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.”
Drums as an Expression of Joy
Music has always been a way to express joy and gratitude toward God. Drums and percussion instruments were often used in festivals, celebrations, and worship gatherings to express the overflowing joy of God’s people.
Psalm 47:1
“Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!”
Nehemiah 12:27
“For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres.”
Psalm 149:3
“Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.”
Isaiah 30:32
“And as the Lord strikes them with his rod of punishment, his people will celebrate with tambourines and harps.”
Luke 15:25
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house.”
Drums in Prophetic and Spiritual Worship
In the Bible, music was not only a means of praise but also played a role in prophetic worship. Instruments, including percussion, were used in moments of divine encounter and revelation. The rhythm of drums could stir the spirit, helping to create an atmosphere where people could hear from God.
1 Chronicles 25:1
“David and the army commanders then appointed men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to proclaim God’s messages to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals.”
2 Kings 3:15
“Now bring me someone who can play the harp. While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.”
1 Samuel 10:5
“When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.”
Psalm 81:2
“Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp.”
Revelation 14:2
“And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Bells
Drums in Times of Mourning and Lament
While drums and percussion were often used in celebration, there were also times when music accompanied mourning and lamentation. The absence of joyful music signified sorrow and times of repentance, showing how deeply ingrained music was in expressing human emotions before God.
Jeremiah 7:34
“I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. The land will lie in complete desolation.”
Ezekiel 26:13
“I will stop the music of your songs. No more will the sound of harps be heard among your people.”
Job 30:31
“My harp plays sad music, and my flute accompanies those who weep.”
Amos 8:10
“I will turn your celebrations into times of mourning and your singing into weeping. You will wear funeral clothes and shave your heads to show your sorrow, as if your only son had died. How very bitter that day will be!”
Lamentations 5:14
“The elders no longer sit in the city gates; the young men no longer dance and sing.”
Drums in the Celebration of God’s Deliverance
Drums and tambourines were frequently played during moments of great deliverance and thanksgiving. When God rescued His people, they responded with music, dancing, and praise, recognizing His mighty hand in their lives.
Psalm 68:25
“Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines.”
Isaiah 24:8
“The happy cries of celebration will be gone. The joyful music of the harp will be silent.”
Exodus 15:21
“And Miriam sang this song: ‘Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.'”
1 Chronicles 16:42
“They played the trumpets and cymbals and their loud instruments of music to accompany the songs of praise to God.”
Revelation 15:3
“And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.'”
Drums in Heavenly Worship
The Bible gives glimpses of the heavenly realm, where worship is constant. Instruments, including percussion, are part of the eternal celebration before God’s throne. The sound of music in heaven reflects the majesty and glory of God.
Revelation 5:8
“And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”
Revelation 19:6
“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: ‘Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.'”
Revelation 8:2
“I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.”
Revelation 15:2
“I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them.”
Psalm 33:3
“Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.”