Bread: "Guitar Man"

David Gates, who wrote the song, said that everybody has either wanted to play guitar or has played guitar. It's an instrument he said that anybody can relate to. Listen to the song here and see if you agree.

Guitars didn't exist in Bible times but worshippers certainly praised God with stringed instruments. As Psalm 33:2 (Bible in Basic English) exhorts, "Give praise to the Lord on the corded instrument; make melody to him with instruments of music."

Israelites also used music to give solemn praise to the Lord. As Psalm 92:1-3 (BBE) reads, "<A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.> It is a good thing to give praise to the Lord, and to make melody to your name, O Most High; To make clear your mercy in the morning, and your unchanging faith every night; On a ten-corded instrument, and on an instrument of music with a quiet sound."

On that disastrous day when King David put the Ark of the Covenant on a cart, 2 Samuel 6:5 (BBE) reads, "And David and all the men of Israel made melody before the Lord with all their power, with songs and with corded instruments and instruments of brass."

Moreover, certain Christian sects assume it's wrong to use instruments to praise God. But 2 Chronicles 15:16 (BBE) plainly says, "And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy."

And David's skill as a harpist earned him a royal gig. We read how it happened in 1 Samuel 16:15 and 16 (BBE). "And Saul's servants said to him, 'See now, an evil spirit from God is troubling you. Now give orders to your servants who are here before you to go in search of a man who is an expert player on a corded instrument: and it will be that when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will make music for you on his instrument, and you will get well.'"

In my book How I Was Razed: A journey from Cultism to Christianity, I wrote about how I was grudgingly granted a chance to play guitar. I couldn't read the song lyrics in the hymn books but I could play chords along with the accordionist. It was my way of contributing to the worship service.

And if Christ doesn't return by Monday, I plan to post about the exhilaration of being in love.