Of Heman, the sons of Heman Bukkijah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth
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all these were sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt his power; and God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
This short note closes the list of Heman's sons, and it carries more than names. It calls Heman the king's seer, credits his large family to God, and raises a question: what does it mean to prophesy "in the words of God"?
Heman prophesies under the king's direction. One writer draws a conclusion from that about the songs of Israel:
It is under the king's direction that Asaph; Heman, David's seer in the words of God; and Jeduthun prophesy with sacred instruments — whether it be to celebrate and praise the Lord, or whether it be to exalt His power. This is one proof, among many others, that the Psalms are an inspired collection, whose character is prophetic.
The same phrase tells us what filled their singing:
Scripture speaks of Heman as "the king's seer," a man of divine perception. With his sons he praised "in the words of God to exalt His power." In the singing they used the very words of God. No doubt those words told of the mighty works of the Lord that His people had seen, works that secured salvation and blessing for them.
The ESV reads "to exalt him." Older translations read "to lift up the horn," and the writers below use that wording. The horn carried a settled meaning:
People in the East wore horns as a symbol of exaltation and power. The Lord was David's horn of salvation. He exalted the horn of His people, and broke the horns of the wicked.
One writer connects this task to Hannah's song, and marks the danger it avoids:
The part of the sons of Heman was to lift up the horn, to sound aloud the praises of the God of Israel. So here Hannah declares her horn exalted in the Lord. She does not sound the trumpet to her own praise, as the Pharisees did in a day of greater privilege. She lifts it to celebrate the infinite perfections of Him who alone is worthy.
The next verse places all these children under their father. One writer sets that beside two households that failed, Eli's and Samuel's:
The words "under the hands of their father" may tell us this: all seventeen children in this delightful family sang, and all were together in subjection to their father. That is very different to the families of Eli and Samuel. How cheering it is also to find Samuel's grandson spoken of as "the king's seer in the words of God" — almost the same position as his honoured grandfather.
The same writer refuses to treat godliness as something automatic:
Godliness is not inherited, and it is only by constant watchful, prayerful care that we can hope to train up our children in the way they should go.
Heman's family line runs back to Korah. One writer finds in that history the reason this household was so fitted for its task:
Heman is chosen to be in the central place of praise to God. Scripture calls him "Heman a singer," and his family line runs through Korah to Levi. As a descendant of Korah, he had good cause to praise God for His rich mercy. Dathan and Abiram perished with their children, and Korah shared their fate. Yet the record says, "Nevertheless, the sons of Korah did not die." God spared them in His sovereign mercy, so there were none more suited to sing of the goodness and mercy of God.
Heman's fourteen sons gave him the largest share of the singing courses. One writer draws meaning from the count:
Asaph has only four courses of twelve men each. Jeduthun has six courses, and Heman has fourteen. In all there are twenty-four courses, made up of 288 persons. They correspond to the courses of the priesthood. Heman, "the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt his power," has the largest number of sons. His work matches the glory of the kingdom, which prophecy announced and the word of God established.
One writer looks from Heman forward to a greater day:
Heman's name means "faithful," and he wrote Psalm 88. His children learned music from him for the House of the Lord. How marvellous the day of glory will be, when One greater than Heman arranges the stage! He is the faithful and true witness, the Amen, the beginning of the creation of God. He who spoke the first word will also have the last word!
- Given — The children were God's gift, not Heman's achievement. The verse credits God before it lists the service.
- Taught — The gift had to be trained. All seventeen sang "under the hands of their father," unlike the families of Eli and Samuel, because godliness is not inherited.
- Filled — What they sang was not their own. Heman was the king's seer "in the words of God," so the Psalms are an inspired collection with a prophetic character.
- Lifted — The horn stands for exaltation and power, so their task was to sound God's praise aloud, never their own.
- Spared — Heman's line came from Korah, whose sons God spared in mercy. No family had more reason to sing of that mercy, and none had a larger share of the singing. One greater than Heman will arrange the praise in the day of glory.
All these were under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, for song in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, lutes and harps, for the service of the house of God, under the direction of the king.
David had already brought the ark to Zion; now, at the close of his reign, he sets the temple service in place before Solomon ever builds the house. Who directed this music, what were the singers doing, and what does praise look like now that the temple is gone?
The Levites once carried the tabernacle through the wilderness. Their song began only when that work ended, and one writer draws the line from their new task to ours.
Those whom David appointed for this happy service were the Levites, who in earlier days had carried the tabernacle, its vessels and its furniture, through the wilderness. Now that the ark had rest, and their carrying service was over, how good it was for them to be engaged in the service of praise to the Lord... We are still passing through the wilderness... but we also know that the true Ark, our Lord Jesus Christ, is no longer here. He is in the scene of rest, and it is our privilege to join in the service of song that brings delight to His heart and to the heart of His God and Father.
Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were the chief musicians, yet they too answered to the king. One writer follows that line of authority down to our own day.
All was under the chief musicians, but they were controlled by the king, "the sweet Psalmist of Israel." The service of praise to God today is not with instruments of music as in David's day; but there is the praise in which God delights, and the One who leads the praise is He who says, "In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise" (Hebrews 2:12).
Earlier verses in this chapter say the singers "prophesied" with harps and cymbals. One writer draws a conclusion about the Psalms from that word.
It is under the king's direction that Asaph; Heman, David's seer in the words of God; and Jeduthun prophesy with sacred instruments — whether to celebrate and praise the Lord, or to exalt His power. This is one proof, among many others, that the Psalms are an inspired collection, whose character is prophetic.
Heman had seventeen children, and all of them sang. Some translations read "under the direction of their father." The older wording is "under the hands of their father." Heman was Samuel's grandson, and one writer sets this household beside the families of Samuel and Eli.
Perhaps the words "under the hands of their father" would tell us that this delightful family of seventeen children, all of whom sang, were together in subjection to their father, very different from the families of Eli and Samuel. How cheering it is also to find Samuel's grandson spoken of as "the king's seer in the words of God" — almost the same position as that of his honoured grandfather.
Lots decided which singer served in which turn, as they did for the priests.
Like the priests and the Levites, the singers were divided by lot, designated by God's free choice. Nothing was left to the will of man: that is of all importance. The Lord's Anointed orders and the Lord decides.
Leading the praise fell to a few, not to everyone.
A certain order, a certain initiative as to the direction of the praise was required of the musicians. It is the same in the assembly: a small number have been qualified for this office, which has its importance just like everything that relates to worship.
The cymbals, harps and lyres were David's own provision. One writer explains how they came into Israel's worship.
David alone was the author of all that had to do with the future temple, even the musical part of the worship. Nothing like it had been set up under the system of the tabernacle in the wilderness. David himself invented the instruments, in connection with Solomon's glorious rise to the throne — a picture of the millennial reign of Christ on earth. Today praise is connected with His heavenly glory, and so it has an entirely spiritual character.
Another writer looks at David's singers, and at what has changed since.
He had several companies of singers and players on instruments, which are often mentioned in the Psalms. The Holy Spirit guided the writing of these songs. So we may conclude that this way of celebrating the praises of God matched the age that was then in place... but in the New Testament age it is "singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart."
- Rest — the song starts only after the ark comes to rest. Praise grows out of rest, not out of unfinished work.
- Order — the chief musicians led, yet the king's word ruled them. Praise has a Leader above its leaders.
- Word — they "prophesied" with their instruments. One writer takes this as proof that the Psalms are inspired and prophetic.
- Household — Heman's children all sang under their father's hand, and Samuel's grandson held an honoured place.
- Heart — lots, not preference, set the turns. David's instruments give way to melody made in the heart to the Lord.