121. The Drummers Praise
I was reading Psalm 150 tonight and noticing the various instruments it mentions: trumpet, lute, harp, tambourine, strings, pipe, clanging cymbals, loud clashing cymbals. And I thought how strange that it never even mentions the drum.
Well, anyway, years ago I had a friend who arranged for the ceremonial drummers of Upper Volta to come to the New York City area. They had performances in the city, but eventually they came out to New City, New York. One Sunday they were the prelude and postlude at New City United Methodist Church.
There were about ten of them standing across the front of the church with tall, djembe drums in front of them. It was absolutely quiet and then on a signal they played. Chills ran up and down my arms. The sound filled the sanctuary and the pulse of the drums felt like it was pounding the floor and down to the center of creation. I have never heard a sound like those drums all together since then.
And it felt like the epitome of Psalm 150—Praise! Praise! Praise!
