Self-Interpreting Bible

Amos 5:23

Take thou away from me ^wthe noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy ^*viols.

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

Amos 8:3 And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.

Amos 6:5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

viols-lyres, stringed instruments.

Poole

by way of contempt and loathing, God calls their songs noise; how harmonious, delightful, and ravishing soever they might be to their ears, they were not pleasing unto God.

used in their sacrifices, and their solemn feasts; herein they imitated temple-worship, but all was unpleasing to the Lord.

this is not to be taken absolutely, for God heard the noise; but it is taken in a qualified sense, he did not hear with delight and acceptance.

the pleasing harmony, the sweet concert,

this one kind of musical instrument put for all the rest: in a word, your hypocrisy, idolatry, and injustice spoil all your services, and make God weary of you and them.