According to the Book of Samuel, an “evil spirit from the Lord” plagued King Saul, making him agitated and fearful of persecution. Because music was thought to have a therapeutic effect, the king summoned the hero and warrior David, who was renowned for his skill with the harp.

What does the Bible say about David playing the harp?

22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

What does David and his harp mean?

What sort of harp did David actually play? The instrument David played is referred to in the Hebrew Bible as a 'kinnor'. The word is usually translated as 'harp', but it was actually a lyre (a member of the zither family). Modern scholarship suggests that David played the so-called 'thin lyre'.