David from BL King's 9, ff. 158v-159

Miniature of David with a harp and a full scatter border. Image taken from ff. 158v-159 of Book of Hours, Use of Sarum. Written in Latin.

David was a skilled musician and poet, and he played the harp to soothe King Saul when he was tormented by evil spirits. David's musical abilities and his role as a psalmist also led him to be associated with the worship of God and with the expression of devotion and praise. The image of David playing the harp remains a symbol of the connection between music, worship, and devotion in Western tradition.