Westminster Psalter David - Public domain dedication image

David playing the harp. From the Westminster Psalter, BL Royal MS 2 A xxii f. 14v. Held and digitised by the British Library.

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.