The National Music of Wales ... continued xxxxxxxxxxxxxxpage 3
John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). From Y Cymmrodor, 1878

Later on, in the days of King David, with whose eventful life, from beginning to end, it was associated in a remarkable degree, we find the harp occupying a still more prominent position. The advice given to Saul by his servants, will show the high estimation in which this instrument was held in those days, especially in the hands of a skilful performer:-

"Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our Lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man who is a cunning player upon the harp, and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well."

On the very first occasion upon which David is presented before Saul, we have the following account of the effect he produced upon that monarch, through the medium of his harp:-

"And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." 

As a proof that the harp was David's constant companion in his worship of the Almighty, it is only necessary to quote a few, out of the innumerable instances to be found in the Psalms:-

"Awake up, my glory, awake lute and harp, I myself will awake right early." "Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God." "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof, for they that carried us away captive required of us a song. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."

The last sentence evidently alludes to playing upon the harp, and the whole of this beautiful passage shows that such was the love of the Israelites for this instrument, that it accompanied them even in their captivity, although they had not the heart to awaken its sweet sounds.

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