              Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
|
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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