Music was an important part of King David’s life and worship. As a young man, he calmed the restless spirit of King Saul with music:
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.
1 Samuel 16:23
Years later, as he brought the ark of the covenant into the city of Jerusalem, he “danced before the Lord with all his might,” celebrating the arrival of the ark “with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet” (2 Samuel 6:14-15). His wife Michal was displeased with this display of uninhibited joy, but David thought it was appropriate: “It was before the Lord,” he said (2 Samuel 6:21).
Seventy-three of the 150 psalms in the Old Testament are attributed to David, including Psalm 18, which David speaks (or perhaps sings) to the Lord in 2 Samuel 22.
Book of Mormon prophets recognized the importance of music in worship. The book opens with Lehi seeing in a vision “numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God” (1 Nephi 1:8; see also Alma 36:22). The last author, Moroni, includes singing in the list of activities for congregational worship (Moroni 6:9). And singing as a response of those who are redeemed by God appears in a number of Isaiah passages quoted throughout the book (see 1 Nephi 21:13; 2 Nephi 8:11; Mosiah 12:22-23; 3 Nephi 16:18-19; 20:32, 34).
When Alma preaches to church members in Zarahemla, who have become casual and complacent in their faith, he describes conversion as awaking from a deep sleep, being loosed from the bands of death, having your soul expand, and “[singing] redeeming love” (Alma 5:7-9). He asks them this pointed question:
If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
Alma 5:26
Singing can be a spontaneous expression of joy, and it makes us vulnerable. It requires us to overcome our self-consciousness and prioritize what we feel over what others may think of us. David exemplified that artless expressiveness as he sang, played, and danced “before the Lord.” He sang the song of redeeming love.
Today I will praise God with song. I will strive to overcome self-consciousness and openly express my love for Him and gratitude for His grace.
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