2 Samuel 6:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David and all Israel make music before the Lord with every kind of instrument.
What Does 2 Samuel 6:5 Mean?
As the ark travels, the whole house of Israel breaks into music before the Lord. The list is generous, harps and lyres, timbrels and rattles, cymbals ringing, the people pouring out every sound they have. This is worship that holds nothing back, the joy of a nation walking with its God in their midst.
Such wholehearted praise is fitting and pleasing, and the Psalms David wrote ring with this same gladness. Worship engages the whole person, voice and hands and heart together. Yet the scene also sets up a sober contrast: zeal and music, however abundant, do not replace obedience. The chapter will hold both truths together, that God delights in joyful praise and that He must be approached as He has appointed. True worship offers God both our gladness and our reverence.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 6:5
What does 2 Samuel 6:5 mean?
David and all Israel make music before the Lord with every kind of instrument.