I love the life of King David – which comes as no surprise to those of you who know me at all! Why else would I devote so much time to the study of his life, to writing three novels based around his life and the lives of his wives? Write what you love is good advice – it makes the writing much more enjoyable – hopefully, it makes for better storytelling as well. :)

Any storyteller will tell you that part of the process of crafting a believable tale involves immersing yourself in the time period and filling your thoughts with things that will help you get to know your characters better. For Biblical fiction, that involves the study of Scripture, as well as, anything that might reveal life as it happened 3000 years ago. I’ve spent hours reading “life and times” type books, studying artifacts (usually in picture form), even going so far as to visit Israel this year. But until recently, except for a few popular church choruses involving the Psalms, I had neglected to saturate my mind with the music of David and his peers.

Then one day last week, I decided to do a bit of fun shopping and discovered a Family Christian Stores right next to one of my favorite clothing stores. I didn’t know they had opened a store so close to me! And of course, I couldn’t pass up the chance to check out their fiction aisles or purchase a book I’d been longing to read. At the checkout, they were offering a promotional CD at a low cost, so I bought it. The group sang only the Psalms, which intrigued me.

I popped the CD into the car’s player to listen and was immediately hooked! A Google search told me this group had several full length CDs to offer, so the following week I found an excuse to be back in the area to purchase one, to hear more of David’s words put to song – the way the Psalms were intended to be heard. They were songs, after all, meant to be sung rather than read.

The group is the Sons of Korah. Below is a video of one of their songs to give you a hint of what they offer. I’ve posted the words to this Psalm below.

As I listen to the Psalms put to music, I can easily imagine how David might have sounded, and in a sense, his voice becomes clearer to me, enhancing what I know of his character. Hopefully, I will be able to capture that essence in the Wives of King David series. (Michal is up on Amazon for pre-order already!) They haven’t put the book cover up yet, but hopefully, soon! (I’m adding it here again, just as a reminder of what’s coming.) :)

Mainly, I wanted to share with you the Sons of Korah, so you can get a feel for how the Psalms might have sounded when they were sung in David’s day. Obviously, they didn’t have electric guitars, but David was a gifted musician who crafted some of his own instruments and made use of a variety of them in public worship. When he brought the ark to Jerusalem, he appointed skilled musicians to lead the people in singing and making melody to the Lord. So while the instruments today are more modern, some of the sounds may have been as full and perhaps slightly similar. In any case, the group is worth listening to! Enjoy! :)

Psalm 148 (NIV)

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.

6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and maidens,
old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 He has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.