And David spake to the chief of the Levites,.... The six before mentioned, 1 Chronicles 15:11
to appoint their brethren to be the singers; before the ark, as they brought it up:
with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals; which were used in those times, see 2 Samuel 6:5
sounding by lifting up the voice with joy; the instrumental music was to be attended with vocal music, and that very sonorous and loud, and performed with all tokens of inward joy and gladness, as the occasion required.