That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
That chant - х paaraT (H6527)], literally, mark distinct sounds and tones. The corresponding Arabic root means to anticipate another: then hurry and negligence; a hurried flow of unmeaning words, in which the rhythm was everything, the sense nothing: much like most glees (Pusey). So in the main Gesenius, to scatter and pour out words at random. The Hebrew х pereT (H6528)] means particular grains that fall at the vintage: hence, others take it of singing with words particularly and minutely adapted to the sound of the viol.
To the sound of the viol - the lyre or lute.
And invent to themselves instruments of music, like David - they fancy they equal David in musical skill (1 Chronicles 23:5; Nehemiah 12:36). They defend their luxurious passion for music by his example: forgetting that he pursued this study when at peace and free from danger, and that for the praise of God; but they pursue it for their own self-gratification, and that when God is angry and ruin is imminent. David introduced into the temple-service the stringed instruments the kinowr (H3658) (the lyre) and the nebel (H5035) (the harp), in addition to the cymbals. Whence these, as distinguished from the trumpets, are called "the instruments of David." Compare 2 Chronicles 29:25-26; 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 15:19-21; 1 Chronicles 15:24. David in early youth was famed for his skill on the harp (1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Samuel 16:18; 1 Samuel 16:23). As David improved the existing instruments, elevating their character, so as to be adapted to the temple-worship, so these degenerate Israelites changed them, lowering their character so as to be adapted to the service of sensuality.