Christ as Orpheus, Catacombs of Peter and Marcellus, 4th c. 



PSALMODY
and
HYMNODY
in the
EARLY CHURCH
  
 

 

THE PSALTER: HYMNAL of the JEWISH TEMPLE

PSALM ONE

 BLESSED is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he MEDITATES  day and night.

 

 

EPHESIANS 5:18-20

 

[And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but 

kaiì mh\ mequ/skesqe oiãn%, e)n %Ò e)stin a)swti¿a,

BE filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in PSALMS and HYMNS and SPIRITUAL SONGS, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 

 a)lla\ plhrou=sqe e)n pneu/mati, 5.19 lalou=ntej e(autoiÍj [e)n] yalmoiÍj kaiì uÀmnoij kaiì %©daiÍj pneumatikaiÍj, #Ãdontej kaiì ya/llontej tv= kardi¿# u(mw½n t%½ kuri¿%,

20 always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. 

20 eu)xaristou=ntej pa/ntote u(pe\r pa/ntwn e)n o)no/mati tou= kuri¿ou h(mw½n ¹Ihsou= Xristou= t%½ qe%½ kaiì patri¿,
COLOSIANS 3:14-17

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

14 e)piì pa=sin de\ tou/toij th\n a)ga/phn, oÀ e)stin su/ndesmoj th=j teleio/thtoj.
15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom,  kaiì h( ei¹rh/nh tou= Xristou= brabeue/tw e)n taiÍj kardi¿aij u(mw½n, ei¹j hÁn kaiì e)klh/qhte e)n e(niì sw¯mati: kaiì eu)xa/ristoi gi¿nesqe. 16 o( lo/goj tou= Xristou= e)noikei¿tw e)n u(miÍn plousi¿wj, e)n pa/sv sofi¿# dida/skontej kaiì nouqetou=ntej e(autou\j
AND sing PSALMS, HYMNS [and] SPIRITUAL SONGS with thankfulness in your hearts to God. yalmoiÍj, uÀmnoij, %©daiÍj pneumatikaiÍj e)n xa/riti #Ãdontej e)n taiÍj kardi¿aij u(mw½n t%½ qe%½: 
 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 17 kaiì pa=n oÀ ti e)a\n poih=te e)n lo/g% hÄ e)n eÃrg%, pa/nta e)n o)no/mati kuri¿ou ¹Ihsou=, eu)xaristou=ntej t%½ qe%½ patriì di' au)tou=.

 

    TRAJAN and PLINY
  on the PUNISHMENT
of CHRISTIANS 

Correspondence concerning the arrest and punishment of Christians between Pliny the Younger (Governor of Bythinia 111-113) and the Emperor Trajan.  Latin text based on Stout, 1962:354-57. 

TRAJAN: Emperor 98-117

PLINY the YOUNGER, Letter 10:96

. . .  THEY asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been: Adfirmabant autem hanc fuisse summam vel culpae suae vel erroris, 

that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and SING responsively a HYMN TO CHRIST AS TO A GOD, 

quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi deo dicere secum invicem 
and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.  seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria, committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent: 
When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food. . . quibus peractis morem sibi discedendi fuisse rursusque coeundi ad capiendum cibum, promiscuum tamen et innoxium; 

 

CYPRIAN of CARTHAGE (d. 258)
Letter 1 (to Donatus); English tr. mod., based on E. Wallis: The Ante-Nicene Fathers v. V. The Letter to Donatus (Letter 1), pp. 279-280 (PL 4, 219a -223a; 

 

On Psalmody with Prayer

 
        16. Let these things suffice, dearest Donatus, for the present. For although what you profitably hear delights your patience, indulgent in its goodness, your well-balanced mind, and your assured faith—and nothing is so pleasant to your ears as what is pleasant to you in God,—yet, as we are associated as neighbors, and are likely to talk together frequently, we ought to have some moderation in our conversation; and since this is a holiday rest, and a time of leisure, whatever remains of the day, now that the sun is sloping towards the evening, let us spend it in gladness, nor let even the hour of repast be without heavenly grace.  XVI. Haec interim brevibus, Donate charissime: [0222B] nam, etsi facilem de bonitate patientiam , mentem solidam , fidem tutam salutaris auditus oblectat, nihilque tam tuis auribus gratum est quam quod in Deo gratum est, moderari tamen dicenda debemus simul juncti et saepius collocuturi . Et, quoniam feriata nunc quies ac tempus est otiosum, quicquid inclinato jam sole in vesperam diei superest, ducamus hanc diem laeti, nec sit vel hora convivii gratiae coelestis immunis.

LET the sober meal resound with psalms;and as your memory is tenacious and your voice musical, undertake this task as you customarily do. You will provide a better entertainment for your dearest friends, if, while we have something spiritual to listen to, the sweetness of religious [music] charm our ears.

 Sonet psalmos [0223A] convivium sobrium; et ut tibi tenax memoria est, vox canora, aggredere hoc munus ex more . Magis charissimos pasces, si sit nobis spiritalis auditio, prolectet aures religiosa mulcedo.

 

This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 1990....x....  ’ “”.