Psalms in the Primary Church

Neotestamentary and Patristical Testimonials

Murariu Marius Constantin
Ovidius University of Constanta, Faculty of Theology
marius_padrinio@yahoo.com
Abstract
2. Neotestamentary references of Psalms
Psalms occupy a focal point in Christian
spirituality and worship. The use of psalms
in the primary Christiam worship is recorded
in the writings of the New Testament. Aside
from scripturistical pasages, which make
reference to the use of psalms by the first
Christians, starting with the Apostles, there
are numerous literary proofs, according to
which psalms were appreciated and
practiced by the Church to the same extent
as this occurs today. Most Apostolic Fathers
and
Apologists use quotes from psalms or make
statements regarding the psalm rituals in the
spiritual life of the first Christians.
Key words: psalms, Christianity, worship,
Primary Church.
J.E.L. Classification: I290
1. Introduction
From Churchs dawn of history, psalms
have represented a focal point in the
Christian spirituality and worship. This is not
a surprising fact if we are to consider the fact
that the first Christians were from amongst
the ranks of Hebews who built their
spirituality and worship on the Psaltery. The
Savior himself had taken over from the
traditions of His people the custom of using
psalms in His prayers. St. Matthew the
Evangelist, eye witness to the last events in
the life and earthly works of the Savior,
recounts the fact that during the Last Supper,
for instance, a short religios ceremonial was
officiated to conclude, during which praise
was chanted, meaning psalms, after which all
those present went to the Mount of Olives
(Matthew 26, 30). Moreover, as mentioned
before, during the Procession to Calvary,
Christ was heard uttering psalm verses,
which came into being profecies fulfilled.

As Hebews themselves, the Apostles saw

it as natural to use psalms in worship
gatherings. They themselves established, as
of the first days of the Chruch, the order of
reading and chanting psalms in the Christian
worship. When writing to the Christian
communities he had built, the Apostle Paul
never failed to make recommendations, such
as: Speaking to yourselves in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord
(Ephesians 5, 19) or sing psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts
to God (Colossians 3, 16). Similar words are
uttered by St. James to the receivers of his
letter that they should not hesitate to sing
psalms (James 5, 13).
A massive presence of psalms may be
observed in the writings of the New
Testament. It is more than figurative that the
283 quotes from the Old Trestatment which
can be read in the New Testament, 116 are
taken from psalms. Psalms were ever present
in the Christian occupations and worship,
even after the Church finally separated from
the Synagogue. On the contrary, they seemed
to have gained in importance afterwards.
Tertullian informs us that during his time,
(2nd century A.D.) psalms were heavily used
during Christian gatherings. The Christian
documentd named Apostolic Constitutions,
dating in the 3rd century, confirms as much.
The same was the case in the 4 th century,
when Christians would gather in Oriental
churches at night to sing psalms.
3. Early patrisical evidence on psalms
Aside from scripturistic fragments,
making reference to the use of psalms by the
first Christians, starting with the Apostles,
there is a real array of literary evidence,

according to which it is said that psalms were

appreciated and practiced by the Church to
the same extent as this occurs today.
Of all this multitude of early patrisctical
evidence, we cannot forget the writings of the
Apostolic Fathers or those of Apologists,
who, for that matter, consolidated the
grounds set by the Savior through the
Apostles, by being the first generation of
apprentices of Apostles, schooled through
martyrdom and prayer.
Thus, the Sermon of the Twelve Apostles,
a Christian document dating from 50-70
A.D., quotes psalm 41, and psalms 36 and
117 2.
St. Clement, Bishop of Rome between 92
and 101, martyr hierarch celebrated by the
Orthodox Churxh on November 24th, makes
heavy use of psalm quotes in his letters,
which brings us to the idea that psalms had
become, even as of the 1st century, somewhat
of a universal language of Christians, as
the letters are addressed to another Christian
community than that established by the
author, namely Corinth, which need have
known the references made by Saint Clement
the Roman.
We understand the value of psalms in
Christian world of Saint Clement from the
memorable extracts of his first letter, where
we can draw the expmples below.
In Chapter XIV of Epistle I to the
Corinthiens, Saint Clement lists the life
principles of the original Christian quoting as
argument psalm 36, which must have been
recognized as having authority by the
recipients 3: Therefore it is right and
proper, brethren, that we should be obedient
unto God, rather than follow those who in
arrogance and unruliness have set
themselves up as leaders in abominable
jealousy. For we shall bring upon us no
common harm, but rather great peril, if we
surrender ourselves recklessly to the
purposes of men who launch out into strife
and seditions, so as to estrange us from that
which is right. Let us be good one towards
another according to the compassion and
sweetness of Him that made us. For it is
written: The good shall be dwellers in the
land, and the innocent shall be left on it"4.
And again He saith: I saw the ungodly lifted
up on high and exalted as the cedars of
Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold he was

not; and sought out his place, and I found it

not. Keep innocence and behold uprightness;
for there is a remnant for the peaceful
man."5.
Aside from the irrefutable moral authority
of the psalm, we can also observe another
merit, namely the liturgical and hymnological
nature, seeing as how it is highly likely that
Saint Clement quoted the psalms most known
to curch-goers, from the officializing of
various ecclesiastic orders enherited and until
present day. Hence, in chapter XVIII of the
First Epistle psalm 50 is almost entirely
quoted, Deliver me, O God...", being
frequently used in our Churchs worship 6,
in chapter XV, he uses a psalmic verse
(Psalms 11, 3-5) common in the matins
worship: I will now arise, saith the Lord. I
will set him in safety; I will deal boldly by
him."7 and in chapter XXI, he quotes psalm
103, 103, 30-31, the evening service psalm.
We also recognice other testimonials, in
favor of the authenticity of the psalm in
Church, from the beginning and until present
in Saint Clements work. The Sacrament of
the Holy Communion could not be absent in
the writings of this Father, held in such high
esteem by out Church, and as such we are
confronted with paragraphs from psalms, that
are today, same as yesterday, included in the
Easter and Eucharist Orthodox worship:
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by
men and despised by the people. All who see
me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their
heads: "He trusts in the LORD; let the
LORD rescue him. Let Him deliver him,
since he delights in Him." (Psalms 21, 6-8)
8 included in the Royal Hours Order, or:
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach
you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you
loves life and desires to see many good
days?..."(Psalms 33, 11 etc.), 9 Eucharistic
psalm ordered at the end of the Divine
Liturgy, following imediat dup Blessed be
the name of the LORD..."
Other psalms shine in the works of Saint
Clement, seldom touched by the shiver of his
commitment on the basis of other important
texts from the psalms: The heavens declare
the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work
of his hands...."(Psalms 18,1), Psalm 49,1724, "You are my Son; today I have become
your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the
nations your inheritance,.." (Psalms 2, 5-6),

"Sit at my right hand until I make your

enemies a footstool for your feet." (Psalms
109, 1-2), He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants."(Psalms 103, 5).
Something which may even be observed
by a non-theologist reader, but who is
somewhat familiar with the ecclesiastic
experiences, is St. Clements incredible
predilection for those excerpts of the psalms
constituting stand-alone hymns and here I
especially refer to two such chants, part of
the Night Office Vigils, namely from
Vespers, which he comments: Thence,
because God sees all and hers all, let us fear
Him and cast off all ugly whims of evil
doings, so as by is mercifulness we may be
sheltered from future judgement, for where
can a body hide from His powerful hand?
And what world will have one of those
running from Him? For the Scripture says:
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where
can I flee from your presence? If I go up to
the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed
in the depths, you are there." Where, then,
would one run or where to escape from He
who encompasses all?" 10.
In the above-written we recognize the
liturgical echoes of the third Sticheron of the
Vespers (the 6th tone), that most-beautiful
hymn "Of You, Oh Lord..." currently present
in our Church worship.
Having said all of the above, Saint
Clement the Roman, on whose writings I
have especially insisted, as well as the other
Apostolic Fathers and apologists use quotes
from psalms or make statements on the
psaltic rituals in the spiritual life, by choice
those of them who, through regular
ecclesiastic practices had become known to
those whom the respective works were
addressed to.
Saint Cyprian of Cartagena (210-258),
mentions the psaltic chant during the evening
worship (possibly the Vespers), in his letter to
Donatus: These things, dearest Donatus,
briefly for the present. For although what
you profitably hear delights your patience,
indulgent
in
its
goodness,
your
wellbalanced 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,
(1) let us spend it in gladness, nor let even
the hour of repast be without heavenly grace.
Let the temperate meal resound with psalms ;
(2) and as your memory is tenacious and
your voice musical, undertake this office, as
is your wont. 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 ears11.
In another one of his treaties, Saint
Cyprian mentions the morning service
(possibly matins) and the evening service
(possibly vespers), which are added to the
ancient order of hours, with the entire
Eucharistic and eschatological tension,
bringing arguments for both rituals in the
form of verses chosen from psalms,
recognized in Church as being inspired by
the Holy Ghost: But for us, beloved
brethren, besides the hours of prayer
observed of old,3395 both the times and the
sacraments have now increased in number.
For we must also pray in the morning, that
the Lords resurrection may be celebrated by
morning prayer. And this formerly the Holy
Spirit pointed out in the Psalms, saying, My
King, and my God, because unto Thee will I
cry; O Lord, in the morning shalt Thou hear
my voice; in the morning will I stand before
Thee, and will look up to Thee.(Psalms 5,
3-5). Also at the sunsetting and at the decline
of day, of necessity we must pray again. For
since Christ is the true sun and the true day,
as the worldly sun and worldly day depart,
when we pray and ask that light may return
to us again, we pray for the advent of Christ,
which shall give us the grace of everlasting
light. Moreover, the Holy Spirit in the Psalms
manifests that Christ is called the day. The
stone, says He, which the builders
rejected, is become the head of the corner.
This is the Lords doing; and it is marvelous
in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord
hath made; let us walk and rejoice in it.
(Psalms 117, 22-24).12.
4. The gift of psalm chanting in the image
of the Holy Fathers
Even as early as the 4 th century, a DacoRoman bishop, Saint Nicetas of Remesiana, a
renowned missionary of his times, eulogized

by Saint Paulinus of Nola in two poems

where our ancestors are mentioned (You are
called father by the whole region of Bora; at
your preaching, the Scythian is subdued and
the one who is embittered relinquishes his
savage impulses because of your teaching.
The Getae and the two kind of Dacians run
to you: the ones who farm the in-land and
those who wear sheep fur caps and breed
rich droves of cattle on the fertile
banks")13, states the necessity of psalms in
the Orthodox Church worship in a paper
exclusively dedicated to Christian psaltic
chant, De psalmodiae dono"(On the gift of
singing psalms")14: Can any joy be
greater than that of delighting ourselves with
psalms and nourishing ourselves with prayer
and feeding ourselves with the lessons that
are read in between? Like guests at table
enjoying a variety of dishes, our souls feast
on the rich banquet of lessons and
hymns15.
Psalms have represented the object of
research for most of Christianitys Fathers
and Writers, starting with the great scholar
Origen (+255), who wrote his famous
homilies to the psalms, Saints Augustine
(+430) and Jerome (+420), but especially the
two greatest hierarchs of the Church, Saint
Basil the Great (+379) and John Chrysostom
(+ 407) whose homilies or spiritual blessings
to the psalms are built on the seamless
godliness of the orthodox clerics and laity
against the greatness and wisdom of God,
Who hath granted such spiritual treasure unto
His followers. This truth has made one the
most brilliant Liturgy researchers claim: As
a matter of fact, Christians were not able to
feel the expeditious absence of a new poetry
in worship from the start. This void was
filled by the poetry in the holy writings of the
Old Testament and, particularly, by psalms,
which addressed all the conditions of the
soul "16.
In a construction whose spiritual charge
and sensitivity could have rivaled that of any
work of art, John Chrysostom, comments on
the contents of psalm 140, the Vespers psalm,
proving, even today, 1600 years from his
dormition, a certain freshness and
contemporaneousness with the reader, but all
the while addressing a special warning to
present day theologists: O LORD, I call to
you; come quickly to me. Hear my voice

when I call to you."(Psalms 140, 1). While

everybody, you might say, knows the words of
this psalm (sung almost every day at
Vespers) and continues singing it at every
age; they are ignorant of the sense of the
expressions. What is no slight grounds for
accusation, those singing it daily and
uttering the words by mouth do not inquire
about the force of the ideas underlying the
words. By contrast, someone who espies
clear and pure water could not bear not to
approach it and touch and drink it, and
someone who frequently enters a meadow
would not allow themselves not to pick some
flowers before leaving, whereas we on the
other hand from earliest years to extreme old
age continue meditating on this psalm while
knowing only the words; you sit by a hidden
treasure, moving back and forth a purse
which remains sealed and curiosity doesnt
even instill in you the hunger to gather how
this psalm is construed; no search, no study"
17.
As a new proof to the use of the psalm as
far back as the primary period of the Church,
John Chrysostom explains in his homilies to
psalm 140, previously quoted, that the use,
during his times, as well as in todays
worship of our Church, of the O Lord, I call
to you chant was ordered especially by the
Holy Fathers before Saint John, which
reaffirms the fact that the psalm represented
the origin of the Christian worship from its
coming into existence: Now take great heed
to my words. I believe it is not by chance that
our fathers decided that this psalm be sung
nightly and their reasoning is not in the least
the verse: May my prayer be set before you
like incense; may the lifting up of my hands
be like the evening sacrifice." (Psalms 140;
2), for these words can be found in other
psalms: Evening, morning and noon I cry
out in distress, and He hears my voice."
(Psalms 54; 19) and another Yours is the
day, yours also the night (Ps. 73; 17) and
again weeping may remain for a night, but
rejoicing comes in the morning." (Psalm 29;
5).
All the Churchs welter and all its fervent
martyrdom could not identify a better means
of expression than that of the psalms. But
through psalm, not only the conviction in the
will of Gods omnipotence, but, as previously
stated, the mystical return to the Originator
and Perfector of the psalm Jesus Christ God

Incarnate, brings the believer to the weight of

the journey to be made, to brace against
satanical temptations, to the unparalleled and
unmistakable sweetness of grace, from which
once has tasted, off others are deemed
foreign, tasteless, just as Adam must have felt
the weight of the dead skins in which he had
wrapped himself after the fall, infatuated
with weariness 18. We may undoubtedly
say that the psalm is for past and present
orthodox believers the confirmation of the
wholeness of the gospel truth received from
our Lord Jesus Christ, as much as the road to
our communion with Him, in Church.
Thus, being instilled by the Holy Ghost
The Psalter Book comprises all that which
is most useful of all things. It prophesizes
things to come, records historical facts, gives
life laws, shows us what we must do and
summarized in one word, it is a true treasure
of good teachings, consigning to each,
according to diligence, that which is
worthful.19.
Their importance to the road to
faultlessness begun by Christians of true faith
in the purpose of achieving salvation and
divinization in the Church, has determined
the Holy Fathers to order the reading or
singing of the psalms at the beginning of all
church services, which in turn has convinced
the great liturgical interpreters - Saint
Germanus I, Patriarch of Constantinople
(+733) or Theodore, Bishop of Andida (13 th
century), Saint Nicholas Cabasilas (14 th
century) and others to confirm the origins
of the psalm in the one true God, using
similar words: We must know that at the
beginning of each morning or evening
service, first the psalms of the Old Testament
are sung and then the songs of the New
Testament, as the Old Testament prevailed,
whose Legislator was He, Which was born in
days long past, so it may be known to all,
that the One True God and Master is He,
having reasoned this and that.20.
It was Nicetas of Remesiana, in his
spiritual lesson on psalm 68, verses 34 and
35 (I will praise God's name in song and
glorify him with thanksgiving. This will
please the LORD more than an ox, more than
a bull with its horns and hoofs."), who claims
the spiritual value of the psalms to the
detriment or anti-Semite heretics who
considered that the psalms were a relic of an

inheritance from the old law of the Jews and

that in the laws of grace psalms are no longer
necessary.
The Danubian bishop describes with great
virtuosity the new and bloodless sacrifice that
David had foretold in the psalms and Christ
fulfilled. Also the hierarch of Remesiana
mentions that the spiritual sacrifice made by
Christians is superior to all other blood
sacrifices of ancient times: Behold that
which is most precious, behold the spiritual
sacrifice, more grand than any animal
sacrifice! And deservedly so: if indeed there
spilled the sensible blood of animals, here
the spiritual praise of the soul itself and of
clean conscience is sacrificed21.
The alternate singing of the psalms was
introduced in the West during the time of
Saint Ambrose, when the people of Milan
watched over the church, to prevent it from
being occupied by the Aryans. Saint Ambrose
was in the midst of the people, inspiriting
them, elating them to sing psalms in the two
pews.
Saint Augustine also commended the
mark held by psalm singing in the public
worship. Hence, it is certain that the psalms
have garmented the entire worship, the
church using it not as something borrowed
but as personal property. Aside from the
Liturgy and worship in general, the psalms
were regarded as possession par excellence
for the spiritual development of the followers
and breeding of devoutness in their souls.
Hereby, the Church has constantly
encouraged the reciting of psalms, as well as
their study and meditation. Religious
education began in church and in the family
by reading the Psalm book and many a time,
as one progressed in ones spiritual life, they
would go as far as learning the Psalm Book
by heart. To that effect, Saint Basil the Great
wrote:
"beginning
for
beginners,
advancement for those who progress on the
way of virtue and support for those who take
the path of perfection ". It is no surprise,
then, that the first Christians, as those in the
following centuries had the Psalm Book not
only in memory but on their lips, reciting it
constantly when going about their daily
occupations. Saint Ambrose found it
unnatural and graceless for a Christian to let
a day pass by without having recited from the
Psalm Book.

The psalms, grouped into books are

individual, are present in all church services.
This is why we often hear incredibly
beautiful phrases, words, verses during the
services we attend, without knowing their
origins. Most come from psalms. For
example, I recall texts having been imprinted
on my memory, due to their beauty and
depth, but we have almost never asked
ourselves where they were quoted from or
who composed them. Therefore we have the
text: " This is the day which the Lord has
made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!", which
represents verse 4 of the resurrection matins,
of the Easter Lauds sticher, from Antiphon 3
of the Liturgy held in the same day, from the
apostles psalm verses and the vespers last
sung verses, all in the same day. This is also a
verse in the Polyleos during the Saint
Thomas Sunday. This text is quoted from
psalm 117, 23. Another well-known text is:
The earth is the LORD's and the fullness
thereof" words used by the priest when
sealing a tomb, quoted from psalm 23, 1.

9Ibidem, p.58.
10*** "Scrierile Prinilor Apostolici", transl.

5. Conclusions

17This

The Psalms represent the foundation of

the Orthodox worship, being used on a
permanent basis in the spiritual life of
Christians, starting with the first centuries
after the birth of Christ and until present day.
Psalm quotes are plentiful in the current
sermons order, as a consequence of their
perpetual presence in the Orthodox worship.
6. Bibliography
1*** Scrierile Parinilor Apostolici, col.PSB,
vol.1, translation, notes, indexes by Father
Dumitru Fecioru, Bucharest, P. House
IBMBOR, 1979, p.28.
2Ibidem, pp.26 and 31.
3Ibidem, p.53.
4Psalm 36, 9.
5Psalm 36, 35-37.
6 *** Scrierile..., cited works p.56.
7Ibidem, p.54.
8Ibidem, p.55.

Pr. Ioan Mihalcescu, Pulishing House of the

Faculty of Theology in Chisinu, 1927,
p.112.
11Saint Cyprianus, To Donatus, "Apologei de
limb latin", cited works., pp 424-425.
12Idem, On the Lords prayer, cited works,
pp.484 - 485.
13www.crestinism-ortodox.ro

14extracts from Saint Nicetas book are

found in the paper of I.I.Bujor and Fr.
Chiriac,
Scriitori
bisericeti
latini,
Renasterea Publishing House, Cluj, 2005,
pp.153-157.
15Saint Nicetas de Remesiana, Despre folosul
cantarii psalmilor, XII, apud Mgr. tefan C.
Alexe, Foloasele cantarii bisericesti in comun
dup Sfantul Niceta de Remesiana, in B.O.R.
journal, LXXV, Bucharest, 1975, no.1-2,
p.172.
16Vintilescu, Pr. Petre, Despre poezia
imnografica din cartile de ritual si cantarea
bisericeasca, Partener Publishing House,
Galati, 2006, p.16.

text

is

quoted

from

www.crestinortodox.ro and appears under the

translation of Hiermonk Policarp Chitulescu
of the Radu Voda Monastery in Bucharest.
18Saint Basil the Great, Homily God is not the
author of evil, P.G. 31, col.345.
19 Idem, Foreword to the Psalms, Psalm Book,
Saint Monastery Bistrita, 1996.
20Saint
Germanus
I,
Patriarch
of
Constantinople, Talcuirea Sfintei Liturghii,
Mitropolia Olteniei Publishing House,
Craiova, 2005, transl. Pr.Prof.Nicolae
Petrescu, pp.60-61 and Tehodore, Bishop of
Andida, Comentariu liturgic, Mitropolia
Olteniei Publishing House, Craiova, 2006,
transl. Pr.Prof. Nicolae Petrescu, p.59.
21 Saint Nicetas de Remesiana, cited works,
apud. Mgr. Stefan Alexe, Foloasele cantarii
bisericesti n comun dup Sfantul Niceta de
Remesiana, in B.O.R. journal, LXXV,
Bucharest, 1975, no.1-2, p.170.