Zebulon M. Highben

Congregational �Song in Scripture

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• Nature & chaos
• Magic & epiclesis
• Greek epikaleo – to summon, call upon, appeal to
• In Pagan ritual, “music was understood to exercise a magical influence over the gods, so that it became a means by which men controlled the deities”

(Calvin R. Stapert, quoting Quasten, in A New Song for An Old World: Musical Thought in the Early Church, p. 18)

​

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• “The origins of Passover…related to a primitive nomadic celebration…the blood [of the lamb on the tent posts] was not considered expiatory, but was thought to have the quality of magical protection. The rite of protective blood in time was blended with the rite of unleavened bread, which began as an agricultural festival.”(Westemeyer, p. 11)

​

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• Post Exodus, Passover became historicized. The function of music changed from magical epiclesis to narrative remembrance and communication.
• “When festivals were related fundamentally to nature, music took on a magic character like the festival itself. When festivals were stripped of magic and celebrated what God does among us in history, music became narrative in character and carried the story of God’s mighty acts.” (Westermeyer, p. 11)

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• Music becomes a vehicle through which the Hebrews praise God for God’s (past) saving work, and petition God for (future) action, based upon God’s own nature and relationship with the people.

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• Elijah and the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40)
• Note the use of liturgy and ritual.
• The priests of Baal use ritual-as-magic to entice, beguile, manipulate Baal into doing their will.
• Elijah builds an altar that represents God’s past relationship with Israel (12 stones for 12 tribes), and calls up on God by referencing God’s relationship (God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).
• His prayer and sacrifice are based on relationship and history, and are true regardless of God’s response at this moment.
• “[Judeo-Christian] epiclesis is petitionary, not manipulative, and in a peculiar way it asks for what is already granted.” (Stapert, p.19)

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

• This change to a narrative, historical orientation became central to the identity and worship of the ancient Israelites.
• A characteristic form of Hebrew prayer becomes, “Blessed are you, God, because you have done…”
• This form of prayer is at the center of the psalter and at the center of the Gospels.

What’s the point?

​

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

“Lord, you were favorable to your land, � you restored the fortunes of Jacob. �You withdrew all your wrath, � you turned from your hot anger. �Restore us again, O God of our salvation, � and put away your indignation toward us.” (Ps. 85:1, 3-4)

​

What’s the point?

​

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,�    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.�⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty savior for us�    in the house of his servant David,�⁷⁰ as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,�⁷¹  that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.�⁷² Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,�    and has remembered his holy covenant,�⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham…

(Benedictus, Luke 1:68-79)

What’s the point?

Pagan and Early Jewish worship & music

“My soul magnifies the Lord,�⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,�⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. �…��He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;�⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.�⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,�⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors,�    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

(Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55)

What’s the point?

Song in Scripture

The Biblical witness is full of music and musical references. �They may be broadly grouped into three kinds:

• Descriptions of music-making
• Admonishments to make music
• Song lyrics

Song in Scripture

• Exodus 15 – The Israelites celebrate deliverance in song
• 2 Kings 3:11-18 – Elisha said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would give you neither a look nor a glance. But get me a musician.’ And then, while the musician was playing, the power of the Lord came on him. And he said, ‘Thus says the Lord, “I will make this wadi full of pools.”’ (14-16)
• 1 Chronicles 6:31-48 – These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem… (31-32)
• 1 Chronicles 15 – Describes the worship surrounding the arrival of the ark in Jerusalem, including specific, named musical roles—and instruments!
• So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres. (28)�

Descriptions of music-making and musicians

Song in Scripture

• Psalm 68:24-27
• Your solemn processions are seen, O God,�    the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—�²⁵ the singers in front, the musicians last,�    between them girls playing tambourines:�²⁶ “Bless God in the great congregation,�    the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”�²⁷ There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,�    the princes of Judah in a body,�    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
• Luke 1 and Luke 2 – infancy canticles (Magnificat, Benedictus, Gloria, Nunc Dimittis) are described as they occur
• Matthew 26:26-30 – Jesus and the disciples sing at the conclusion of the Last Supper
• When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (30)

Descriptions of music-making and musicians

Song in Scripture

• Psalms, constantly, a la Psalm 92
• It is good to give thanks to the Lord,�   to sing praises to your name, O Most High; �to declare your steadfast love in the morning,�   and your faithfulness by night, �to the music of the lute and the harp,�   to the melody of the lyre. �For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;�   at the works of your hands I sing for joy. �(1-4)

​

​

​

​

​

​

Admonishments to make music

Song in Scripture

• Psalms, constantly, a la Psalm 150
• Praise the Lord!�Praise God in his sanctuary;�    praise him in his mighty firmament!�Praise him for his mighty deeds;�    praise him according to his surpassing greatness!�Praise him with trumpet sound;�    praise him with lute and harp!�Praise him with tambourine and dance;�    praise him with strings and pipe!�Praise him with clanging cymbals;�    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!�Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!�Praise the Lord!

​

Admonishments to make music

Song in Scripture

• Ephesians 5:15-20 – Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18-20)
• Colossians 3:14-4:5 – Let the word of Christ*dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.*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. (3:16-17)

​

​

​

Admonishments to make music

Song in Scripture

• Psalms
• Psalms (sometimes the answers are obvious)
• Canticles
• Biblical texts that were sung but occur outside of the psalter
• unless you are Anglican, in which case certain primary Psalm texts are also called canticles
• tend to be narrative, retelling salvation history whilst also singing God’s praises
• Other hymns
• Texts that may or may not have been musical; scholars are uncertain

​

​

​

Song lyrics – three kinds

Song in Scripture

• Old Testament Canticles
• Song of Moses – Exodus 15:1-19
• Song of Miriam – Exodus 15:21
• Song of Hannah – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
• Song of the Three Young Men (Benedicite, omnia opera) – Apocryphal additions to Daniel 3, btw. vv. 23-24
• Used by Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans in particular liturgical settings
• Many more that vary depending on period and tradition

​

​

​

Song lyrics – three kinds

Song in Scripture

• New Testament Canticles
• Infancy canticles – the primary canticles of the Bible, all associated with the birth of Jesus
• Magnificat / Mary’s song – Luke 1:46-55
• Benedictus / Zechariah’s song – Luke 1:68-79
• Gloria in excelsis / The angels’ song – Luke 2:14
• with additional text added before the fourth century
• the Greater Doxology, as opposed to the Gloria Patri, the (Lesser) Doxology
• Nunc Dimittis / Simeon’s song – Luke 2:29-32

​

​

​

Song lyrics – three kinds

Song in Scripture

• New Testament Canticles
• Worthy is the Lamb / Worthy is Christ – Revelation
• An amalgamation of verses from Revelation that are clearly hymnic in nature
• Precise verses vary with tradition, musical setting, etc.
• Te Deum
• Not Biblical, but very early: “the most famous non-Biblical hymn of the Western Church”
• Has a structure similar to other Biblical canticles, especially Worthy Is the Lamb

​

Song lyrics – three kinds

Song in Scripture

• Other Hymns
• The Sanctus – Isaiah 6:1-4
• Used in both Eastern and Western Christian liturgies
• Only old Testament text to become part of the Ordinary of the [Western] Mass
• The Benedictus – Matthew 21:9
• Appended to the Sanctus in the West; but historically, split around the consecration of the host
• Has implications for concerted musical settings of the Mass in Classical and Romantic eras
• The Christ Hymn – Philippians 2:6-12

​

​

Song lyrics – three kinds

A Word About Texture

Three basic musical textures

• Monophony (one voice) – a single line of musical pitches in unison
• Heterophony – a type of monophony, in which two slightly different versions of the same melody go along together
• Polyphony (many voices) – two or more independent lines together
• Homophony (like voices) – “a stack of pitches that move together”
• Often with subordinate pitches supporting a primary pitch—i.e. harmony supporting melody

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Eucharist (Mass, Divine Service, Communion)

• Propers (vs. the Ordinary)
• Introit, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion
• Complete psalms or fragments of psalms
• Responsorial Psalm: “an integral part of the liturgy of the Word” (General Instruction on the Roman Missal, 1969)
• Old Testament reading
• Responsorial psalm
• New Testament Epistle reading
• Alleluia/Proper Verse
• Gospel

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Eucharist (Mass, Divine Service, Communion)

• Ordinary (vs. the Proper)
• Adapted from canticles and other non-Psalm, scriptural texts
• Kyrie
• Gloria
• Sanctus-Benedictus
• Agnus Dei
• Credo is the only exception

​

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Daily Office (Prayer Office, Monastic Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Breviary)

• The daily pattern of prayer services observed in monastic communities
• Historically, about every three hours
• Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, Compline
• Comprised of psalms, hymns, prayers, Scripture readings, usually a Gospel canticle
• The major offices of Matins and Vespers plus Compline are most commonly observed outside of monastic communities today, including in Protestant traditions, particularly Lutheran and Anglican/Episcopalian

​

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Daily Office (Prayer Office, Monastic Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Breviary)

• Matins or Morning Prayer
• Psalm: Psalm 95 (Venite) or Psalm 100 (Jubilate)
• Additional psalms
• Canticle: Song of Zechariah (Benedictus) – Luke 1:68-79

​

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Daily Office (Prayer Office, Monastic Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Breviary)

• Vespers or Evening Prayer
• Hymn of Light (Phos Hilaron)
• Psalm: Psalm 141 or Psalm 121
• Additional psalms
• Canticle: Song of Mary (Magnificat) – Luke 1:46-55

​

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Daily Office (Prayer Office, Monastic Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Breviary)

• Compline or Night Prayer
• Psalms: Psalm 4, 91, 134 or other “night psalm”
• Additional psalms
• Compline responsory: Psalm 31
• “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”
• Canticle: Song of Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) – Luke 2:29-32

​

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

What about Evensong?

• a combination of the historic offices of Vespers and Compline
• Includes a variety of psalms, but is more heavily defined by its canticles, the Song of Mary (Vespers) and Song of Simeon (Compline)
• An Anglican liturgy with 16^th century origins
• the term has entered common parlance and—like Vespers—is used to describe a variety of evening services and concerts

​

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Why sing psalms and canticles?

• The Bible is the Church’s first hymnal.
• Psalter, New Testament canticles
• “The Christian Church was born in song.” (Martin, Worship in the Early Church)
• “The whole of worship was musical, so that it is difficult to distinguish �music as a separate element of worship.” (Westermeyer, Te Deum)
• Connects us to the Church in all times and places
• connects us to our Jewish brothers and sisters

​

​

​

�

Scriptural song in Christian Liturgy

Why sing psalms and canticles?

• meditative prayer practice
• Singing/chanting focuses us on the text differently than if we just read it
• Anyone can do this!

​

Book recommendation

A New Song for an Old World: �Musical Thought in the Early Church

Calvin R. Stapert

​

Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, MI, 2007�