Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with lyres, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
Read Chapter 25
Cassiodorus Senator
AD 585
We read in the first book of Paralipomena that when the prophet David grew old in years devoted to the Lord, he chose four thousand young men from the people of Israel to render the psalms, which he had composed through the Lord’s inspiration, so as to attain the great sweetness of heavenly grace by means of pipes, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals, trumpets, and their own voices. This sweet harmony clearly comprised a threefold division: a rational part consisting of the human voice, an irrational part comprising musical instruments and a common part resulting from the fusion of the two, such that the human voice issued forth in fixed melody and the tune of the instruments joined in harmonious accompaniment. With this performance the sweet and pleasant music presaged the Catholic church, which by the Lord’s gift was to believe with varied tongues and diverse blending in the single harmony of faith. - "Explanation of the Psalms, Preface 2"
Army; the chief magistrates of the state and of the church. (Tirinus) (Chap. xxiv. 6, 31.)
The priests, were all divided into twenty-four classes, each having twelve masters to preside, ver. 7. (Calmet)
Idithun, or Ethan, chap vi. 44., and xv. 19., (Worthington) and 3 Kings iv. 31.
The twenty-four sons of these three, who were chief musicians under David and Solomon, presided over the bands: eleven other inferior masters helped to instruct the rest, ver. 9.
Prophesy, or play on instruments.
Harps. "Kinnor "means also the "guitar. "(Calmet)
Vulgate has, lyras, chap. xv. 16.
Psalteries. Hebrew, "nebalim. "(Menochius)
The Jews pretend that the singers were inspired commonly, when they sounded forth God's praises in the temple, as Eliseus was, 4 Kings iii. 15. (Lyranus; Estius)
But they may be said to prophesy, because they sung the composition of the prophets. (Worthington)
According. Hebrew, "and the number of the workmen, (or experienced musicians) according to their service, ...
