These passages from Augustine of Hippo’s Commentary on the Psalms contain references to the musical instruments mentioned in the biblical tradition, including the organ, psaltery, lyre, timbrel and cymbals. The text clarifies the use of the term organum in late antiquity and distinguishes the bellows-operated organ from other stringed and wind instruments.
Psalm 150
- “Praise him with the sound of the trumpet” (v. 3): on account of the extraordinary clarity of the sound of their praise. “Praise him with the psaltery and the harp.” The psaltery praises God from higher realities, the harp praises him from lower ones; I mean, from the things of heaven and from those of earth, like Him who created heaven and earth. We have already explained in another psalm that the psaltery has the board on which the series of strings rests placed at the top, so that it may produce a better sound, while the harp has it at the bottom. “Praise him with the timbrel and choir” (v. 4). The “timbrel” praises God when the flesh is now transformed, so that in it there is no longer any weakness of earthly corruption. For the timbrel is made of dried and toughened skin. The “choir” praises God when the community, made peaceful, praises him. “Praise him with strings and with the organ.” Both the psaltery and the harp, already mentioned above, have strings. But “organ” is a general name for all musical instruments, although usage has now established that those which work with bellows are called organs in a particular sense; yet I do not think that this kind is meant here. For “organ” is a Greek word applied generally, as I said, to all musical instruments; the instrument to which bellows are applied is called by the Greeks by another name; but the fact that it is called an organ is rather a Latin and colloquial usage. When, therefore, he says “with strings and with the organ”, it seems to me that he wished to indicate an instrument fitted with strings. For it is not only psalteries and harps that have strings; but since in the psaltery and the harp, on account of the sound that comes from lower and higher realities, something was found that can be understood according to this distinction, he has suggested to us that we seek another meaning in the strings themselves: for they too are flesh, but now freed from corruption. And perhaps to these he added the organ to indicate that they do not each sound separately, but together in the greatest harmony in their diversity, just as they are disposed in a musical instrument. For even then the saints of God will have their differences, concordant and not discordant, that is in agreement and not in disagreement, just as the sweetest harmony arises from sounds that indeed differ, but are not opposed to one another.
- “Praise him with melodious cymbals, praise him with cymbals of jubilation” (v. 5).
Cymbals touch each other to produce sound, and for this reason are by some compared to our lips. But I think it better to understand that God is, in a certain way, praised by means of cymbals when each one is honoured by his neighbour, not by himself; and so, by honouring one another, they render praise to God. But lest anyone understand such cymbals as lifeless instruments, I think he added “with cymbals of jubilation”. For “jubilation”, that is an ineffable praise, proceeds only from life.
And I do not think I should pass over what musicians say, namely that there are three kinds of sound: by voice, by breath, and by percussion. By voice, when sound is emitted from the throat and trachea, when a man sings without any instrument; by breath, as in the flute or similar instruments; by percussion, as in the lyre or instruments of the same kind. None of these kinds, then, is omitted here: there is voice in the choir, breath in the trumpet, percussion in the lyre, representing mind, spirit and body, not in a proper sense, but by way of similitude.
When, then, he says: “Praise God in his saints”, to whom does he say it if not to them themselves? And in whom must they praise God if not in themselves? For you, he says, are “his saints”; you are “his strength”, but that which he has wrought in you; you are “his mighty works and the greatness of his magnificence”, which he has accomplished and made manifest in you. You are “trumpet, psaltery, lyre, timbrel, choir, strings and organ, well-sounding cymbals of jubilation”, because they sound in harmony. All this you are: let nothing base, nothing transitory, nothing ridiculous be thought of here.
And since to live according to the flesh is death, “let every spirit praise the Lord” (v. 6).
Psalm 56
The miracles and the passions of Christ fill the Gospel.
[v. 9.] Arise, my glory. He who had fled before Saul in the cave: arise, my glory, let Jesus be glorified after the passion. Arise, psaltery and lyre. What does he call to arise? I see two instruments, but I see only one body of Christ: one single flesh has risen, and two instruments have arisen. One, then, is the psaltery, the other the lyre. All musical instruments are called instruments. Not only is the great one that is swelled by bellows called “organ”; but everything that is fitted for singing and is corporeal, that which the singer uses, is called an instrument.
These instruments, however, are distinguished from one another; and I want, insofar as the Lord grants me, to show you how they are distinguished, why they are distinct and why both are told: “Arise”. We have already said that one single flesh of the Lord has risen; and it is said: “Arise, psaltery and lyre”. The psaltery is an instrument held in the hands of the one who strikes it and has stretched strings; but that part from which the strings receive the sound, that hollow wood that vibrates to the touch because it gathers the air, the psaltery has at the upper part. The lyre, on the other hand, has this hollow resonating wood at the lower part. Therefore in the psaltery the strings receive the sound from above; in the lyre, however, the strings receive the sound from below: this is the difference between psaltery and lyre.
What, then, do these two instruments represent for us? Christ our Lord God awakens his psaltery and his lyre and says: “I will arise at dawn”. I believe that you now recognise the Lord rising. We read in the Gospel: observe the hour of the resurrection. How long was Christ sought in the shadows? The light has risen: let him be recognised; he has risen at dawn.
But what is the psaltery? what is the lyre? Through his flesh the Lord accomplished two kinds of works: miracles and passions. The miracles came from above, the passions from below. For the miracles he performed were divine; but he performed them through the body, through the flesh. Therefore the flesh that acts divinely is the psaltery; the human flesh that suffers is the lyre.
Let the psaltery sound: let the blind be enlightened, let the deaf hear, let the paralysed be strengthened, let the lame walk, let the sick rise up, let the dead rise again: this is the sound of the psaltery. Let the lyre also sound: let him be hungry, let him be thirsty, let him sleep, let him be seized, let him be scourged, let him be mocked, let him be crucified, let him be buried.
When, then, you see in that flesh some things resounding from above and others from below, one single flesh has risen, and in that one single flesh we recognise both the psaltery and the lyre. And these two kinds of works have filled the Gospel and are proclaimed among the nations: for both the miracles and the passions of the Lord are preached.
