PSALMODY is the singing of sacred songs as an act of worship. In this article we shall speak only of its use in public worship, and we shall use the term in its most inclusive sense. The simple idea of psalmody is the expression of religious feeling in lyrical poetry and in musical cadence. Rhythmical song seems to be the instinctive ance of all strong emotion. Savage nations express themselves in language of natural poetry, uttered in the cadence of a rude chant or musical recitative. In worship, the use of poetry and music is coeval with society (Plato, de Le4,4b., lib. iii., c. 15; Lowth's Poery, legit. t). Homer wrote hymns to the gods ; Orpheus was a priest-musician—the tamer and sanctifier by his lyre of whatever was rude and godless. The muses were chiefly employed in the service of the gods (Phurnutus, de natura deorum, p 157, ed. Gale), from which some of gr., Melpomene, Terpsichore, Polymnia—derived their names. Clemens Alexanclrinus tells us that a chief part of the worship of the Egyptians consisted in singing hymns to their gods—' First, a singer goes before, bringing forth some one thing of the sym bols of music ; and they say that he ought to take two books out of those of Hermes, the one contain ing the hymns of the gods, the other the method of a royal life . . . . There are ten things which are suitable to the honour of their gods, and com prise the Egyptian religion, viz., sacrifices, first fruits, hymns, prayers, shows, feasts, and such like things' (Stromata, lib. vi., p. 633, ed. Paris). Porphyry confirms this—The Egyptians, he says, devote the day to the worship of their gods ; in which three or four times, viz., morning and even ing, noon and sunsetting, they sing hymns unto them' (De Abstinent., lib. iv., sec. 8). Concerning the Indians he says, they spend the greatest part of the day and night in prayers and hymns to the gods' (ibid., sec. 12, see also sec. i8 ; also Vita p. zoo, ed. Cantab.) A remarkable pas sage occurs in the writings of Arrianus the stoic philosopher. If,' says he, we are intelligent crea tures, what else should we do, both in public and private, than to sing a hymn to the Deity, to speak well of him, and give thanks unto him ? Should we not, whether digging or ploughing, or eating, sing a hymn to God ?' etc. (Arrian, .Epietet., lib. i. c.
16 ; also rib. iii. c. z6). Heroclotus tells us that Homer got great credit for composing hymns to the gods (de vita Ranieri, c. 9). Rewards were given in the Pythian games to those who sung the best hymns to the gods (Pausanias in Phocicis, lib. x.) The apostate Julian recom mends that many of the excellent hymns to the gods be committed to memory, most of which he says were composed by the gods ; some few by men inspired by a divine spirit (Opera, p. 551, ed. Paris). Sacred song, therefore, is no peculiarity of revealed religion. It rests upon deep instincts of human nature, perhaps of all intelligent moral nature, for at the creation the morning stars sang together for joy ;' at the nativity, angelic song was heard by the shepherds of Bethlehem ; and in the final heaven both angels and redeemed men are represented as singing rapturous songs before the throne.
In defining sacred song as the utterance of strong emotion, we do not restrict it to praise, although praise is the most natural and prominent form of it. Deep sorrow and earnest prayer may also find their fitting expression in musical song. Augustine thus defines the more technical and Christian con ception of a hymn : Hymnus est cantos cum laude Dei ; si cantus est et non laudas Deum, non dicis hymnum • si laudas aliquid quod non pertinet ad laudem Dei, non dicis hyinnum,' Ps. 148. Church song is restricted to lyrical poetry, for this alone can express the consentaneous emotion of a con gregation. It excludes, therefore, didactic poetry, which expounds doctrines, or analyses feelings, or inculcates duties ; and it excludes dramatic poetry, which expresses passion by action. It is also more than mere lyrical poetry : it is lyrical poetry which assumes the pure truth of God, and gives expression to the deep religious feeling which it excites. A hymn is an outburst of religious life.