Cassiodorus

In his own words on 1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 16:22

  How splendidly joined to each other are the sections proceeding from the same source to achieve the salvation of the human race. Who would not be amazed that what is said earlier in different psalms is clearly assembled so harmoniously here? Similarly David himself in the Chronicles is filled with the holy Spirit and made the Lord's praises resound with great expressions of joy by assembling sections of Psalms 95; 104 and 105, so that incense compounded of different aromas could happily rise to the Lord's presence; for sentiments that are clear, in no sense at odds with each other are united without difficulty.… My judgment is that there is another apt feature in the present instance: the action of the Lord made one church out of the two peoples.

  EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS, CONCLUSION

• 1 Chronicles 25:1

  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