Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin WEST
- The New Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin West
- The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin WEST
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 General Introduction
- Part I The Origins of Christian Monasticism to the Eighth Century
- 2 The Monastic Laboratory: Perspectives of Research in Late Antique and Early Medieval Monasticism
- 3 Re-Reading Monastic Traditions: Monks and Nuns, East and West, from the Origins to c. 750
- 4 The Archaeology of the Earliest Monasteries
- 5 Egyptian Nuns in Late Antiquity as Exemplars
- 6 Psalmody and Prayer in Early Monasticism
- 7 Heterodoxy and Monasticism around the Mediterranean Sea
- 8 The Invention of Western Monastic Literature: Texts and Communities
- 9 Monastic Rules (Fourth to Ninth Century)
- 10 Social Plurality and Monastic Diversity in Late Antique Hispania (Sixth to Eighth Century)
- 11 Female House Ascetics from the Fourth to the Twelfth Century
- 12 The Archaeology of the Earliest Monasteries in Italy and France (Second Half of the Fourth Century to the Eighth Century)
- 13 Nuns and Monks at Work: Equality or Distinction between the Sexes? A Study of Frankish Monasteries from the Sixth to the Tenth Century
- 14 Ascetic Prayer for the Dead in the Early Medieval West
- 15 Monastic Identity in Early Medieval Ireland
- 16 Constructing Monastic Space in the Early and Central Medieval West (Fifth to Twelfth Century)
- 17 The Economy of Byzantine Monasteries
- Part II The Carolingians to the Eleventh Century
- Part III The Long Twelfth Century
- Part IV Forms of Monasticism in the Late Middle Ages
- Index
- References
6 - Psalmody and Prayer in Early Monasticism
from Part I - The Origins of Christian Monasticism to the Eighth Century
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 January 2020
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin WEST
- The New Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin West
- The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin WEST
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 General Introduction
- Part I The Origins of Christian Monasticism to the Eighth Century
- 2 The Monastic Laboratory: Perspectives of Research in Late Antique and Early Medieval Monasticism
- 3 Re-Reading Monastic Traditions: Monks and Nuns, East and West, from the Origins to c. 750
- 4 The Archaeology of the Earliest Monasteries
- 5 Egyptian Nuns in Late Antiquity as Exemplars
- 6 Psalmody and Prayer in Early Monasticism
- 7 Heterodoxy and Monasticism around the Mediterranean Sea
- 8 The Invention of Western Monastic Literature: Texts and Communities
- 9 Monastic Rules (Fourth to Ninth Century)
- 10 Social Plurality and Monastic Diversity in Late Antique Hispania (Sixth to Eighth Century)
- 11 Female House Ascetics from the Fourth to the Twelfth Century
- 12 The Archaeology of the Earliest Monasteries in Italy and France (Second Half of the Fourth Century to the Eighth Century)
- 13 Nuns and Monks at Work: Equality or Distinction between the Sexes? A Study of Frankish Monasteries from the Sixth to the Tenth Century
- 14 Ascetic Prayer for the Dead in the Early Medieval West
- 15 Monastic Identity in Early Medieval Ireland
- 16 Constructing Monastic Space in the Early and Central Medieval West (Fifth to Twelfth Century)
- 17 The Economy of Byzantine Monasteries
- Part II The Carolingians to the Eleventh Century
- Part III The Long Twelfth Century
- Part IV Forms of Monasticism in the Late Middle Ages
- Index
- References
Summary
Though the word “psalmody” literally refers to the singing of psalms, it has been used for every kind of psalm performance, including recitation in a speaking voice and silent mental repetition. Thus, when reading ancient and medieval texts, it may be hard to tell which kind of performance an ancient writer had primarily in mind. Latin and Greek words for say, sing, recite, and even meditate can all refer to either speaking, chanting monotonously, singing musically, or rehearsing silently in one’s mind. In early monasticism, though, psalmody was not the same thing as prayer. In some early sources, reciting a psalm is a lot like reading the Bible: the scriptural words moved the monk to respond by praying, often in his own words.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin West , pp. 112 - 127Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020
References
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