I have a few days before I pass it along to the person who wants to read it, so I've taken a look at it. I thought I would share here the text of the third chapter of the second book (pp. 66-68). It concerns what, exactly, a psalm is, but also touches on canticles, hymns, prayer, etc. It follows a discussion in the previous chapters on the inscriptions of the Psalms (i.e. "A Psalm of David," "For the end," "To Asaph," etc.). I recommend this read to all Christians, but especially to those of us who serve in the order of Reader or Cantor:
A psalm, canticle, praise, hymn, and prayer differ from each other as follows: a psalm is a choral chant with a musical instrument; a canticle produced by the mouth is a prayer said aloud; a prayer is supplication to God for benefits; a hymn is a song of praise rendered to God for graces bestowed upon us; praise [ainos] or acclaim [ainesis] (for this the significance of both terms) contains praise for God's wonders. The only kind of praise is intense praise. Often the above mentioned terms are joined to others in the psalm inscriptions so that one term becomes two as in the following examples: "Praise of canticle," "Canticle of psalm," "Regarding the psalms of hymns" as we have learned from Habacuc [sic.] (3.1)*, and "Prayer with canticle." The intention of these inscriptions is to direct us to virtue: the harp is a musical instrument which renders sound by the superior elements of its construction. The music of this instrument is called a psalm. Therefore, the form of its construction provides us with a means of instruction to manifest virtue. Your life should be a psalm not resounding with earthly utterances -- thoughts are these utterances -- but you should be a pure, audible sound coming from heaven above.
* I thought it was worth noting here that St. Gregory refers to the Septuagint Greek text. The Masoretic Hebrew text (not in existence in his time) omits any reference to the musical aspect (in the Greek "...μετὰ ᾠδῆς"), which is why, if you follow this reference to Habakkuk 3:1, in most bibles you would not see what St. Gregory is talking about here (except in the Greek), since most translations are based on the Masoretic Text (a la King James). It is possible that it is missing as well from whatever Hebrew text St. Gregory was referencing in the the fourth century, as he is not ignorant of such differences. Two chapters earlier, he notes:
Certain psalms have inscriptions belonging to the Hebrew text such as "Alleluia" inscribed once or twice. Other psalms have this term linked with the name of certain prophets in the inscription [...]. Inscriptions used by the Church are lacking in the Hebrew text. We find this difference with regard to certain numbers pertaining to the seven days [...]. Other examples have a different understanding of the inscriptions, a matter about which the Hebrew version is generally silent. (p. 62)
Continuing with chapter three:
When hearing a canticle, we symbolically learn about the well ordered conduct of one's life. Just as the sound of the melody from musical instruments alone reaches its hearers, so the sung words themselves do not differ from the sound. In a canticle, however, both the rhythm of the song and the power of the words are completely pervaded by music which must be recognized as when the melody comes from musical instruments alone. Similarly, virtue comes about for those who apply themselves to it. As for those persons applying themselves to a philosophy which considers and investigates reality, it is uncertain that they can pursue virtue since they restrict the good in their consciences. On the other hand, persons with a dignified bearing conduct themselves carefully, just as the gracefulness of their lives is visible to us all. Thus when the good is attained by union of moral philosophy and contemplation, we have the inscription becoming "A canticle of psalm" or "A psalm of canticle." However, when another term appears pertaining to praise, either the good done with respect to the mind is signified by "psalm," or custom and elegance with respect to appearance is explained by the word "canticle."
A hymn or song of praise joined to a canticle forms a precept saying that we should not dare to think of God unless we make our lives worthy of such boldness. "Praise is not becoming in a sinner's mouth" (Sir 15.19). And God says to a sinner, "Why do you declare my ordinances" (Ps. 49.16)? Similarly, we are offered a "Prayer with a canticle" that we might watch our lives and not be negligent and unbecoming in our conduct; only then can we approach God through prayer. It seems to me that the Lord hands down this insight regarding prayer to those who ask him "Teach us how to pray" (Lk. 11.1). This is a prayer not simply in words, but a conduct of one's life when Christ says, "If you forgive men their offenses, the heavenly Father will forgive your sins" (Mt. 6.14).
Whenever the word "praise" is found alone, it testifies to praise offered to God. Praise of God is none other than "Praise of David." We learn from this inscription that if we live according to its meaning, we will obtain confidence to praise God.
The inscription "Praise in the hymns" (Pss 6, 53, 54, 60, 66, 75) leads us to a higher plane. The divine Apostle [Paul] knew this when he said to the Corinthians that he sings with his own spirit and mind (1 Cor. 14.15). Therefore psalmody united to one's mind interprets our earlier words, that is, our external life must be worthy to reveal what is hidden to signify our understanding of the canticle. Psalmody from the Spirit alone demonstrates the excellence of holy things when our offering to God transcends appearances. In certain canticles the psalm does not describe in detail its full content but instead speaks "in hymns." In my judgment, then, we must know what hymns signify. We learn that the exalted life and that which is on high requires our musical instrument [the soul] to become a hymn of God with heavenly, transcendent thoughts. This is accomplished not by words, but by directing our life to this excellent state. When we find the word "intellect" ascribed to hymns, the text, it seems to me, counsels us not to be ignorant of words used for God's glory, lest we become unmindful of what does not befit the divine majesty by an impulse devoid of inquiry and understanding. Our words, then, are meant for persons who live according to God. He rewards them in this life and judges well, a fact indeed obvious to our sense perceptions. Persons of little intelligence have many opinions about God such as these, but you must comprehend those things pertaining to him which are not subject to reproach.
That which truly gives praise to God transcends our human efforts. "Praise of David" to us means anything which alone befits God. This seems to consist of our knowledge about prayer as contained in the inscription, "Prayer of David." Our life must be in accord with this inscription if we are to be confident in prayer. Thus we have another inscription, "Prayer of a poor man when discouraged; he pours out his entreaty to the Lord" (Ps 101). We certainly need to rise up to God in order to comprehend our deficiencies, and we will not desire truly beneficial things unless we grasp our own lack of them. Our intensity of prayer will be animated and spontaneous when we recognize our poverty and our indifference about persisting in our desires. Thus we will pour out our petition with tears instead of with words. The inscription "Prayer of Moses, the man of God" (Ps 89) teaches us that we cannot approach God in prayer unless we reject the world and become men devoted to God alone.
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