I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it was like the sound of harpists playing their harps. (Rv 14:2)
καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς κιθαρῳδῶν κιθαριζόντων ἐν ταῖς κιθάραις αὐτῶν.
Et audivi vocem de cælo, tamquam vocem aquarum multarum, et tamquam vocem tonitrui magni: et vocem, quam audivi, sicut citharœdorum citharizantium in citharis suis.
There is no lack of music and singing in the Bible because they are part of human life, and in particular, a way of praying. St. John, through his experience, wants to bring us closer to the beauty and expressive power of the liturgy in the Heavenly Jerusalem. That is why he uses a comparison, having at his disposal only his imagination and experience of music. The voice that we hear is like the voice of many harps. It is similar to this harmony of string sounds. There is no dissonance there. We need the beauty of music in the liturgy so that it does not become commonplace, not ossified, but draws hearts to the common adoration of The One Sitting on the throne.
