<P> The Psalms have always been an important part of Catholic liturgy . The Liturgy of the Hours is centered on chanting or recitation of the Psalms, using fixed melodic formulas known as psalm tones . Early Catholics employed the Psalms widely in their individual prayers also; however, as knowledge of Latin (the language of the Roman Rite) became uncommon, this practice ceased among the unlearned . However, until the end of the Middle Ages, it was not unknown for the laity to join in the singing of the Little Office of Our Lady, which was a shortened version of the Liturgy of the Hours providing a fixed daily cycle of twenty - five psalms to be recited, and nine other psalms divided across Matins . </P> <P> The work of Bishop Richard Challoner in providing devotional materials in English meant that many of the psalms were familiar to English - speaking Catholics from the eighteenth century onwards . Challoner translated the entirety of the Little Office into English, as well as Sunday Vespers and daily Compline . He also provided other individual Psalms such as 129 / 130 for prayer in his devotional books . Bishop Challoner is also noted for revising the Douay - Rheims Bible, and the translations he used in his devotional books are taken from this work . </P> <P> Until the Second Vatican Council the Psalms were either recited on a one - week or, less commonly (as in the case of Ambrosian rite), two - week cycle . Different one - week schemata were employed: most secular clergy followed the Roman distribution, while Monastic Houses almost universally followed that of St Benedict, with only a few congregations (such as the Benedictines of St Maur) following individualistic arrangements . The Breviary introduced in 1974 distributed the psalms over a four - week cycle . Monastic usage varies widely . Some use the four - week cycle of the secular clergy, many retain a one - week cycle, either following St Benedict's scheme or another of their own devising, while others opt for some other arrangement . </P> <P> Official approval was also given to other arrangements (see "Short" Breviaries in the 20th and early 21st century America for an in - progress study) by which the complete Psalter is recited in a one - week or two - week cycle . These arrangements are used principally by Catholic contemplative religious orders, such as that of the Trappists (see for example the Divine Office schedule at New Melleray Abbey). </P>

Who wrote most of the psalms in the bible