1528 or 1529.
(1) Many holy fathers have praised and loved the Psalter especially above other books of Scripture. And indeed, the work itself praises its master enough; but we must also prove our praise and thanks by it.
(2) In years past, almost many legends of the saints, passions, books of examples and histories were circulated, and the world was filled with them, so that the Psalter lay under the bench and in such darkness that one could not understand one Psalm well, and yet it gave off such an excellent noble smell that all pious hearts felt devotion and strength even from the unknown words, and loved the booklet for that reason.
(3) But I hold that no finer book of examples or legends of the saints has come or may come on earth than the Psalter. And if one should wish that out of all the examples, legends, histories, the best should be read and brought together and presented in the best way, then it would have to be the present Psalter. For here we find not only what one or two saints have done, but what the head of all saints has done, and what all saints still do; how they stand against God, against friends and enemies, how they conduct themselves in all trials and tribulations; above all, that all kinds of divine, salvific teachings and commandments are contained therein.
4 And should the Psalter be precious and dear only because it promises so clearly of Christ's death and resurrection, and exemplifies His kingdom and the state and nature of all Christendom, that it might well be a small
The Biblia is called the Biblia, in which everything that is found in the entire Biblia is summarized in the most beautiful and briefest way, and is made and prepared into a fine encyclopedia or manual, so that it seems to me that the Holy Spirit Himself wanted to take the trouble and bring together a brief Bible and book of examples of all of Christendom or all of the saints, so that whoever could not read the entire Biblia would still have almost the entire Summa written down in a small booklet.
5. But above all this is the noble virtue and manner of the Psalter, that other books rumble much about the works of the saints, but say very little about their words; The Psalter is an example of this, in which it shines so well and sweetly when one reads in it, that it not only tells the works of the saints, but also their words, how they spoke and prayed with God, and still speak and pray, that the other legends and examples, where they are held up against the Psalter, hold up to us almost vain dumb saints, but the Psalter imagines real, brave, living saints to us.
(6) A mute man is to be considered almost half-dead compared to a speaking man. And there is no more powerful or noble work in man than speech, since man is most distinguished from other animals by speech, more than by form or other works, because even a wooden kaun can have the form of a man by carving, and an animal can see, hear, smell, sing, walk, stand, eat, drink, fast, thirst, suffer hunger, frost and hard lodging, as well as a man.
*The time determination given by us deviates from the usual one so far. Walch, in his preface to the fourteenth volume, p. 4, says: "Lutherus wrote this preface to the German version of the Psalter, which came to light in 1531." The Erlanger, vol. 63, p. 27, has placed under the title: "From the year 1531," and notes: "the present preface first appeared in Latin in the year 1526." We have already stated in the fourth volume of our edition (Col. 1 ff. note) that our writing was written by Luther in German, and assume that the same was already prefixed to the thoroughly improved edition of the "Uebersetzung des Psalters" in 1528. In Olearii autographis Lutheri p. 30, a specially published "Praefatio nova D. M. L. in Psalterium, lat. reddita per Justum Jonam. Witteb. 1529. 8." is cited. It can hardly be doubted that this Praefatio nova is identical with the,
which is printed in the Psalterium Translationis Veteris correctum published by Joh. Lufft in 1529. It is quoted in its first words: Multi ex veteribus et sanctis patribus Psalterium prae omnibus reliquis scripturae libris commendarunt, etc. This is just our preface. We have dealt with it in detail in the fourth volume of our edition 1. above, also indicating the locations in the collections.
(7) Moreover, the Psalter does more than this, that it models for us not bad, common speeches of the saints, but the very best, which they spoke with great earnestness, in the most excellent matter, with God Himself, so that it presents to us not only their word about their works, but also their heart and the thorough treasure of their souls, so that we can see into the reason and source of their words and works, that is, into their heart, what thoughts they had, how their heart stood and held itself, in all kinds of things, trials and hardships. Which the legends or examples, which only boast of the saints' work or miracles, do not do, nor can they do. For I cannot know how his heart stands, though I see or hear many excellent works of one.
8. just as I would much rather hear a saint speak than see his works, so I would much rather see his heart and the treasure in his soul than hear his words. This is what the Psalter gives us most abundantly about the saints, so that we can be sure what their hearts were like and what their words were like toward God and everyone.
(9) For a human heart is like a ship on a wild sea, driven by the storm winds from the four corners of the world. Here fear and worry of future misfortune pushes; there sorrow and sadness of present misfortune sail. Here weaves 1) hope and presumption of future happiness; there blows security and joy in present goods.
(10) Such tempests teach to speak with earnestness, and to open the heart, and to pour out the bottom. For he who is in fear and distress speaks much differently of calamity than he who is in joy; and he who is in joy speaks and sings much differently of joy than he who is in fear. It is not from the heart that a sad man should laugh or a happy man should weep; that is, the reason of his heart is not open and is not out.
(11) Now what is the most in the Psalter, but such earnest speeches in all such tempests?
1) This has Walch and after him the Erlangen edition changed to "weht". But the original offers: "webt"; the German Wittenberg: "webd".
writhing? Where can you find finer words of joy than the Psalms of praise or thanksgiving have? There you see all the saints in the heart, as if in beautiful, joyful girdles, yes, as if in heaven, as its, hearty, joyful flowers are rising up in it from all kinds of beautiful, joyful thoughts towards God for His good deeds. Again, where do you find deeper, more miserable, more pitiful words of sadness than the lament Psalms have? There you look into the heart of all the saints, as into death, yes, as into hell. How dark and gloomy it is there from all kinds of sorrowful sight of the wrath of God! So also, where they speak of fear and hope, they need such words that no painter could paint fear or hope for you, and no Cicero or orator could model it for you.
12. and (as I said) this is the very best thing, that they speak such words against God and with God, which makes that there is twofold earnestness and life in the words. For where one otherwise speaks against men in such matters, it does not go so strongly from the heart, does not burn, live and penetrate so nearly. That is why the Psalter is a booklet of all the saints, and every man, in whatever he is, finds psalms and words in it that rhyme with his own things, and are so even to him as if they were set for his sake alone, that he himself cannot set them better, nor find them better, nor desire them better. Which is good, then, that if such words please a man and rhyme with him, he may be sure that he is in the fellowship of the saints, and has gone to all the saints as he goes, because they all sing a little song with him; especially if he can speak them to God as they have done; which must be done in faith, for they taste nothing to an ungodly man. 2)
(13) Last of all, in the Psalter there is safety and a safe guide, so that one can follow all the saints in it without danger. For other examples and legends, of the dumb saints, bring forth many a work that cannot be done; but they bring forth many more works that are dangerous to do.
2) This has been translated by Justus Jonas: insipidi sunt = they are tasteless.
and commonly set up souls and mobs, and lead and snatch them away from the fellowship of the saints. But the Psalter keeps thee from the company of the saints, for it teacheth thee to be and to speak alike in joy, fear, hope, and sorrow, as all the saints have been and are.
If you want to see the holy Christian church painted with vivid color and form in a small picture, take the Psalter before you, and you will have a fine, bright, pure mirror that will show you what Christianity is. Yes, you will also find yourself inside, and the right ãõù$é σεαυτόν
and God Himself and all creatures.
(15) Therefore, let us also take care that we give thanks to God for such unspeakable goods, and with diligence and earnestness accept them, use them, and practice them, to praise and honor God, lest with our ingratitude we
We deserve something troublesome for our time. For before, in the time of darkness, what a treasure it would have been, who could have rightly understood one Psalm, and read or heard it in intelligible German, and yet have not had it. But now blessed are the eyes that see, that we see, and the ears that hear, that we hear. And yet, alas, we see that we are like the Jews in the wilderness, who said of the bread of heaven, "Our soul is disgusted with the little food." But we also ought to know that it is written there, how they were afflicted and died, lest we also be so.
16 May the Father of all grace and mercy help us through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be praise and thanksgiving, honor and glory for this German Psalter, and for all its innumerable, unspeakable benefits for eternity, Amen, Amen!