Newly translated from the Latin.
Martin Luther 2) wishes the godly reader grace and peace.
Praised be God and the Father of our Lord JEsu Christ, who has blessed us again at this time with all kinds of spiritual blessings in heavenly goods [Eph. 1, 3.], and satiates us with the abundance of the wheat and the wine of His elect, and by His word, which He has sent, melts the locks, the snow and the hoar frost, before whose cold no one could stand before [Ps. 147, 14-17.]. To these people [through whom God scatters His blessing] 3) also belongs this Johann Pommer, who, according to the will of God and our Father, is Bishop of the Church at Wittenberg
2) M. Luther is missing from Aurifaber.
3) Added by us.
through whose ministry this Psalter is given to you, dearest reader, opened by the Spirit of Christ, who is the key of David [Is. 22, 22. Revelation 3, 7]. It is not worth the trouble that I highlight this Psalter with many words, because it will be abundantly recommended to you (I know that), not by my testimony, but by its own content, by which it will require you (when you read it) to testify that it is the Spirit who speaks these mysteries that have been hidden for so many centuries. For in order that a comparison may be made both with the interpretations of the ancients and with those of the moderns, I dare to say, although it is not easy to say it, that the Psalter of David has not been interpreted by anyone (whose books are available), and that it is the Spirit who speaks these mysteries that have been hidden for so many centuries.
*) Bugenhagen's interpretation appeared under the title: Jo. Pomerani Bugenhagii in librum psalmorum interpretatio, Wittebergae publice lecta. Wittebergae 1524. Other Latin editions came to Basel 1524.
The first edition was published in March by Adam Petri in Basel, and in August by Johannes Knobloch in Strasbourg; further editions were published in quarto in Wittenberg in 1526, 1535, and 1544. In 1524 a folio edition at Wittenberg. The preface is also found in Latin in the second volume of Aurifaber's collection of letters, col. 241 and in the Erlangen edition, opp. vur. urZ., torn. With the author's permission, Martin Bucer made a German translation of this writing, which appeared in Basel in 1526. In it he had included false doctrine of the Lord's Supper, to which Bugenhagen objected in the oonkWMo äe p8ult6rio 8uo ^erniuniee trun8luto, Huoä anno 1526 LuÄleue proäiit m InekM. In contrast, Bucer sought to answer for himself in a 8utÜ8ku<wio uä koinerannin äe vermone p8ult6rii found in his pruokutio in Huartum tomurn poMUae ImtlErunak! 1527 in 8. In German, our preface is found in the Eisleben Collection, vol. I, p. 185; in the Altenbürger, vol. II, p. 519; in the Lediger, vol. XII, p. 79 and in Walch. We have retranslated according to the Erlanger, comparing Aurifaber.
Let Pommer be the first in the whole world who deserves to be called an interpreter of the Psalter; so even all the others in general, each with his own, and indeed an uncertain opinion about this exceedingly beautiful book; but here the certain judgment of the spirit will teach you wonders. It is true that I too once began to devote my work to this book, but the tyranny of the papists has forced me to hang up my harp on the willows of this Babylon 1). But Christ has gloriously avenged my fate, for instead of me, who am but one, whose droplets the devil does not
1) According to Ps. 137, 1. here with Aurifaber Babylonis will have to be read instead of Babyloniae in the Erlanger.
If a man wants to suffer, he is forced to endure the thunderclaps and downpours of many and larger people. Thus I must decrease, but they must increase. Therefore, dear reader, you may no longer wait for my Psalter, but rejoice with me, wish yourself happiness and thank our Savior Christ, who, for the one poor and lowly Luther, has now given you the hope, yes, the thing itself and the opportunity to clearly and obviously see, hear and grasp his David, Isaiah, Paul, John, and even himself, not merely through a man's pen or tongue, but through great hosts, as the 68th Psalm, v. 12, says. Grace be with you. Amen.