(1) That is enough of interpreting; let us now proceed to the Psalter and the Summaries, for the simple, and so less able than we, to indicate what each Psalm intends and is able to do. And it is to be noted that the whole Psalter deals with five things, therefore we divide it into five parts.
First, some psalms prophesy of Christ and the church, or of the saints, how they shall fare. 2c. And here belong all the psalms, since promissiones et minae, promises to the pious and urges on the wicked, are inside.
3. secondly, there are some doctrinal psalms that teach us what we should do and what we should not do according to the law of God. And here belong all the psalms that condemn human doctrine and praise God's word.
(4) Third, there are some psalms of consolation, which strengthen and comfort the afflicted and suffering saints, and again, which warn and terrify the tyrants. And here belong all the psalms that comfort, exhort, provoke to patience, and rebuke tyrants.
(5) Fourth, there are some psalms of prayer in which one calls upon God and prays in all kinds of distress. And here belong all the psalms that lament and mourn, and cry out over enemies.
(6) Fifth, there are some psalms of thanksgiving, in which one praises and glorifies God for all kinds of benefits and help. Therefore, all the psalms that praise God in his works belong to the Psalter, and these are the most distinguished, and for these the Psalter was made, which is why it is called XXXXX XXX in Hebrew, that is, a book of praise or thanksgiving.
(7) But it should be known that the Psalms should not be divided so evenly and exactly into such pieces with all the verses, for sometimes in one Psalm of these pieces two, three, or even all five are found, and one Psalm belongs in all five parts, so that one has both prophecy, teaching, consolation, prayer, and thanksgiving next to one another; but this is the
Opinion, that one knows, how the Psalter drives such five pieces. This serves to make it easier to understand the Psalter and to learn and retain it.
The 1st Psalm.
It is a psalm of comfort, admonishing us that we should gladly hear and learn God's word, and comforting us that we shall have great and much good from it, namely, that all our words and works shall be blessed against all enemies, just as a palm tree grows by the water and bears fruit against all heat and frost, which the teaching of men does not do; but as the wind weaves the chaff, so they also perish. For God also delights in such students of his word, he says, but the others he lets perish. And this psalm flows from the third commandment, yes, also belongs to it. For there it is commanded to celebrate the Sabbath, that is, to gladly hear and learn God's word, and is comprehended in the Lord's Prayer, in the other and third petition, where we ask for the kingdom of God and His will, both of which are promoted by His word.
The 2nd Psalm.
It is a prophecy of Christ, how he should suffer, and thereby become a king and lord of the whole world. And in it are also urges against the worldly kings and lords, how they shall perish, if they will not do homage to this King and serve him, but persecute and destroy him, and the promise that those who believe in him shall be blessed. And this psalm flows from the first commandment, where God promises to be our God, who will help us out of all distress and do all good, as through Christ he delivers us from sins, death and hell.
1) In the old editions: "demanded", that is: promoted.
*) This superscription is found in the Wittenberg edition.
and brought him to eternal life. 1) This we ask in the Lord's Prayer in the other petition, that his kingdom may come.
The 3rd Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm in which the example of David is presented to us, how he prayed in his distress and was heard when he was driven out by his son Absalom, and in the end praises God that he is a faithful helper and sustainer of all his own who call upon him in all distresses. It belongs to the first commandment, since God wants to be our God and help, and is understood in the seventh petition in the Lord's Prayer, since we ask for deliverance from all evil.
The 4th Psalm.
It is a psalm of consolation, and besides it prays and teaches; for it teaches to trust in God when things go badly, and reproves the wicked who turn to useless gods and carnal consolation, and suffer nothing, nor want to wait on God with patience, when he is the highest consolation. Although he does this wonderfully with his saints, that he leaves them first, and tries their faith and patience with it. But the wicked want to have their bellies full and secure; whoever tells them about faith and patience, they mock and despise, saying, "How can the fool tell us what is good? yes, wait until a roasted chicken flies into your mouth, rely on it, and do not bake. It also belongs in the first commandment; for it teaches and exhorts to hope and trust in God with patience where something is lacking, and punishes the unbelieving and impatient, and is comprehended in the third and seventh petition, where we ask that God's will be done and we be rid of evil; may well also be in the fourth petition, where we ask that God's will be done and we be rid of evil.
1) Here Walch has the following addition, which is found neither in the German Wittenberg nor in the Latin translation of Jonah (from where? we do not know): "After the suffering and persecution of Christ, his glory and his kingdom followed, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles, to the end of the world. And here in this psalm is mocked the adversaries of Christ, whom the prophet admonishes to understand the truth, unless they would much rather perish and perish miserably under Christ the wrathful Judge."
To ask daily for bread, that is, for peace and all the necessities of this life, against all the lack on earth.
The 5th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer against the false teachers and the false spirits, in which he severely accuses both of them, their glittering teachings and works, so that under the name of God they do great harm to the pure word of God and the right worship of God; and prays for the pious, that is, for the pure word of God and the right worship of God, and promises in the last verse of such prayer to be answered and the false spirits to be rejected. It belongs to the other and third commandment, in which God's name and word are commanded to be sanctified, and to the first and other petition in the Lord's Prayer, in which God's name, honor, and His kingdom's correction are also asked for.
The 6th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, and laments the high and quite secret suffering of the conscience, which is martyred for its sin in faith and hope, with the law and wrath of God, and is driven to despair or disbelief; which are otherwise called in the Psalter from time to time the bonds of death and the ropes of hell, or the anguish of death and the fear of hell. But in the end he indicates that such prayer will be answered, as a comforting example to all who are in such distress that they should not remain inside, and punishes the evildoers, that is, the false saints who commonly hate and persecute such afflicted people. For their comfort is based on their own holiness, and they know nothing of such temptation; therefore they are the worst enemies of pure faith. But it belongs in the first and other commandments; for it praises the struggle of faith in God, and prays against sin and death, and is in the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, like all other prayer psalms; for to pray is to call upon and honor God's name.
The 7th Psalm.
Is also a psalm of prayer, and complains of the blasphemers, who blame the saints and their doctrine, that they should be seditious and disturbers of the authorities and of the peace; how
Simei, the Jeminite, blasphemed the pious David in his misery, as if he had taken his kingdom from King Saul; as the Jews also blamed Christ before Pilate, and now the blasphemers also reproach the gospel. He fights against such challenges here with prayer, and accuses God of his innocence, and then shows us by his own example how such prayer is answered, for our consolation; and he dreadfully condemns the blasphemers and tyrants, and holds up to them the example of Absalom, how he perished before he accomplished the evil that he had in mind and begun. But it also belongs in the other commandment, and in the first petition, as the next one above.
The 8th Psalm.
This is a prophecy of Christ, his suffering, resurrection, and kingdom over all creatures. And such a kingdom shall be established by the mouth of babes, that is, without sword and armor, by word and faith alone. It belongs to the first commandment, since God wants to be our God, and is in the other petition, as said above in the other psalm.
The 9th Psalm.
It is also a prophecy of the youth, that is, of the new children and of the people of Christ: Christ's people, which is holy Christendom, as the same must also, according to the example of Christ, suffer and shed their blood forever. But he deals with this prophecy in thanksgiving and consolation, so that it may well be called a psalm of thanksgiving and consolation. For the Christians, and especially the holy martyrs, give thanks to God here, and comfort themselves that God will not forsake them, but continually increases them the more they are persecuted, until the 1) persecutor converts some and they become Christians, and the others perish. But it belongs in the first commandment, and in the other petition; as said above in the next psalm.
The 10th Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer, lamenting over the archenemy of such a kingdom of Christ, that is, over the end-Christ, who will destroy both Christendom and the world with violence.
1) Wittenberg and Erlanger: die. Jonas: aliciui ex sesrbissiknis kostibus.
He is disturbed by his violence and cunning for the sake of his avarice and splendor. He wields both, the sword of worldly tyranny over the body and the net of false doctrine over the souls, and cannot do more than (as he says here [v. 7]: "His mouth is full of cursing, falsehood and deceit") curse, that is, banish and condemn, item, lie, that is, establish false doctrine and worship; and deceive, that is, deceive and fool all the world for good, honor, violence, body and soul. But at the 2) end he shows the consolation that such abomination should be eradicated with the end of the world. It belongs in the other commandment and in the first petition, like all the prayer psalms.
The 11th Psalm.
This is a Psalm of prayer which complains about the heretics and false interpreters of the Scriptures, who lead people away from the right ground of faith to their mountains, that is, to their high, great holiness of works, and mock the right teachers, saying: What should the righteous do? But in the end he comforts us that God will surely see to it that the false teachers are condemned and the right ones remain, and that therefore the prayer is heard as an example for us. It belongs in the other commandment, and in the first petition 2c.
The 12th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, and complains about the teachers of men, who are always thinking up new things, and fill the kingdom of God with such services everywhere, as the last verse complains. For where the doctrine of men once begins, there is no end, nor end, nor measure, throwing more and more, and complaining beyond all measure to the poor consciences, and making that few right saints remain. On the other hand, he takes comfort in the fact that God wants to awaken his salvation, that is, his Word, which confidently rushes under such straw works of human doctrine and sets the captive consciences free. Although it does not happen without a cross and torture, but is purified like silver in the fire, they must also suffer over it, and thereby become the clearer, and recognize the truth the clearer. It belongs in the second and third commandment, and in the first and second petition.
2) "am" is missing in the Erlanger.
The 13th Psalm.
This is a Psalm against the sadness or gloom of the spirit, which sometimes comes from the devil himself, sometimes also from men, who act against us with evil wiles and practices, so that we must be grieved when we see such great wickedness against us; But prayer is stronger than all misfortune, as this Psalm here gives an example, so that we may be comforted and learn in all kinds of misfortune, not to be grieved and distressed, nor to bite and devour ourselves in the heart, but to keep ourselves to prayer, and complain to God about all these things, certain that we will be heard and finally redeemed; as St. James Cap. 5:5. Jacobus Cap. 5, 13. also says: "If anyone is distressed, let him pray." It belongs in the other commandment, and in the first and last petition, when we ask to be delivered from evil.
The 14th Psalm.
Is a prophecy and doctrinal psalm that teaches how all men's teachings and lives, without faith, are vain abominations in the sight of God, and their best service is a mere belly-service, which they fatten with it, and eat people's goods; but no one knows nor understands the righteous service: God's service, although they teach and praise the law of God; yes, they desecrate and blaspheme the word of God when they are punished, not wanting to hear of the confidence or faith in God. There must also be resistance with prayer, which shall be answered, says the last verse, and the gospel of Christ shall come. For this Psalm especially punishes the Jews before Christ's birth, who tortured the people with the law, and promises or prophesies of Christ's future, since it says of the help from Zion; for out of Zion came the gospel and the Spirit. He belongs to the first and third commandment, because he praises God's word and promises Christ, also punishes the hypocrites and teachers of food or teachers of the belly, and is in the first and second petition, because we ask his name, his kingdom. 1)
1) The Wittenberg offers our reading, the Erlangen: "since we ask for his name, his kingdom". Cf. the Summarium to the 5th Psalm, at the end, where the same breviloquy is found.
The 15th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm that teaches the right understanding of the law, a right life, and right good works, as the fruits of the spirit and faith; namely, to be without change before God through right faith, and to do right toward one's neighbor, and to avoid the evil ways of the wicked and their hypocrisy, since they serve God with deceptive works, and leave out right works. It belongs to the third commandment of the Sabbath, in which one is to hear and learn God's word, and is in the third petition.
The 16th Psalm.
This is a prophecy of Christ's suffering and resurrection, as the apostles have powerfully led Him, Acts 2:25 ff. and 13:35. 2, 25. ff. and 13, 35. And clearly testifies that he wants to reject the old law with its sacrifices and worship as idolatry 2c., and choose other saints and people for a beautiful inheritance. He belongs to the first, second and third commandment, because he proclaims God's new glory, work, word and service, which should come into the world in Christ after the old service, and is in the first and second commandment 2c.
The 17th Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer, complaining about the false teachers and tender saints, who lead away from the word of God with the teachings and works of men, and persecute the true teachers, also hating the cross of Christ, seeking with their teachings and works how they may only have good, honor and peace here on earth, and may neither suffer nor lack anything. He belongs in the other and third commandment, and in the first petition, that his word and name be sanctified.
The 18th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which David thanks God (as the title indicates) that he is delivered from all his enemies. And I divide it into four parts according to his four enemies, as Saul, the Gentiles, Absalom, and the rebels. First, in the first six verses, he tells how he had been so distressed in his troubles that God had helped him; then, in the seventh verse, he introduces the example (according to the prophets' way) of how God used to help when he had
in Egypt 2c. After that, in the sixteenth verse, he mentions the first enemy, namely Saul, who caused him much suffering because of God's word that he was chosen to be king. In the sixth and twentieth verses he praises God on account of other enemies, such as the trustworthy Goliath, Philistine, Amalek and other nations. In the fourth and thirtieth he touches the third enemy, his son Absalom, with his followers. And last, in the second and fortieth verse, he gives thanks against the disobedient and rebellious, when Zebah and almost all Israel were [2 Sam. 20, 1. 2.]; for he had many envious and hateful subjects, that even the foreign Gentiles (as he says here) were more obedient than his own people. So everyone may use this Psalm as an example to thank God for His help when God has saved him from his troubles. But whoever wants to interpret it spiritually, may make Christ out of David; out of Saul the Jews; out of the Gentiles the tyrants; out of Absalom the heretics; out of the disobedient the false Christians; out of all of whom Christ and his own will finally be redeemed. He belongs in the other commandment, and in the first petition, for he gives thanks to God, and praises His holy name.
The 19th Psalm.
This is a prophecy of the gospel, how it should go out into all the world, as far as the heavens are, and be propelled every day and night; not only in the Jewish language, but in all languages. Just as the sun (which he introduces as a similitude) shines in all places, and warms around and around: so also the new law of the gospel should shine, teaching, enlightening, comforting, purifying all 1) kinds of things 2c. And with this he at the same time abolishes the old law, which was not so pure, bright, lovely and imperishable 2c. It belongs in the third commandment; for it proclaims the right Sabbath, when God's word should be taught and believed inside.
The 20th Psalm.
Is a prayer psalm, and actually prays for emperors, kings, princes, lords, and all who sit in worldly authority, that God would give them
1) "all," that is, all creatures.
They must be granted grace to rule peacefully and well, and have happiness and victory against their enemies. For if a worldly government were in the hands of princes and lords, one should not pray so earnestly and heartily for them; but that one must pray for them in this way shows that they are the greatest fools and even blind, who presume to govern land and people out of their own heads. It belongs in the other commandment, as do all the prayer Psalms, for there one invokes God's name, and in the third petition is that God's will, and not the devil's, be done.
The 21st Psalm.
This is a prophecy of Christ's kingdom, which should be and remain eternal and spiritual in the sight of God; besides this, he also proclaims 2) that the Jews' kingdom should be disturbed, because they resisted God's will and crucified the king. Therefore, they are now made to suffer always, and gain nothing by it. It belongs in the first commandment, and in the other petition, because it proclaims a new worship and kingdom.
The 22nd Psalm.
It is a prophecy of the passion and resurrection of Christ and of the gospel that the whole world should hear and accept; and before all other Scripture, it clearly indicates Christ's martyrdom on the cross, how his hands and feet were pierced and his limbs stretched so that they could have been counted. Such a similarity is not found so clearly in other prophets, and is also one of the main Psalms. It belongs in the first commandment, for it proclaims new worship, and is in the first and second petition.
The 23rd Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which a Christian heart praises and thanks God for teaching and sustaining it in the right way, and comforts and protects it in all distress by His holy Word, and compares itself to a sheep that a faithful shepherd feeds well in fresh pasture and by cool water, item, shows the table, cup and oil also in the likeness from the Old Testament.
2) The first edition and the Wittenberg: besides also proclaimed.
148 Erl. 37, S78-281. Summaries on the Psalms. W. iv, iW-2oo. 149
and worship, and calls it all God's word, as he also calls it rod, staff, grass, water, and right way. It belongs in the third commandment, and in the other petition.
The 24th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, in all the world to come, and admonishes the gates of the world, that is, kings and princes, that they should give place to the kingdom of Christ; for it is they who rage most against it, Ps. 2:1 ff, saying, "Who is this King of honors?" As if they should say, The beggar, yea, the heretic, the thief, should he be a king, and we should yield to him and obey him? We will not do it 2c. So he proclaims besides that God's word must be condemned and persecuted. It belongs in the first commandment, and probably in all three commandments and requests.
The 23rd Psalm.
This is a prayer psalm in which the righteous pray that God would make him righteous, forgive all sin, protect him from evil and disgrace, and finally deliver him from all enemies and evils. And also stabs at the false, safe spirits and teachers. He belongs in the other commandment and in the other petition.
The 26th Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer, complaining about the false saints who want to be righteous by the work of the law and condemn the saints who become righteous by God's goodness and grace alone; and blame them for gladly taking gifts. For such saints are certainly all vain covetous men, and their belly is their god, as St. Paul says [Phil. 3:19]; but they are harmful with their spiritual glitter and worldly honor, therefore it is well to ask that they do not deceive us. It belongs in the third commandment, and in the first and other requests, because it speaks of God's service and kingdom.
The 27th Psalm.
Is a psalm of thanksgiving, but besides that also much prays and comforts against the false teachers, which
he calls false witnesses, who commit sacrilege without any shyness. For they are very foolish, bold saints, who testify of God with certainty and boldness, that they have no command; as we see every day, that the more foolish and unlearned people are, the more bold and impudent they are to preach, and teach all wagers; no one can do anything, they alone know everything; they also make war and sedition against the true saints and God-fearers. It belongs in the other and first commandment, and in the first and other petition.
The 28th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer that David may have prayed in his time against Saul and the like, especially against wickedness, when they gave him good words at times, and behaved kindly, and yet were after his life, as Absalom did afterward, and Joab against Amasa and Abner: that David feared that God would impute it to him, and prayed that he would not carry him off with the wicked. We may pray him, both against the tyrants and against the ruffians. For the tyrants are friendly, and practiciret: yet daily, as they murder and want to harm. The spirits of the wicked praise God's glory, word and service to the utmost, want to help all the wagers, and are excellently humble, but nevertheless seek to corrupt souls, and are the ravening wolves among sheep's clothing. It belongs in the third and other commandment, and in the first and other petition.
The 29th Psalm.
This is a prophecy of the gospel, how it should resound with power in all the world, and put to shame all kings, princes, rulers, nations, wisdom, holiness and glory, and Christ alone should be the only king, who should be served and honored with right wisdom and holiness; for this he also brings about the flood of baptism, in which the old Adam is drowned and the new man arises. He called the deserts, the forests, the hills, the lands of the world, which were under Jews and Gentiles, all of which he opened and converted to the gospel. It belongs in the third commandment and in the other petition.
The 30th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which he gives thanks that God has delivered him from the devil's high spiritual temptation, which is sadness, gloom, fright, despair, doubt, distress, and such like poisonous, fiery darts of the devil; and besides this, he comforts finely, how that God is angry for a moment, and has no desire nor will for our death nor gloom, but rather sifts us alive and glad 2c. It belongs in the third commandment, and in the first petition.
The 31st Psalm.
It is a common psalm of thanksgiving, prayer and consolation among themselves, and is spoken in the person of Christ and His saints, who are afflicted all their lives, inwardly with trembling and terror, outwardly with persecution, blasphemy and contempt for the sake of the word of God, and yet are redeemed and comforted by God from all of them. It belongs in the other and third commandment, and in the first and third petition.
And here we will stop with the indications to which commandment and petition each psalm belongs, because from the previous ones there are enough examples, so that everyone can easily recognize for himself where each psalm belongs. The prayer psalms belong to the other commandment and to the first petition, because they honor and call upon God's name. The teaching psalms, comfort psalms, thanksgiving psalms, all belong in the third commandment, and also in the other, and in the first and third petition, because they sanctify the right Sabbath with right sacrifice and worship. And often many psalms belong in all three commandments and petitions. But we have indicated that we should learn to practice and understand the commandments of God and our Father, when we see how the dear saints and prophets have so abundantly and manifoldly spoken and practiced the first three commandments and petitions, and always acted upon them anew, and yet taught nothing new, and have not walked on the tablets of Moses and our Father, that one must grasp how all scripture and holy life of the prophets flowed from the commandments of God, and also remained therein, and even
not to bring up any new doctrine, as the false spirits and teachers of men do, against whom they complain and fight the hardest, and want to keep the people pure and clean in the commandment and word of God, and always resist the secondary doctrines 1) and new ways.
The 32nd Psalm.
This is a comprehensive doctrinal psalm that teaches us what sin is, how to get rid of it, and how to be righteous before God. For reason does not know what sin is, and thinks that works are enough for it; but here he says that even all saints are sinners, and cannot be holy or blessed in any other way than that they recognize themselves as sinners before God, and know that they are counted righteous by God without merit and work, by grace alone. Summa, our righteousness means out of German forgiveness of our sin, or, as he says here, "not imputing sin", "covering sin", not wanting to see sin. There are the bright, dry words that all saints are sinners, live and remain sinners; but from this they are saints, that God by grace does not want to look at such sin nor avenge it, but to have it forgotten, forgiven and covered. That; so there is no difference between saints and unholy, they are all equally sinners, and all sin daily; without that; the sins of the saints are not reckoned, but covered, but of the unholy reckoned and uncovered. Those wounds have plasters, and are bound up; but these stand open, and are unbound up. Nevertheless, they are truly sore on both sides, truly sinners, of which we have abundantly testified elsewhere in our books.
The 33rd Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving that gives thanks to God in general for the blessing that he helps his faithful in all kinds of distress and does not leave them stuck. For he is able to help, since he created everything, and still creates everything with one word, as nothing is impossible for you; so he is also kind and faithful, that he wants to help, and gladly helps, as he promised in the first commandment: I will be your God, that is, I will be your comfort, sleeve,
1) Wittenberger: Nebenlehren:. Jonas: üoiränum.
Salvation, life and all that is good, against everything that wants to be evil to you; for this is called "being God". In particular, however, he gives thanks and praises the mighty good deed of God, that he directs the hearts, thoughts, intentions, anger and rage of all the world, even of kings, princes, 2c. He also finally destroys all their plans, so that they cannot do what they would like to do; and what they intend to do against the righteous, he immediately turns around and puts them to shame. This is a special joy and consolation for his saints, in contrast to the rude and intemperate dread, defiance, and throbbing of the angry nobles 1) and ruthless tyrants, who think that they alone want to devour all the saints of God with dread, and topple God himself from heaven. But before they bring it in half, they lie in the dung. See the Sodomites against Lot, the king Sennaherib, and now our tyrants, how innumerable attacks they have lost so far.
The 34th Psalm.
It is also a psalm of thanksgiving, almost the same as the next one, and (as the title and sixth verse reports) it tells the story of David as a common example for all the righteous, so that they may learn from him how God does not despise the calls of his saints. He also teaches how we should fear God and no one else, and how we should beware of false doctrine, cursing, murmuring and lusting, but should be patient, blessing our enemies rather than cursing them, wishing them well and doing them evil, and thus living peacefully with all people (as much as is in us), whether they are evil or pious. For it is decreed (says he) that the righteous must suffer much; there will be nothing else; if thou wilt be righteous, send thyself also to the cross and to suffering; so it must be. But again it is decided that the Lord will help out of all this, so faithfully that not a single leg will be lost or fall out; even the hairs on the head are all numbered [Matt. 10:30]. For though many of the bones of the saints were broken in the agony, yet some
1) In the old editions: Junckherrn.
burned to ashes, many also decay in the graves, 2c. but they must come again, and not be eternally broken or called, but be broken for a time, and afterward all become whole again, and more beautiful than they were. And notice that this is the first psalm that says of the angels, how they care for the righteous and wait, that they are not bad with and around us, but like an army and armed warriors encamp around us (he says), pitch their tent, watch and fight for us against the devil and his members. Which is a great and glorious comfort to all who believe it; as the prophet Elisha makes this verse true and clear with his example, 2 Kings 6:17. But this verse is taken from the 32nd chapter of the first book of Moses, v. 1, 2, where the angels met the archfather Jacob, whereof he called the place "host" or "camp", for they were his escorts, and encamped around him for protection, as the Psalm says here.
The 35th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer in which David complains against and about the shameful people who deserve the gray skirts at court, namely the hypocrites, who pretend for the sake of their own enjoyment and benefit, and speak what the lords like to hear, denigrate the innocent, incite the lords, and embitter them most vehemently, but suppress the truth, and thus have to inflict heartache, just as happened to David with his king Saul, even through those to whom he had done all that was good and often took great pity for their misfortune, as he indicates here. We may now need this as an example in our time, when our gospel is so disgracefully reviled by princes and everywhere with lies that it is exceedingly so, both in books and sermons. And those do it most of all in whom we have rightly earned all honor and love, so that they come to honor and high, but we are defeated and fall to the ground. Such disgraceful, ungrateful, wicked filth is the grievous belly with its servants. Summa, it goes (as Christ says of his betrayer): "The
2) This translates Jonas: st üorribilia darnna darrt in roduspnbliois et enewsiis.
Eats my bread, tramples me underfoot," and does it for thirty pieces of silver. These are the hypocrites who devour the righteous for the sake of food, as he laments here.
The 36th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm that warns and teaches us to beware of false teachers, heretics, and the spirits of the red, for which he also prays at the end, and in the middle of the psalm he comforts us, that God's word and kingdom should not be overthrown by their ruthlessness, but should stand firm in all the world like the mountains that God Himself has set, and like the deep abysses that are inexhaustible, and that the living and comforting word should nevertheless remain in the house of God. - But he paints them almost masterfully, saying: "There are wicked, poisonous people who, first of all, hold God's word in contempt, and have no fear of God at all, are proud, insolent and sure to teach what they think is good. Secondly, they praise and extol nothing, but themselves, all other teachers they disgrace and denigrate most bitterly; and in that they are masters, adorning themselves alone, and must be nowhere else, no spirit, no God, no church. Third, their doctrine is harmful and vain lies, for they dispute against the faith and doctrine of grace, and deceive people with their false pretenses and lies. Fourth, they are stiff-necked and stiff-necked, suffering neither instruction nor admonition; harder than any anvil is their head. Yes, when they feel that they are to be punished and not praised, they are inflamed and become furious, like the devil. Fifth, they always continue and increase, spreading their thing and growing "like cancer" (says St. Paul [2 Tim. 2:17]). For they do their thing ten times more vehemently and diligently, neither do the pure teachers, as if they would gladly turn all in a day; and there is no celebration nor cessation. In the end, they persecute and torment, wherever they can, all those who do not want to keep up with them; and they do such evil (he says) without hesitation, with all thirst and certainty, as if they were doing God a service.
The 37th Psalm.
Is a consolation psalm that teaches and admonishes us to have patience in the world, and warns
We are especially opposed to envy, because it is especially annoying and hurts the weak believers when the godless are doing so well and the godly are doing so badly. It is a spiritual, great virtue when one sees the great courage that peasants, citizens, nobles, princes and everyone who is able to do something exercise, that he should not curse and wish in his heart for this and that; but must also suffer, and see that everything turns out happily for them, remain unpunished, and even be praised and honored; because of which the godly are also so miserably despised, hated, envied, hindered, plagued and persecuted by them. 1) This means: Here learn to have patience, here keep your heart towards God, and do not let it be displeased; do not let envy move you to curse, to wish evil, to grumble and to look askance; always let go, command God, he will find them well. This is what this psalm teaches, and it comforts with all kinds of ways, with rich promises, with examples, with sorrow; for it is a difficult, great art to show such patience, yet reason and all the heathen count such envy for virtue. For it seems fair to envy and to begrudge the wicked 2) their good will, happiness and wealth.
The 38th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer in which he laments his sins, which make his conscience despondent and sorrowful, and make him see nothing but God's arrows, that is, anger, wrath, death and hell; which sorrow consumes marrow, legs, strength and sap, and disguises face, color, all senses and mind. For to really feel sin, and to despair of an evil conscience, is torture above all torture. For this the outward persecutors help confidently, for they chase men into conscience, boast how God stands with them against the righteous; and because God consumes the consolation here, such terror must follow in the heart, as if God were angry with them because of their sin. But still he teaches to hold fast, and not to despair, and
1) "werden" is missing in the first edition and in the Wittenberg.
2) grudge - begrudge. - Erlanger: "do not begrudge". This can also be correct, because "vergönnen" also occurs in the meaning "to begrudge", e.g. Walch, St. Louiser Ausg., Vol. Ill, 1105,? 208.
resists their boasting with prayer, and rises up in God's promise, and seizes his cause by the right hand, namely, that it is divine and right before God; there then follows again comfort in faith 2c. In the same way, we should pray and not despair in fear, even though we are sinners and feel the burden and storm of sins.
The 39th Psalm.
It is a psalm of consolation, and also prays that God will not let him grumble and become impatient with the wicked, who live so securely and gather goods as if they would not die, while the pious are always afflicted and punished for their sin; and much rather desires that God grant him to think how short and uncertain this life is, than that he should be so secure with the wicked, without worrying about death, and be resplendent. For it is a great vexation, and moves many hearts, that the wicked live in ease and so securely, and the pious must be sorrowful and miserable. But in the end it is found that the very best is forgiveness of sins, and to have one's] gracious God, who helps out of all misery; as he says and asks here.
The 40th Psalm.
It is a beautiful prayer psalm, in which Christ himself laments his suffering and cries out from death. He also clearly proclaims that he alone does God's will and fulfills the law, and that this was written by him in the Book of Moses; and rejects and cancels the old law with its sacrifices and holiness, as if God's will was not fulfilled; and not our work and sacrifice, but he himself and only must do it for us all. Promises therefore and establishes the new testament, since the righteousness of faith is to be preached in great congregations [v. 10], that is, in all the world, and not the righteousness of sacrifices, or of our works, which (he says in the fifth 1) verse) only make hopeful and false saints, as those who do not put their hope in God, nor in His grace, but in their lies and false holiness.
1) In the editions: "fourth".
The 41st Psalm.
This is a prayer psalm in which Christ himself prophesies and laments over his betrayer Judas and his companions, by whom he was to be crucified, and asks that he be raised from death and exalted to the right hand before God. But out of measure it is comforting that he makes himself a sinner in the fifth 2) verse, if he was without all sin; for he stands and speaks there in our person, and bears our sins as if they were his and as if he had done them himself. He praises blessedly those who take care of the wretched, that is, who do not resent the wretched, crucified sinner Jesus Christ, but remain steadfast in him. For it is annoying to believe that such a poor, condemned sinner should rise so high that he would also have to sit at the right hand of God; because of this, the whole Judaism has thus fallen apart, that they still lie torn and scattered, or, as he says in the eleventh verse, are paid by him again.
The 42nd Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm in which he complains about the sadness of the heart, as if God is angry with him and torments him, and must be mocked by the wicked: Where is now thy GOtt? For the wicked cannot refrain from it, when they see that [it] goes badly with the pious, then they must whistle, laugh and mock. Oh, how right it is, they say, for the heretics; and they do not think otherwise, for whoever is afflicted, it is surely a sign of divine wrath; but when they are afflicted, it must be called suffering for the sake of God, and becoming holy martyrs. The perverse, blind and poisonous leaders of the Vlinden do not want to know that God chastises His own, but in turn also comforts them and does not abandon them. But he desires to come to the house of God, and to have comfort from the face of God; that is, he would like to hear God's word comforting him. For "GOD's house" means since GOD's word is, and his "face" is his presence, since he makes himself known, and through his word reveals his grace. This means elsewhere in Scripture, not turning our backs, but turning our faces to us.
2) In the editions: "fourth".
3) In the editions: "tenth".
The 43rd Psalm.
This is just the stroke of the previous psalm, and almost the same word with it; for he also wants to go to the house of God through light and truth, that is, to be comforted with God's word in his sadness.
The 44th Psalm.
This is a common psalm of prayer, in which all the saints, especially in the New Testament, lament how they are persecuted and strangled by the pagans and tyrants, and God gives them up as if he had rejected them; yet he has helped them in time past by great miracles, so that they have no evil cause; yes, precisely for their good cause, that is, for God's sake, they are thus persecuted, as if they had done all evil. Summa, it is the groaning of the spirit against the flesh, which grumbles against God that he judges so wrongly and rules evil (according to reason), makes the pious suffer whom he should help, and exalts the wicked whom he should punish 2c.
The 45th Psalm.
It is a prophecy of the gospel and kingdom of Christ, adorned with magnificent, splendid and mighty words. For he paints Christ as a king, adorned with all royal splendor, that he is very beautiful, well spoken, 1) well adorned, well armed, blessed in war, just, gentle, gracious. Item, have beautiful castles, a beautiful wife, a beautiful queen, and children forever. All of which is spirit, of Christ's gospel, spirit, gifts, church and eternal life, of victory against sin, death, law, devil, flesh, world and all evil 2c. But he also clearly proclaims how the Old Testament should end, for he is called the daughter, forgetting her father's house and people (that is, the synagoga), and worshiping this king for a God, that besides him there is no other God. So give him the honor of the first commandment, which is to worship, and clearly call him the right GOt in the seventh and eighth 2) verses; make of him an eternal king, who in righteousness-
1) Erlanger: ready. - Jonas: snavitateru gen^rosi 6t jnouncii ksrmonis.
2) In the editions: "in the sixth and seventh".
and take away sin; but the eternal king must be God Himself, of which now is not the time to speak further.
The 46th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving sung at that time by the people of Israel for the miraculous deeds of God, that He protected and preserved the city of Jerusalem, where His dwelling was, against all kings and nations raging and raging, and kept peace against all wars and weapons. And calls, according to the scriptural way, the being of the city "a fountain", as a little water that shall not fail against the great waters, lakes, and seas of the Gentiles, that is, great kingdoms, principalities, and dominions, which must fail and perish. But we sing praises to God that he is with us, and that his word and Christianity are wonderfully preserved against the infernal gates, against the raging of all devils, of the evil spirits, of the world, of the flesh, of sins, of death 2c. That our fountain may also remain a living spring, since those swamps, pools and ponds must become foul and stinking and dry up.
The 47th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of Christ, how he should ascend and become a king over all the earth, without all blows of the sword, but only by shouting, singing, and blowing of trumpets, that is, by the joyful preaching of the gospel; just as the walls of Jericho fell by trumpets and shouting, without all weapons.
The 48th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, almost like the sixth and fortieth psalm, because it also praises God for the city of Jerusalem, protected and defended by God against kings and princes, who had to leave with disgrace, and let the temple, worship and its word (or rights) stand, so that he kept his promise (as the ninth3 verse sings), namely, that he would be their God according to the first commandment. As we have heard (he says) and believed, so we see and experience it in the city with the deed 2c. We sing
3) In the editions: "eighth".
To preserve him also for Christianity and the gospel against the ravings of kings and princes, who must also at last depart in disgrace, and leave the word.
The 49th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm against the great God of the world, who is called Mammon, and punishes those as great fools who brave riches and do not see that they cannot save themselves from death with them. Therefore, it is better to rely on God, who redeems from death and gives eternal life, since those, like cattle, die and have to leave everything behind, and do not know who will get it.
The 50th Psalm.
This is a doctrinal psalm that explains what the right worship and sacrifices are, against the false saints who consider their sacrifices and merits so delicious, as if God should thank and be indebted to them for them, when He turns this around and wants His blessings and help to be considered so delicious that one should thank and be indebted to Him. And notice here that this Psalm, in bright words, conveys and teaches that calling upon God in times of need and giving thanks is the right service of God, the dearest sacrifice and the right way to blessedness, as the last verse sings. Item, that it is called paying vows (in the fourteenth verse), not the foolish vows mentioned by oneself, but those commanded in the Ten Commandments, especially in the first and other ones, where we vow to God that we will believe in Him, call upon Him, praise Him, and give thanks as our one God 2c. The mad saints and false gleamers know nothing of this.
The 51st Psalm.
This is one of the most distinguished doctrinal psalms, in which David teaches us correctly what sin is, where it comes from, what it harms, and how to get rid of it. For in this psalm, and nowhere else, sin is so clearly shown that it is a hereditary and innate fei, against which no work can help, but only God's grace and forgiveness. He must create us anew through His Spirit and give birth to a new being and creature, otherwise it will be so powerful that it will also destroy the
Bones (he says) shattered with terror, despair, until his grace comes to our comfort. After that, when we have become new again by grace and the Spirit, then we can teach, praise, give thanks, preach, and even suffer and carry the cross. All of which he also calls the right sacrifices and worship, and rejects all the other sacrifices that are made without such sacrifices by the great saints; and in the end he asks that for such sacrifices and worship he will build and preserve the city of Jerusalem.
The 52nd Psalm.
It is a comforting psalm, and the title indicates enough what it speaks of, namely of the Doeg, who betrayed David and shed much innocent blood, 1 Sam. 22, 9. 18. These are the traitors and bloodhounds, who blaspheme God's word at court, and revile His servants, inciting kings and princes to shed innocent blood 2c. Against which evil-doers this psalm comforts, and proclaims their reward, that they shall perish from body, goods, house and land; but yet the pious shall remain, and keep God's house and word.
The 53rd Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm and prophecy, like the 14th Psalm, because they both have almost the same verses and words. Summa, they both punish the unbelieving saints of works, who persecute the right doctrine and teachers, and at the end he proclaims the gospel and kingdom of Christ, which should come out of Zion.
The 54th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer against the persecutors who seek the lives of the pious for the sake of God's word; as Saul and those of Ziph sought David's life for the sake of God's word, that he might be called and ordained king. And ask for help and vengeance upon his enemies.
The 55th Psalm.
Is a Psalm of prayer; and although it would be spoken in the person of Christ against his betrayer Judah (in the 13th and 14th 1) verse), so
1) In the issues: "12th and 13th".
I let him remain a mean prayer, against the French art; these are the evil cats, who lick in front and scratch behind. In front they are such faithful friends, fathers, 1) brothers, sisters, want to put life and limb with us, that their mouth is smoother than butter and oil; but behind it is vain murder, sword, war and all destruction, as he says here. And this is what he complains about in the 14th and 15th verses, that they can go to table, to church, to chambers, to the street, and be the best of companions. Therefore he also curses them, that the devil or death and hell may take them away; for they make great sorrow of heart and sorrowful people. But such a curse is a prophecy that they will certainly be like this, because they do not accept any improvement; or, as the 20. 3) verse says, they will not change, and do not fear God.
The 56th Psalm.
This is a Psalm of prayer in which David laments over Saul and his people, because he had to flee from them out of the country to the Philistines; they pursued him so hard that he could not be safe anywhere. But he consoled himself that he had God's word and promise, and right to the kingdom, though they daily disputed and perverted it, or even denied that he should not be king, but Saul and his heirs. We may pray him against our tyrants, who persecute God's word and us without ceasing, and leave no peace anywhere; but we also comfort ourselves that we have God's word for us, though they daily pervert, dispute, and deny it to us, that we are heretics, and they alone are the true church.
The 57th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer, in which David laments over Saul and his courtiers, before whom he crawled into the cave, and is almost of the same opinion as the next psalm, wherefore it is also, like the same, to be used against the tyrants and their poisonous counselors and ear-blowers, who pervert the word of God for us, and have teeth and tongues for such work,
1) So the Wittenbergers: "veter". Erlanger: "cousin". In Latin it is not expressed.
2) In the editions: "in the 12th verse."
3) In the issues: "19."
They are (he says) spears, arrows and sharp swords. But thanks be to God, who does not leave us, and plunges them into the pit they prepare for us, and their counsel goes over their own heads at last.
The 58th Psalm.
This is a psalm of consolation against the stiff-necked teachers, who carry their error through with their heads, plug their ears, and will not let themselves be instructed, but also threaten, and want to devour the pious; but he consoles himself with five parables, so that they will not carry it out, or even bring it halfway; namely: Sometimes a great water comes, and rushes very much, as if it wants to surround everything; but it shoots past, and does nothing. A crossbow is very threatening, but when both arrow, string and bow break, it does nothing. A snail stretches out its horns, but before it pushes, it has pined away, or it is consumed. An untimely child makes its mother's womb large, as if something were about to be born, but dies before it comes to light. A thornbush shoots out with many thorns, and gives pricking and scratching; but before they become hard and ripe, an angry axe comes upon them, and makes them crawl into the furnace and become ashes. So these also have it great in mind, and their thing shall go away, and yet nothing comes of it.
The 59th Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer, and can be spoken very well in the person of Christ, that he cries out and prophesies against the Jews, how they shall not be destroyed, but shall be scattered abroad, and teach vain cursing and contradicting; as they have always done until now, and have directed all their doctrine against Christ, cursing and denying him. They also have their reward, that in the evening they run about in the city like hungry dogs, and yet find nothing; that is, at the end of the world, from the time of the apostles, they are chased among the Gentiles from one country to another, seeking eagerly and hungrily where they might again set up a kingdom or dominion, but it will not come to pass; they must remain hungry dogs and run about until they lie down unforgotten, and are buried without a kingdom and cast into hell. But he can also
According to the history of David, this can be understood against his Saulites, who finally had to run around without a kingdom, like hungry dogs, until they were exterminated. For Saul's tribe did not regain the kingdom, even though they sought it greedily and diligently.
The 60th Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which David thanks God for having given him a fine kingdom, in which God's word was taught, and a good orderly government, which is truly a noble treasure. For before David, in Saul's time, it was a torn, desolate regiment (as the first three verses complain), plagued by the Philistines, so that they did not pay much attention to God's ark, 1 Chron. 14, 3, and also went on badly with much injustice, as it must be and go where God is not at home, and David's example shows well how Saul had wicked boys at court 2c. But God left a sign for His own, which they raised up and praised, so that they would be sure and certain of His grace, namely, the tabernacle of Moses and the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat, which He also brought out of the land of the Philistines with great miracles, 2c. before which they prayed and called, and were thus delivered from their troubles. Then he reckons his land and people: first the sanctuary and God's word; then Shechem, Sukhoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah, Moab, Edom, Philistim; and finally he confesses that it is not man's thing to have a strong city, that is, to have a good peaceful government, and Edom, that is, to win people and land, and to keep victory in battle, but God must give it. But why he does not name more lands or tribes than the above-mentioned nine, belongs in a Commentarium, not in Summaria. We may sing this, 1) Psalm to the praise of God, that He has spread the Church far and wide in the world, and in many parishes and foundations, where God's Word, and each one has its own special gift.
The 61st Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer against the enemies, and especially for the king and the authorities, that they may
1) Thus the Wittenbergers. Erlanger: den. - Jonas: illnm.
Fear God and rule well for a long time, so that good rule will not be destroyed by enemy and war. For Solomon also says that because of the sin of the land, many and various princes come. But where there are many lords, there is seldom lack: What one builds, another breaks, according to the saying: Novus rex, nova lex, and yet changes in the regiments have always been dangerous and harmful; but where it remains in a long, old, good nature.
The 62nd Psalm.
This is a doctrinal psalm about the false trust in men and the right trust in God. Many are, when they have the grace of a prince or lord, or the favor of a rich powerful man, they think they are no longer allowed to do anything, and they exercise a lot of willfulness; especially when they see a sloping wall, that is, when they notice that someone without this does not have a good desire at court, or is otherwise poor and persecuted by others, so that he cannot defend himself: Then they all become knights, and court and pretend to the great Hansen, but they do not see how such defiance is vain and nothing, and they do not believe it until they find out how vain it is. Therefore it is said: Trust in God, and do no harm to anyone, that exists before God and man.
The 63rd Psalm.
This is a prayer psalm in which David, when he had to flee from Saul in the wilderness, longed to be in the sanctuary and hear God's word, and complained about his Saulites, who longed for his life, so that he could not come to it, and thus had to be deprived of God's word; although he still boasts of being king because of God's promise and election, so that he can comfort himself in the meantime. Now may those pray this psalm who would like to have God's word among the tyrants, and yet must remain deprived of it, yet should boast of God's children and heirs, because they have faith and love for His word, until Saul gets his end.
2) Wittenberger: "umbs". Erlanger: "umb Lands".
3) "gar" is missing in the Erlanger.
The 64th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer in which David prays against his betrayers and slanderers, who made his cause most grievous with poisonous words and wicked wiles, as Absalom, Ahithophel, and their like, and before in the court of Saul, Doeg 2c. But he comforts himself that it will go out upon them themselves, and their tongue will not cut him down, but they themselves, as happened to Absalom, Ahithophel, and also to Doeg. So we also pray against our traitors to the courts of princes, bishops and kings, who carry out all kinds of treachery, intrigues and practices. But it should also (as has often happened) go out over them, so that one must say that God has punished them.
The 65th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which one praises God for giving his word and service, as well as temporal peace, and controls the raging of the enemies and war in the land, which roar and rage like the sea, and blesses the field, so that everything grows well, bears well, grows well. O how strange is such gratitude in the mob! who misuses both of the word, peace and good time for all their will, as Sodom and Gomorrah did. But it will also happen to them in the end, like Sodom and Gomorrah.
The 66th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for the common blessing that he has often delivered and preserved his people from the hands of the enemy, as he did in the Red Sea. The stories in the books of Judges and Kings are full of this, which he also does for us daily, saving and preserving his own in the right faith, against devils, spirits, sin 2c.
The 67th Psalm.
This is a prophecy about Christ, how he should become king as far as the world is, and judge (that is) the people rightly, rule them with the gospel, that they should be rid of sins, live righteously before him and give thanks with joy, which is the new and right service of God, as is often said. For he does not say that the Gentiles should circumcise themselves and run to Jerusalem, but remain in the Gentiles, and yet give thanks to God, be joyful, and fear him, that is, serve him.
The 68th Psalm.
It is a beautiful, mighty prophecy of Christ, how he should rise from the dead, ascend to heaven, give his spirit, send out apostles, preach the gospel, help poor sinners out of death, comfort the afflicted, destroy the Jews' kingdom and priesthood and scatter them, and establish a new kingdom in which he would be praised and preached daily and not the law of Moses. And call the apostles kings and. He calls the apostles kings and princes of the army or captains of the field, because they war with the gospel against death, sin, the devil, against the wisdom and holiness of the world. Item, he calls them high, fertile mountains, God's inheritance, God's chariot with many thousands 2c. Again, he calls them singers and minstrels among the virgins in song, because they joyfully praise, extol and thank God. And so he has his joyful play over the blessed kingdom of grace and life, and prays at the end that God would preserve such a kingdom, and bless and confirm it until eternity. He was quite merry in spirit when he made this beautiful, rich psalm.
The 69th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm in the person of Christ, as spoken at the cross and in his suffering, in which he confesses himself a sinner in our place (in the sixth 1) verse), and complains about his crucifiers and blasphemers, who gave him gall and vinegar to drink in his great thirst. (So clearly and evenly he speaks of his future suffering.) After that he prophesies of the Jews' ghastly blindness and hardening and final destruction; how all this happened when we see and grasp. At the last he also proclaims the new worship: I will praise GOD, he says, and with thanksgiving honor him highly. This service should cancel the old one, for it pleases God greatly, neither all the fools, nor what could be offered there in the best way, as he finds here.
The 70th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer against the persecutors and enemies of the pious for the sake of God's word, which they do with their fist and with their deeds,
1) In the editions: "seventh".
with advice and desires in the heart, with words and cries, that is with earnestness and all ability after life 2c.
The 71st Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm (of my mind) in the person of all Christianity, from the beginning to the end, spoken against all enemies and temptations. For he especially prays for his old age, when he becomes weak and gray, that is, for the last Christians, when leading times should be, and faith should be struck down with the gospel; as also Daniel [Cap. 8, 12.] proclaims that truth should be struck down, and unrighteousness should triumph; which we have well experienced under Mahomet and Pope. Therefore he praises (in the 15th, 16th, 17th verse) only God's righteousness, which he learned from God from youth or from the beginning. And it may well be a comforting prophecy to us that God's word must come again before the end of the world, so that he again (he says) brings us deep out of the earth and comforts us greatly; as then the common speech among Christians is that Elijah and Enoch should come, and reveal the lies of the end of Christ, and set everything right again.
The 72nd Psalm.
It is a prophecy, almost glorious and beautiful, of Christ and his kingdom in the whole world, where not sin and evil conscience (as under your laws), but righteousness, peace and joy of conscience should flourish and reign; but not without a cross, through which they would have to give up their blood, which would be very precious in his sight. And also proclaims the new worship in the 15th verse, namely calling and giving thanks. One will, he says, pray before him, one will praise him daily. This is our daily sacrifice among all the Gentiles. Here we hear of no circumcision nor law of Moses that the kings and Gentiles should accept, but remain kings and Gentiles, and consider this king a right natural God, call upon him, and honor him. For calling on God in times of need and giving thanks for his help is a service to God, and belongs to God alone, who alone is a helper in times of need and a savior, without whom everything else is nothing, nor does it help.
The 73rd Psalm.
This is a doctrinal psalm against the great offense in which the wicked are rich and prosperous, so that they mock the poor and afflicted saints, as if God knew or respected them nothing; but they and their holy works, what they teach and say, are delicious things, and entirely heavenly, divine wisdom and holiness. This hurts, and I must, he says, be a fool before you, that is, be called a godless heretic and despiser of God. But hold fast, he says, go into the sanctuary, hear the word of God, what he says about them. Look at the old examples in the histories, and you will find that they suddenly come to nothing; for there is no rock nor ground, but only slippery soil.
The 74th Psalm.
This is a prayer psalm against the enemies who destroyed Jerusalem, the sanctuary, and all the schools of God in the land along with the cities, and blasphemed God, as if he could not help his people. It seems that it was a prayer against the future destruction of the Chaldeans, and then by Autiochum Epiphanem, because only the two times the Temple in Jerusalem and the land is destroyed. Therefore, we pray it against Mahomet and our Amtiochum, who destroyed Christianity, tore apart God's Word, Sacrament and all God's order, and preached and held abominations and blasphemies in all places.
The 75th Psalm.
This is a psalm of comfort against the stiff-necked, proud, godless teachers who are so sure and insist on their office that they neither fear nor respect anything, neither punishments nor penalties; as above Ps. 12:5: Who should teach us? We are the teachers, we sit in office, we have authority, we are to be obeyed, or you must be banished and be a heretic 2c. So also now sit our secure rulers, both spiritual and secular tyrants, the red spirits also, that they think that God himself cannot overthrow them; but this Psalm says otherwise, and comforts us that we shall endure judgment, so he will judge, and that
He will make the earth shake and tremble with its inhabitants. But he wants to preserve the pillars, that is, the pious who carry the world, and preserve it, as St. Paul [1 Tim. 3, 15? calls the church a pillar, and pillar of truth. Just as he preserved Lot when he sank Sodom, and the believing Jews with the apostles when he destroyed the Jewish people; for he knows how to preserve his own when he destroys a country.
The 76th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, like the 46th Psalm, because it gives thanks that God has his dwelling place, word and service in Jerusalem, and protects his people there against the kings and angry warriors who wanted to devour them, like Sanherib; because he knows how to take away the courage of princes and make them despondent. In this way he fights against our enemies. But it is evil to defend oneself against one who takes away one's heart and courage, be he as mighty and as wicked as he wills; the devil himself must flee when he loses his courage; what then should men do? Such a warrior and God should be praised, who can thus rumble with kings and help his own without a sword, but only with terror and stupefaction.
The 77th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm, because it is an example of how one should comfort oneself when the sorrow of the heart comes and the conscience is grieved, as if God is angry with him 2c. And in the 5th1 verse he says that he was so distressed that he could not sleep or speak before it. And therefore tells the same heavy thoughts in the 8th, 9th, 10th2 verse. But this is the consolation against rejecting such thoughts (in order to hurt oneself in vain), and instead put into one's heart the thoughts, the miracles of God in the old stories, where one finds that His work has always been to help the miserable, the afflicted, the abandoned, and to overthrow the secure, proud despisers, as He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.
1) In the outputs: "4 "
2) In the German editions: "9. 10. 11." - Jonas: "7. 8. 9. 10."
redeemed. Therefore his ways are called hidden, that he is there and helps, when one thinks all is lost. This is what one should learn. And so this psalm wants to show us God and teach us his way of helping, namely, that we do not despair of God when things go badly, but then wait for help in the most certain way and do not believe our thoughts.
The 78th Psalm.
It is a teaching psalm, in which it teaches us through the examples and history of the whole people of Israel, from the beginning to David, to trust and believe in God, and warns us against mistrust and unbelief, showing the punishment that has fallen on the mistrustful and the grace that has befallen the mistrustful.
The 79th Psalm.
If a Psalm of prayer against the future destruction, done by the Chaldeans and Antiocho Epiphane, is all the same as the 74th Psalm, therefore it is the same summarium. So also Isaiah [Cap. 63] prays for the future destruction 2c.
This is a psalm of prayer against the daily enemies, the neighbors, who tormented and tore the people of Israel all around, as the Philistines, Syrians, Moabites, Edomites 2c. Just as our enemies and neighbors are doing to us now, the fathers and spiritual orders, and in former times the heretics of the church.
The 81st Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer and a song that was sung and preached in the fall at the Feast of Tabernacles, to remind the people of the first commandment, that they alone should honor and call upon the God who had led them to the land of Egypt, and no other. But they did not keep it, but all their mouths and teachings were full of idols, when the true God should be full of their mouths, 3) and always speak of him alone. The Psalm teaches us to believe and cling to Christ alone, and not to praise any works for righteousness before God. We shall
3) That is, their mouths should be full of the right GOd. - Jonas: Os eorum ckodedat ssss pwn um vso ei lauiltz Oel.
have their mouths full of Christ alone; but neither do we, each following his own conceit and idolatry.
The 82nd Psalm.
It is a psalm of comfort against the tyrants who oppress the wretched; but it has its interpretation, having gone out from us long ago. 1)
The 83rd Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, just like the 80th Psalm, as the names of the Gentiles clearly indicate, therefore it remains with the same summario.
The 84th Psalm.
Is a psalm of consolation, praising God's word gloriously above all things, and provoking us that we should gladly lack all good things, honor, painting, joy and pleasure, that we may keep God's word; and should we guard the door, that is, be the least in the temple, nor would it be better than to sit in all the godless castles; and one day here better than a thousand joyful days in the world. For God's word (saith he) giveth victory, blessing, grace, honor, and all good things. Blessed are those who believe it and keep it. Yes, where are they? If one were to blaspheme and despise, the whole world would be full and ready.
The 85th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, in which he aborts God's wrath and seeks mercy; but the wrath (of my eighth) has been that there has been a lack of God's word and faithful preachers, as well as of good government, peace and pious authority, and finally, of fruits and good time; for such plagues commonly cling to one another. Therefore, he asks that God would speak again, so that His people would not fall into foolishness and blaspheme with impatience, or seek other gods; and that peace, unity, truth and love would grow among the people, and the land would be fertile, so that they would lead a fine and honorable life in silence and tranquility; as St. Paul 1 Tim. 2, 1. f. also teaches us to pray.
1) This interpretation had gone out in 1530. It is found in Walch, old edition, Vol. V, 1024.
The 86th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, and the title itself calls it "a prayer of David". It is easy and clear to understand, that David in his distress calls upon his God against his enemies, who want him dead, be it Saul, Absalom, or whoever they are. But behold, how abundantly and masterfully he praises God in His goodness, faithfulness and power, that He may warm his faith and heat his prayer. So shall we also do. The sign he desires is that God should help him in the end, that God should be said to have helped him and to have vindicated his cause against the fame of his enemies, who defiled his right.
The 87th Psalm.
There is a prophecy about the holy Christian church, that it should become a city as far as the world, and in it should be born Moors, Egyptians, Babylonians, Tyrians, Philistines and all kinds of countries and languages. And all this through the gospel, which was to preach glorious things of God, namely the knowledge of God, that is, how one must come to God, be freed from sins, be saved from death, namely through Christ 2c. And the service in this city should also be singing and jumping, that is, preaching with joy God's grace, praising and giving thanks, and not tormenting and torturing Moses with his law.
The 88th Psalm.
Is a prayer psalm prayed in the person of Christ and all other great saints, lamenting the high spiritual suffering, which is above all suffering, namely the terror of God, which he calls death, the grave and hell; as it is in truth, and makes a miserable and wretched figure 2c. St. Paul [2 Cor. 12, 7] calls it Satan's angel that smote him on the neck, 2) and a stake of his body, whereon he was impaled; as in Greece they impaled the transgressors, and
2) Wittenberger: "jn halsschlaget". The Erlanger has resolved "jn" incorrectly and offers: "in Hals schlaget". - "halsschlagen" is the translation of Ohrfeigen, or as Luther translates 2 Cor, 12, 7: to beat with fists.
The Gentiles blasphemed our Lord and called him 'the impaled one', and the Jews 'the hanged one'. For Christ and his own are due in the world to be mocked for his suffering; just as this psalm also says that his friends and relatives, who should mourn and pity him, are far from him.
The 89th Psalm.
It is a prophecy of Christ and his kingdom, which he calls a heavenly kingdom (as he himself calls it in the Gospel), and takes before him the promise of David about Christ, and sets it forth with a rich spirit, and especially that it should be so certain that it should neither cease nor remain because of any sin, so that our salvation does not rest on our piety, as the kingdom of the Jews is promised, and the kingdom of all the world, no longer nor further than they are pious. But in the 39th verse he prophesies how such a lovely, beautiful kingdom should be trampled, torn and torn apart by the Antichrist, so that it seems as if God has forgotten the previous rich promises and is doing the opposite of His own word. But for our consolation, in these last days, all these things have been proclaimed beforehand, so that we should not despair, even if it seems to us that there is no longer any Christianity on earth. For under Mahomet and Pabbism no semblance of the church has remained, if one looks at its rule, and yet it has had to remain under both, though miserably torn apart and despised.
The 90th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm in which Moses teaches where death comes from, namely from sin, which only God knows and is hidden from all the world, and yet is inherent in all of us from Adam; and shows how a short and miserable life is here, that [it] may well be called a daily death. But, he says, it is good for us to be admonished by this to seek God's grace and help, who will deliver us from all this. For those who do not think of death and do not feel misery remain great fools and do not ask for God's grace or help. And concludes the psalm with the request that
1) Erlanger: "da wohl."
that he will show us his work, that is, the remission of sins and death, that is, that he will send Christ, and because we live here, that he will promote our work, that is, that he will graciously confirm and maintain both spiritual and temporal rule. A short, fine, rich and full prayer.
The 91st Psalm.
It is a psalm of consolation, and encourages us to trust in God in all adversity and temptation, and is full of rich, comforting promises, spun and drawn from the first commandment; and is the other psalm, in which the dear angels are proclaimed our guardians and escorts, which is comforting and well to remember. I have just given my opinion of the four temptations mentioned in the 5th and 6th verses.
The 92nd Psalm.
This is a psalm of consolation that praises God's word almost highly, as a noble, delicious gift, against the false saints who dispute it; who flourish for a time, are honored and powerful, but at last perish. The righteous remain forever, and though they come to old age, they never grow old, but are rejuvenated daily by the word of God, which is evergreen and bears fruit; but fools do not understand and respect this, as is happening in our time.
The 93rd Psalm.
This is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, as far as the world is, and shall remain forever; though the rivers and waters roar, that is, the world rages and rages against it, and strangles much, yet it does not help it; for he is higher and greater neither the world, nor the prince thereof. Such a kingdom and all things are established by his word, without sword and armor, and the same adorns and sanctifies his house; for this is the right worship that shines and shines in this house, preaching, praising, and giving thanks, where no Moses nor Old Testament belongs.
The 94th Psalm.
Is a prayer psalm, and to my mind it does not lament the heathen, but the kings and princes, priests and prophets,
and calls them fools of the people, that is, those who taught and ruled the people foolishly and wickedly. These are the ones who killed and persecuted all the pious prophets and their disciples. And, as he says, they defy God, who would have given them power, and would have stood by them, and respected, nor regarded those who were slain by them, as damned heretics and rebels against all the authorities. Against them he prays, seeking help and assistance, but because he finds none, he takes comfort in his faith that his word and cause is right, and God will not let the harmful chair please him, but will repay them for their lies and murder, amen.
The 95th Psalm.
This is a prophecy of Christ, which the epistle to the Hebrews abundantly describes, that he prophesies of the time of the New Testament and of the voice of the gospel. Summa, he teaches and draws us to Christ and to the word of God, as to the right worship, and warns us of your example of the unbelieving fathers in the wilderness, who also did not enter the promised land because of their unbelief and contempt. But you must draw the whole psalm to Christ, that the 1) fei is the same God whom he exhorts to serve; who created us, and is our shepherd, and we are his sheep. He is the one whom the unbelieving fathers tempted, as Paul also says in 1 Cor. 10, 9. He does not want a Mosaic service, but faith, joyful preaching, praise and thanksgiving instead.
The 96th Psalm.
It is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ in all the world, in which there shall be joy and praise, and the text itself is clear enough. Here all nations, lands, people, forests, waters, trees are laid up for worship, that they should praise and give thanks that he judges and rules with righteousness and truth, that is, he delivers from sins and all that sin brings, as, death, hell, the devil's power, and all evil. This is the new song of the new kingdom, of new crea-
1) Wittenberger: he. Jonas: Me est vens.
tures, of new men, born not of law nor of works, but of God and of the Spirit, who are and do wonders in Christ our Lord.
The 97th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, just like the next one [Psalm]. And the opinion is always that he establishes and has such a kingdom through the gospel; with it he thunders and flashes, and burns his enemies, and melts mountains 2c., that is, he humbles all holiness, wisdom, power and what is great, that they alone must become holy, wise, great and powerful through him, and not otherwise. With these enemies and mountains perish also the kingdom and worship of the Jews, and all things that are not Christ; for he alone shall be, and all other things nothing, as the stone in Daniel [Cap. 2, 34. 35J, torn from the mountain, fills the whole earth, and destroys everything and makes it nothing, and he becomes a mountain in all the world 2c.
The 98th Psalm.
It is a prophecy of Christ's kingdom to be spread throughout the world, like the next Psalm, and also means to be joyful and praise God for His salvation, that is, to preach and give thanks for the redemption given to us through Christ. Here also is the service, not to sacrifice at Jerusalem, but to preach and give thanks that the 2) King in righteousness is in all the world, that is, who redeems from sins and death through Himself, without our merit.
The 99th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm that exhorts the people of Israel to praise their God in Zion, although the Gentiles rage that they should be a special people of God before others, and had to suffer much because of it; for it praises Moses, Aaron and Samuel, who had been the heads of the people of Israel. But he also teaches (as the words are written) the people of Israel themselves, that they should know that the right service of God is not to sacrifice much cattle, but to recognize his wonders and to give thanks 2c. that he makes them godly and redeems them from sins (in the fourth verse). But for us
2) In the first edition: er. Jonas: illo reM.
he prophecy of Christ, who rules the right Zion in all the world, and has set his mercy seat and footstool in heaven, over which all the world is angry, becomes mad and foolish, and persecutes and kills the Christians 1).
The 100th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of Christ, and means all the world to rejoice, praise and give thanks, that is, to serve God, and to enter his gates and courts, to call upon him with all confidence 2c. For his grace is an everlasting kingdom, which abides forever.
The 1O1. Psalm.
This is a doctrinal psalm in which David sets himself as an example of how one should have pious servants and not suffer wicked servants; how he therefore counts the vices and bad habits of a wicked servant, which belongs to be explained in a longer commentary. 2) This he calls "sung by grace and right," that is, how he is merciful to the pious and punishes the wicked, and how a servant should be benevolent 3) and avoid evil. How he fared in this regard is evident from Absalom, Ahithophel, and Joab 2c., for he who wants to make and keep people pious must incur all hatred and envy. Therefore he may well sing and thank God, who has given him such grace and justice; for where there is no God, such a song will remain uncaught, and for it there will be cursing and reproach in the house, and in the court there will be haggling and beheading 2c.
The 102nd Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer in which the dear old fathers, tired of the law, of sins and of dying, long and call so earnestly for the kingdom of grace promised in Christ; they ask that he would build Zion, and yet 4) prepare stone and lime that it may begin,
1) Wittenberger: to pursue and to kill.
2) In later editions: "which we have explained at length in our commentary on this Psalm. This interpretation of the 101st Psalm was first published in 1534. It is found in Walch, old edition, Vol. V, 1172.
3) to be beneficent to be diligent in good works. Cf. the Summarium on Ps. 115: "Benefactor".
4) "and yet" is missing in the Erlanger.
and let his glory be seen in all kingdoms, and save the captives from sins and death, so that they may come together and give thanks to him, that is, serve in the right Zion, and stop the Old Testament. For apart from Christ there is nothing, but to humble oneself in the way, and to shorten days, that is, a miserable, short, miserable life, in which he would not willingly be taken away. But in his kingdom there is eternal life, and no end of time; for it is he who was before heaven and earth, and made them, and will change and change them again. Therefore he is beyond all time, and his years have no end, neither is there any death. The kingdom we would gladly have (he says), such thy kingdom come, amen.
The 103rd Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, finely and sweetly made, in which he gives thanks to God for all benefits, such as the forgiveness of sins, the healing of body and soul, the provision of all kinds of goods, making us joyful and confident, delivering us from enemies and hardships; in sum, he who holds himself out to us, who are a frail and loose creature, as a gracious, merciful, loving Father, and does not deal with us according to our sins and merits, but according to his grace and goodness; So far as we know ourselves, and keep his blindness, that is, believe in him, and gladly become godly, and are not proud nor stiff-necked in our holiness and righteousness, which strive hard against the covenant, especially in the first commandment. All these things come to pass in Christ, who promised at that time, and now is come, whose kingdom reigneth over all 2c. For in the end, when he praises the angels, heroes, servants, hosts, who make his word loud, I respect, draw and point the psalm to Christ, his apostles, gospel and church, in which such grace reigns; for everything must happen in Christ, and nothing apart from him, which is blessed and necessary for us.
The 104th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for all the works other than man that God has created in heaven and earth, how they walk so orderly, surely and wisely in their works,
Fruits and uses. How then he numbereth them one after another, that the heavens are full of light, and stand without pillars and beams as a spreading carpet; the clouds as a vault, without foundation and pillar; the winds fly without feathers; the angels sent forth come as a wind and flames fashioned 2c. So play and take pleasure in God's creatures, so wonderfully created and so beautifully arranged among themselves. But who respects them or looks at them in this way? Only faith and spirit.
The 105th Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving, made to the people of Israel, to give thanks for all the ancient miracles that he did for them from Abraham until they were brought into the land of Canaan; as he counts them all one after the other, and concludes with Moses, Deut. 9, 4. ff, that God did not do such miracles for them because of their piety or merit, but because of his covenant and promise, which he had promised to Abraham; for how pious they were, and what they deserved, sings the following Psalm.
The 106th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which he confesses all the sins that the people of Israel had committed against God, thus making themselves unworthy of all graces and benefits. Therefore he always boasts that he did it all for his name's sake and remembered his covenant 2c., as Moses also says, Deut. 9, 5. Therefore they can boast of nothing but his grace, just as we all can have no other glory.
The 107th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for all kinds of help that God shows to all people in their troubles, they are pagans or Jews, which otherwise the pagans have sought from various idols, and we Christians and Turks from various saints so far (and still much). St. Leonhard redeemed the prisoners. St. Bastian drove away the pestilence. St. George helped in the war. St. Erasmus made rich. St. Christopher has been God in the sea and water; thus have all God's help among the saints, as the pagans have among
their idols, and stole and robbed them from God, to whom alone this psalm assigns them, and for this is called giving thanks.
The 108th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, almost also with words like the 60th Psalm, in which he gives thanks for his kingdom 2c. But the first verses draw the psalm to Christ's kingdom and ask that God would establish the kingdom in all the world and thus bring David's kingdom to its right, final, full state, because he had a small, imperfect piece to reckon against the whole world, where it was promised to him to come, as Isaiah Cap. 9, 7. also says: On the seat of David and his kingdom he will sit 2c.
The 100th Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, prayed in Christ's person, against his betrayer Judah and the Jews, his crucifiers; against them he complains vehemently, and prophesies to them how they must perish and perish horribly in God's wrath; as we see all this fulfilled before our eyes.
The 110th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of Christ, how he should be an eternal king and priest, in addition true God, sitting at the right hand of God, to be declared and recognized. And there is nothing like the Psalm in all Scripture, and it is rightly considered the most distinguished to confirm Christian faith; for Christ nowhere prophesied with bright, dry words a priest, 1) and eternal priest, and thus the priesthood of Aaron is abolished; as then the Psalm is further and more gloriously deleted in the epistle to the Hebrews; for it would be a pity that such Psalm should not be deleted abundantly and mightily among the Christians.
The 111th Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving made for the people of Israel to sing at the paschal feast by the paschal lamb, in which they learned to praise God and give thanks in
1) Wittenberger: and his.
2) In the old editions: "verkläret", that is: declared. Jonas: (declaratus.
3) Thus the Wittenbergers. Erlanger: "King". Jonas: Sacerdos, adeoque aeternus sacerdos.
a short, fine song for all his miraculous works, especially for the spiritual regiment, priesthood, Easter, law, God's word, peace, justice in the land, help and all kinds of grace 2c., as we have further interpreted it in our Commentaria 1).
The 112th Psalm.
It is a psalm of comfort in which the godly and pious are praised for their good life, and eternal comfort is promised against all evil. And especially he praises in them the hearty confidence and defiance in God's grace, that they are undaunted and undaunted (which is the right, true faith) until they see the wicked and their enemies perish.
The 113th Psalm.
Is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, which should go over all the Gentiles from the going forth of the sun until the going down, and calls them to praise God, and to preach his grace; for he is a God of the miserable and afflicted, a lovely and praiseworthy God, who sits so high, and loves and exalts the lowly. For this is Christ's office and work in his kingdom, to bring low the high, to deceive the wise, to condemn the holy, to dry up the fruitful; and again, to exalt the low, to enlighten the foolish, to sanctify the sinner, and to make the barren joyful mothers.
The 114th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, made for the people of Israel, so that they might praise God at the Easter feast for the miraculous works of God, when they were led out of Egypt through the Red Sea, through the arid, desolate mountains and the Jordan, into the Promised Land. We sing praise to Christ daily, who leads us out of death and sin, through the ravages of the world, [the] flesh 2) and the devil, into eternal life 2c.
The 115th Psalm.
Is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which God is praised for being the right helper-God, and all the others
1) The interpretation of the III Psalm, which is dated Nov. 28, 1530, is found in Walch, old edition, vol. V, 1532.
2) In the old editions: "world, flesh and" 2c.
Gods are vain idols that cannot help. That is why he asks in the first verse: "Not to us, O Lord," 2c. Do not look at how pious and worthy we are, otherwise you will never have to help us, and we would be a people without God, as well as the Gentiles, or as those who also have a helpless God, as they reproach us; but look at your honor and 3) your name, that you are called and praised a right, living, helpful God. You will deal with us according to our name, and not according to our name, since we are called God's servants, sacrificers, singers, fasters and benefactors; 4) for the heathen can also have such a name, and yet it helps nothing.
The 116th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which he is joyful and gives thanks that God has heard his prayer and has saved him from the anguish of death and the fear of hell; as many more psalms above speak of such deep spiritual trials, known to few people. He also complains in it how he is in such a bad way because he confesses his faith and the truth of God, and that he proclaims all men's holiness, virtue and trust to be false and nothing. The world does not want to hear this, nor can it suffer it; it is because of this that the pious must suffer, tremble and tremble in all kinds of misfortune. But in all this he comforts himself with the fact that his word is right, and only wants to do it the more. If they give me drink from the cup of their wrath, then I will take the cup of grace and salvation, and drink myself spiritually drunk, and give it (by preaching) to those who will drink with me, and draw such comfort from the word of grace; this is our cup. And with this we serve God, and praise His name, and pay our vows, namely of the first commandment, since we have accepted Him as a God, and have vowed to honor, preach and call upon Him as a God. And find here again that the sacrifice of thanksgiving, preaching, confessing God's name before all the people, is the proper service of God 2c.
3) Erlanger: umb.
4) "Benefactors" Jonas translates by: bonoporurii, i.e. those who do good works.
The 117th Psalm.
It is a prophecy of Christ, that all creatures should praise and serve him in his kingdom, where all grace and truth, that is, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and all joy and comfort reign over sin, death, the devil and all evil. It is abundantly enough laid out by us with a commentary. 1)
The 118th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, and my dear, beautiful Confitemini. What the summarium is, each one may read from his commentary. 2) He gives thanks, but he also prophesies of the Christians, and of Christ, the rejected cornerstone 2c.
The 119th Psalm.
It is a long psalm, in which there is praying, comforting, teaching, giving thanks, with a great deal. But it is primarily made to provoke us to the word of God; it praises the same through and through, and warns us against false teachers, also against overindulgence and contempt. That is why it is to be counted the most among the comforting psalms. For it is truly most important to have God's word pure and to hear it gladly; from this follows prayer, teaching, comforting, giving thanks, prophesying, serving God, suffering and everything that pleases God and annoys the devil. But where it is despised and satiated, all these things remain; and where it is not taught purely, there is much, but vainly false and lost, praying, teaching, comforting, giving thanks, serving God, suffering, prophesying; for all these things serve the devil, who thus defiles them with his heresy.
The 120th Psalm.
Is a prayer psalm that laments and cries out against the false teachers who do murderous harm, and their doctrine pierces through like sharp
1) The interpretation of the 117th Psalm can be found in Walch, old edition, vol. V, 1642. The letter of the same is dated August 27, 1530,
2) The interpretation of this psalm, the preface of which is dated July 1, 1530, can be found in Walch, old edition, vol.
3) Most of it - according to the largest part. Jonas: loonurn
Arrows with violence, shot, and spreads, like fire in juniper bushes, which there burn easily and very much, because they are fat and dense, and capable of fire: so the mob is also much more capable of false doctrine (because it rhymes with reason) neither of right truth; as St. Paul [2 Tim. 4, 3.) also says of the itching ears 2c. "Mesech" are the peoples toward the midnight of Jerusalem, since now are almost the Tatters. "Kedar" are the Arabs toward morning, but mean all neighbors and false teachers, as now the Turk, the Christians Mesech (for he came from Tattern), and the Mahomet or Saracen, who are Kedar (for from Arabia they came), and with their Alkoran muffled the gospel, and burned their doctrine far around, devoured and driven 2c.
The 121st Psalm.
It is a comforting psalm, in which he consoles us with his example, that we should remain firm in our faith and expect God's help and protection. For although it seems as if he were asleep or snoring, that the sun stings us by day and the moon by night, it is not as we feel and think; for he is certainly watching over us and does not let the sun sting us to death. We will know this for sure in the end, where we can only hope for it.
The 122nd Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving, which gives thanks with joy for the word of God, which is given to him in a certain place, as Jerusalem, and through certain persons, as the Levites and kings, and 4) certain disciples, as the tribes of Israel. For what a pity it is to seek God's word everywhere and to find it nowhere, the children of Israel experienced with their running to the idols, and we with our running to pilgrimages and running to monasteries 2c. But our Jerusalem is the holy church, Christ our temple, place, altar, mercy seat, before whom, and from whom, and with whom we should seek and hear his word.
4) Wittenberger: from.
The 123rd Psalm.
This is a Psalm of prayer against the proud and proud of heart, who despise and mock God's word and His people; which not only the Gentiles did, who considered God and the worship of the children of Israel to be a fool's work, even to be error and rebellion; but also they themselves among themselves, the idolatrous idolaters 1) and false teachers with their multitude, proudly and surely despised and mocked the small multitude and the right doctrine; as the 12th and 14th Psalms lament above. and 14th Psalm also lament. And now our nobles and the spirits of the mob, who are both holier than the gospel itself, mock and trample under foot the poor preachers and faithful servants of Christ, without what our pagans, the spiritual lords, and their mob, do. And so we must be full of contempt everywhere; but God is and will be gracious to us, amen.
The 124th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which he thanks God for protecting this poor little group against the tyrants and the desolate, and rescues them from the snare of the poisonous blasphemers and slanderers; both of whom are so many, and so great, as great, deep waters and floods of sin against the little group. But even if their teeth were so wicked and angry, and their cords so cunning and poisonous, God is still greater, and smites out teeth, and breaks cords, and helps His own from them, as we still experience daily with ourselves.
The 125th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which he gives thanks that God finally does not suffer the ungodly teachers and rulers to have power over those who believe and teach correctly and hope in him, so that they will not finally become too weary and fall from the word to those, but will do everything good to those who hope in him; but the apostates with their crooked ways he will expel and drive out both master and pupil in one heap. We have seen and experienced several examples of this in our time with the spirits of the rotten.
1) Idolaters Idolaters. Jonah translates "idolatrous idolaters" by idolatry.
The 126th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for the redemption from the prison of Babylon, made afterwards or before (as a prophecy, for the comfort and hope of the future redemption, so that they would not despair), is the same. In the end, he concludes that the saints must suffer before they rejoice, just as the world must rejoice before it receives its suffering. Therefore the saints must sow with tears, then reap with joy; but noble and precious (he says) is such seed that brings forth such fruit. But for weeping it cannot be seen that it is so noble and worthy in the sight of God, who holds it so dear that even the death (which is the most shameful, most cursed seed in the sight of all the world) of his saints is more treasured than all the world's treasure and goods.
The 127th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm, for it teaches that worldly government and stewardship are gifts of God alone, and are in his hands. For if he does not give peace and good government, no wisdom, order, strife or armor will help to keep the peace; if he does not give happiness with wife, child and servants, all care and labor is in vain 2c. More about this in the Commentaries, where it is well brought to light. 2)
The 128th Psalm.
This is a psalm of consolation in which the marital state is gloriously praised, and the spouses are highly comforted that they should not look at the toil, work, unpleasantness and other hardships they must feel and experience in it, but at the gracious will of God over them, that their state and being is His gracious creature and blessed by Him. Therefore he is dear to them, gives them much more happiness and salvation than they can ever have, if only they believe in it, if they put themselves into it properly and remain pious in it. Therefore he says in front and in the midst, "He who fears the Lord." It is no wonder that the wicked are in trouble.
2) The interpretation of this psalm (from 1524) is found in Walch, old edition, Vol. V, 1860.
3) Erlanger: Ehe-Stand.
The 129th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which the people of Israel give thanks for the manifold deliverances he has often done from the beginning; as it is written in the book of Judges and Kings, that they were often oppressed by the Gentiles, who kept them hard under them for a long time, and thus made the long furrows on their backs, and overstretched them in the yoke and ropes, until God raised up a Savior for them, and delivered them from their plowmen together with the yoke and ropes. In the end he wished them (that is, prophesied to them) that all their enemies should wither and die away, as has happened. For all nations have passed away, but Israel has remained. So all the Gentiles and the enemies of the Christians are still like the grass on the housetops, which grows and grows green as if it were going to do much; but it withers before it ripens, and bears no fruit, and there is no blessing in it. And the heathen, and the heretics, and all manner of enemies, though they rage and rage, at last they vanish, leaving no seed nor sign behind them; but Christians abide for ever.
The 130th Psalm.
This is a Psalm of prayer that is based on true Davidic devotion and understanding, for it confesses that no one is righteous before God, nor can he be righteous by his own works and righteousness, but only by grace and the forgiveness of sins that God has promised. On this promise and word he builds and comforts himself, and exhorts all Israel to do likewise, and to learn that with God is the mercy seat and salvation, and Israel must be delivered from all sins through him alone, and not otherwise, that is, "through forgiveness" (otherwise it would not be grace) to become righteous and blessed, otherwise he would remain in the depths and never exist before God. Behold, this is a true master and doctor of the holy Scriptures, who has understood what is said: The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent, Gen. 3, 15, and by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 12, 3 and Cap. 22, 18. 22, 18. Therefore both promises and prophecies of Christ are contained in this verse: "He will redeem Israel from all their sins." The whole psalm is based on this verse.
The 131st Psalm.
This is a doctrinal psalm against the proud, hopeful saints, who are confident and presumptuous of their great worship and holiness, and do not count on forgiveness, as the previous psalm says. As if to say, "I cannot soar so high and thunder so high with my holiness as people do who build on themselves. For as often as I wanted to do so, and did not base my heart on God's grace and still it, that is, let it rest, it happened to me as a "weaned child", I lost the teat of promise and grace, cried out day and night, and had no rest in my conscience. Therefore I conclude: that Israel and everyone trust and hope in God, and rely only on His grace; do not let this teat be taken from you, I advise you, for the promised and future Christ is in it.
The 132nd Psalm.
This is a prayer psalm in which Solomon, or the people of Israel, prays for the preservation of the priesthood and kingdom; that is, he prays for spiritual and temporal government, for God's word and temporal peace; for where the two stand well, there it goes well. And in the eleventh verse he begins to tell how such a prayer was not only heard, but how God also promised both beforehand with an oath that he would 1) keep both kingdom and priesthood at Jerusalem, and himself dwell there, and give all blessings and grace there, and put their enemies to shame, as far as they also keep his commandments and are obedient to him. But why he calls the place of God's dwelling "Ephrata" and "field of the forest" in verse 6 is too long and belongs in the Commentary.
The 133rd Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm, that one should live in harmony and kindness among themselves, both in the spiritual and temporal state, having one doctrine, one right, and that one should help the other to bear; as the two parables give, one of the balm flowing down upon Aaron's head into his beard and garments; the other of the dew flowing down from the mountains of Hermonim.
1) Wittenberger: "and" instead of: that he.
1) on the mountains of Zion. Where it is like this, God dwells gladly with all grace, blessing and life; but where there is disunity and mobs, there dwells the devil and death with only misfortune.
The 134th Psalm.
It is a doctrinal psalm, in which he teaches and admonishes the priests and ministers of their office, that they should serve God faithfully and diligently, praise God day and night, preach and practice His word; as St. Paul also says to Timothy [2. Ep. 4, 2. 4.], he should continue with his office faithfully, regardless of the fact that many despise it and turn away from it to fables 2c. For where one abandons God's word, both spiritual and temporal government must fall by the wayside, at least into error, and be abandoned by God into the power of the devil. But where one stops with preaching, he who created heaven and earth always gives blessings, and for the sake of his word he helps and gives all good things even to the unworthy and ungrateful. Let the psalm be sung to you pastors, preachers, bishops, and whoever is in spiritual office.
The 135th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, and means that the priests give thanks, preach and praise God in His miracles, shown to the people of Egypt and Canaan, so that they do not forget God, and seek idols or other gods, as it goes and must go, where one does not always drive and diligently stop with preaching and praising God, as is said in the next psalm. But if God judges (in the 14th verse) His people, that is, preaches, teaches and punishes, He is certainly gracious to His servants; but where His word is silent, and He neither judges nor teaches, there must certainly be great wrath and disfavor. Therefore, you servants of the house of the Lord, think and preach diligently about God and His works 2c.
The 136th Psalm.
Is a psalm of thanksgiving, and is almost the text he indicates to the priests what they should sing and preach about, namely about GOD and his
1) Wittenberger: "and the dew from the mountains of Hermonim to the mountains of Zion."
Miraculous deeds, how he is gracious and merciful, and a true savior. Therefore, in each verse he repeats the words: "His goodness endures forever"; so that he may immediately tell them that they should preach only grace and not the work of men or the teachings of men. For man's work and word had not done such wonders for them, nor was their merit to blame, but his mere grace and pure goodness, which gives everything. Gives, gives, he says, and gives freely. And Christ is also hidden in the piece. Such a doctrine keeps pure faith and right understanding of grace and forgiveness of sin among the people, in opposition to the rats and trustworthy works saints 2c.
The 137th Psalm.
This is a Psalm of prayer in the person of the captives of Babylon, for Jerusalem, that is, for God's word and spiritual rule, which lay so utterly destroyed, that it is only right to assume it in the highest, and above all with the godly, as this Psalm shows. Although Babylon and Edom rejoice greatly at such destruction and make a mockery of it, which is painful, they shall not carry it away unpunished and unpunished, but shall be torn apart again in such a way that even their children shall be destroyed and they shall have no descendants, and yet Israel and God's word shall remain forever; as happened to Babylon, and will also happen to our Edomites and Babylonians, who are now rejoicing and mocking the poor broken churches, and [the] destroyed word and ministry of God. 2)
The 138th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in general for all kinds of help from the enemies, and desires that Christ's kingdom come, and also kings should accept His word and teaching, and give thanks for it, and do right worship, and learn that Christ's kingdom is, sit high, and help the lowly who are in distress and anguish, comfort, save the sinners and the wretched; and concludes with prayers that God would not leave such a kingdom and work begun, but accomplish it forever.
2) Erlanger: and destroyed God's word and ministry.
The 139th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving in which he praises God for having provided him so wonderfully, and for still governing him in all his works, words, and thoughts, and where he 1) stands, walks, sleeps, or wakes, yes, even in his mother's womb, before he was created, was with him, how he should be formed, and how long he should live. As if he were to say, "It is in no man's art or power how he should live, do, speak, think, where and when, whence and whither he should come, but all is purely God's work and art. What do the wretched wicked do, who do not believe this, but want to be pious themselves with their annoying works? They want to have done what they do, and want to have merit, glory and honor with God from it, yet they cannot make a word of themselves, cannot grasp a thought from their own strength, do not know what they make, how they are created, how they live, speak and think. If all that we are and do is God's work and art, why do men presume on the high work of making themselves pious, boasting of free will, and wanting to work themselves out of sins and death? 2c. Such cannot speak rightly of God and His works. Protect me, Lord, from this, and test me, and discipline my heart, so that I may remain on the right path, which endures forever 2c.
The 140th Psalm.
This is a psalm of prayer against the proud, unrighteous saints, who not only put many cords and troubles in the right way, against God's word, but also threaten and rage with violence against all those who do not praise and follow their error. Then he prays that their wickedness not go away, but come over their own heads, and be done to them as Pharaoh was done in the Red Sea, whom the weather smote into the sea and drowned; so all such wicked mouths shall be overthrown, and the 2) righteous shall abide before God forever.
1) "he" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) "the" is missing in the first edition and in the Wittenberg.
The 141st Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm, and asks that he be protected from the ungodly teachers, who are friendly and give smooth words, where dread will not help. It is better for me (he says) that the right teachers punish me and condemn my righteousness than that they praise me. And even though I am in a bad way, suffering crosses and death, and must be torn and torn, I will rather trust in the Lord; for their hypocrisy will at last break my neck over a rock, that is, suddenly overthrown, and come to an evil end. Then it will be seen how bitter their sweet doctrine is, and how sweet my sour doctrine; there their own doctrine will bring them, in which they will be caught as in their own net, but I will pass by freely.
The 142nd Psalm.
It is a psalm of prayer for a prisoner among false teachers who force him from the right faith and life. For this was common among the people of Israel every day, that they persecuted and condemned the right prophets for the sake of the right worship and word; as all their histories show, and Christ Matt. 5, 12 and Cap. 23, 34. ff, St. Stephen Apost. 7, 52. Therefore it is no wonder that many psalms are made against such false prophets and teachers, because it has been so common, and has been practiced in the church from the beginning, even ever since, that God may well be asked to guard against false teachers and error. The history of the time of Elijah and King Ahab and Iesabel shows a fine example of this Psalm, since all the prophets had to hide and go into hiding, and in Ari's time all the orthodox bishops also had to leave; for the devil does not want to suffer God's word and His servants.
The 143rd Psalm.
It is a prayer psalm in which he asks for mercy and forgiveness of sin in the anguish of his conscience. To what misfortune are almost driven the enemies of grace, the lawmakers, who mostly plague the afflicted, stupid consciences, and drive them into darkness, that is, into misery.
doubting and death, with their heavy burdens and infallible doctrines of works, none of which they themselves touch with a finger, as Christ says Matt. 23:4. But here the Psalm shows that it must be grace that does it and not law, before which no living man can stand; as all the old stories and works of the Lord also testify. For all the holy fathers of old he helped out of love and grace, and not out of right, as St. Peter also says Apost. 15, 10. 11.: "Neither we nor our fathers were able to bear such a burden, but I hope to be saved by the grace of Christ, just as they were." Such works and old examples (he says here) I look at, and comfort myself, because they as well by pure grace (as Abraham himself is called out of idolatry, Joshua 24, 2.) are comforted and saved from sins, as I, and have been sinners as well as I, and does not apply here any [man's] boast 1) of righteousness or holiness, as the false prophets plague us.
The 144th Psalm.
This is a psalm of thanksgiving to be spoken for kings and authorities; for David hereby thanks God as a king who had to wage war and rule, and confesses that all victory, happiness and salvation in battle and regiment is God's gift, and not man's strength nor art, as little as man's wisdom is, to keep people under him in compulsion, to rule land and people well. For what should a man be able to do such great works, if he is nothing, and passes away like a shadow? But the Lord does it, he flashes and gives despondent, frightened hearts in the army, and humble hearts in the people; so when he touches the mountains and great multitudes, that they must fear him, then good is warfare and government, so victory and happiness follow, and such fear; how else can a man accomplish it? Then he also pleads against his own people and punishes their unbelief. For the people of Israel, because they had the glory of being called the people of God, were proud beyond measure, stiff-necked, disobedient, rebellious, stingy, envious, unbelieving, as they both were against Moses and David and other kings.
1) Jonas: Uegue, M üie guisqunm Zlorletur etc..
proved well. And even though they saw that David had done miraculous deeds and ruled as Moses did, they were no better and asked nothing about God or faith in God. If we had beautiful children, houses, cattle, great goods and good days, we would be a blessed people. And there were prophets enough who taught that God's people were those who were well off, but those who were not well off were nothing in the sight of God, just as all the saints are not well off because they trust in God. Now that you have delivered me from the sword of Goliath the murderer, and have often given me victory like other kings, protect me also from this godless, wicked, false people, who respect neither God nor kings, and ask nothing of what is necessary for a ruler in war and peace. They are peasants and felons, yes, real swine, who seek nothing but their belly, and it is harder and more dangerous to govern them than it may always be to get them. He calls them strange children, because they want to be the noblest children of God, and yet they are strangers, and worse than heathens; Bastards they are, who honor God with their mouths, and their hearts are far from him 2c.
The 145th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for the kingdom of Christ, which was in the future, and almost drives the high work of praising God, praising his power and kingdom. For Christ's kingdom and power is hidden under the cross; if one did not praise it by preaching, teaching and confessing, who could think anything of it, let alone know? But his power and kingdom is such that he helps the fallen, takes care of the miserable, makes sinners righteous, the dead alive; yes, he is the one who feeds everything, who hears the cries of his saints, does what they desire, protects them 2c.
The 146th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, and at the same time teaches that one should trust in God, and not in princes or men, as the troubled world, flesh and blood, is wont to do; for it is God alone who can faithfully help in all kinds of distress, and helps that [it] is called helped. Man's help is miserable and does not last long, because he himself is not sure of his life for an hour.
The 147th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for many blessings and miracles of God. First of all to Israel and Jerusalem; then to all who are in need; who also gives rain and growth to all animals, and does not let a bird go hungry, not even the useless ravens; but much more to men, especially to those who trust in his goodness and not in man and grate. For Jerusalem and Israel have the advantage of having God's word and God's service above all the nations; therefore he also does more miracles with them, and the daily miracles, such as rain, snow, ice, etc., are more widely recognized there than with the unbelievers, who do not have or do not respect God's word. Therefore, they cannot see any work or miracle of God, even though they daily feed on it with all five senses, rummaging and feasting, 1) like swine; for they know nothing of God, because they neither hear nor respect His word.
The 148th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, in which it praises God and admonishes all creatures in heaven and on earth, but especially His saints, the children of Israel, who serve Him, that is, have His word and worship. And notice that this Psalm confirms all ranks created by God to be good and praiseworthy, as kings, judges, old, young; for where kings and judges are wicked, and God is displeased, one could not praise God in them. But where kings and judges are, there are also subjects, servants, executioners, warriors, craftsmen, farmers, citizens 2c. Where there are old and young, there are husbands, children and household servants. All are praiseworthy and valid, and indicate that their Creator is good, and all should be cheaply vain tongues, and all preach such great goodness of God forever. But if you want to know how good every thing is, take before you the one you want and say: If there were no fire; item, if there were no sun, if there were no executioner, if there were no woman 2c., then you will see why one should thank God.
1) fretzen - to take their grub.
The 149th Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving for the blessing that God is gracious and merciful to His people, and they know how they have a gracious God, of whom they are glad, and is the blessing or grace called forgiveness of sin, that God will not avenge how wicked and sinful they are. Therefore, this psalm actually belongs to the New Testament, and he himself calls it a new song to sing to the king Zion, whom they should praise in their camps, that is, in their churches, where they come together; as Isaiah calls the churches and altars camps or beds, in which Israel committed fornication, that is, idolatry. Item, this is also of the New Testament, that they should have sharp swords in their hands to punish the heathen, to put kings in stocks and towers, and to execute vengeance, as it is written (for this is Jewish, yes, rather Mahmetic and Turkish) 2): Now this is the vengeance promised in the Scriptures, that Abraham's seed by the gospel, the spiritual sword, should put down idolatry in all the world, take captive all kings and wise men holiness and wisdom, and subdue them to Christ; as Paul says 2 Cor. 10, 6.
The ISO. Psalm.
It is a psalm of thanksgiving, first of all, made for the people of Israel to praise God with, that they have his sanctuary, the feast of his power, that is, his dwelling place, heaven and castle in Jerusalem, where he shows his power with miraculous deeds, and therefore calls the Jewish string plays and music, with which their praise and worship was directed. But among Christians, the preaching and gospel is all such music and worship. And notice that all psalms of thanksgiving are vain promises to the afflicted, miserable consciences, and thus say much that God is gracious, and gladly forgives all sin, and wants to give all comfort, that one should provide oneself with all good and all comfort to Him. Therefore, it is an obvious! It is therefore an obvious psalm of thanksgiving, but at the same time also secretly a psalm of consolation, and even a doctrinal psalm and a prophecy, as it proclaims God's grace with an example, and teaches to trust and believe in Him. May the same help us
2) These brackets are put by us, for the sake of understanding. Jonas translates well: Non intsllixonNum suüaice aut Muüoiuetioe, üe tvruLQiäe tkrrOng....
merciful God, our King and Lord, Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, praised forever and ever, amen.
1) I ask, if someone would like my poor service, these Summaries, that he would
1) The German Wittenberg lacks this postscript.
do not mix them into the Psalter between the Psalms. For I like to see the text for itself alone finely unmixed. So it is also not good that the Summaries (of which some are almost a Commentarius) are larger than the Psalm itself, which should stand between the text. Hereby commanded by God, Amen.