Declared 1531 to 27 Oct. 1533. Published 1540.
Newly translated from the Latin.
M. Veit Dietrich's letter to Prince Georg zu Anhalt.
To the Serene, Highborn Prince and Lord, Mr. Georg, Prince of Anhalt, Count of Ascania etc., Provost of Magdeburg, his gracious Lord, Veit Dietrich of Nuremberg wishes grace from God.
Already several times I have indicated with what intention I would do what the venerable Father Luther, my extremely dear teacher, publicly said in the school.
I am going to publish the text that Luther has presented. For I believe that it is useful for the church to have the correct and proper explanations of the Holy Scriptures, and since all scholars admire the fullness and elegance of Luther's speech, his writings are not read without benefit by those who are interested in theology. For it is very much a matter of what kind of way to speak
*These psalms, which Luther interpreted in his lectures from 1531 to 1533, were copied by Veit Dietrich in the lectures, but then copied and published in 1540, with a note to Prince George of Anhalt, dated from Nuremberg, March 15, 1540. The title is: In Huindooiin ksalrnog dradnnrn eornmontarii ex prneleetionibnk O. Nartini I.ntderi, summa üds eolleeti. Hs.v.XO. At the end: küniit Outborns k^aimos Oradnum Vuittenber^ne, anno Domini 1533. the Ootodrin. 27. dk8oripti untern sunt XoriverMO et üniti anno 1540. the .lanuaris 20. blx otüeina Eratonis Eratomiliani ^.rMntoratensie, Nense 8epteindri. ^.nno. M.D.XD. By comparing the time given here with the note we gave at the end of the interpretation of the 130th Psalm, the interesting fact arises that Luther interpreted the four Psalms 131-134 in the short time from October 1 to 27. On the basis of this, we assume that the beginning of these interpretations was set too early. A second edition appeared in the year
We make use of this in teaching, especially among the common people, who, being somewhat slow by nature, often imagine the most inconsistent opinions if the things have not been sufficiently explained in fact and in many words. When we read Augustine and other old teachers, we often see that even when they say the most familiar things, they are not sufficiently understood because they speak somewhat clumsily, but seem to say quite different things than they mean. This will be experienced especially by those who read the older church teachers, Tertullian, Irenaeus and the like. However, as far as Irenaeus is concerned, the interpreter is rather to blame, since many things indicate that he wrote in Greek. However, although I have by no means been able to express the dainty way of speaking of D. Luther's dainty manner of speaking, for since this had to be caught from the mouth of the lecturer, the hand was often unable to follow the common and rapid tongue of the interpreter, I nevertheless have a certain confidence, because I have almost always faithfully distinguished the order of the thoughts, that this lecture will also be of use to those who have a passion for theology, so that they will become accustomed to a detailed and yet proper manner of speaking when interpreting.
But I have also had this intention: Our age is exceedingly fertile in writers of every kind, and in theology, which after all (considering the greatness of things) occupies the first place among all (reliquas) professions, there is almost no one who does not wish that there should also be something of his, whether this be done out of ambition and a certain vanity of the people, according to their nature, or through a special trait (fato) that lies in our time. But among such a great number of writers, one can find very few who write in such a way that one can read them with great benefit. For besides that, that some have certain
If these people, as Basil says, have corrupted the main pieces of our religion, and almost on every single page impose their dreams on the reader in a peevish way, we see how few there are who treat the doctrine of sanctification 1) properly, for either they neglect it as a common and well-known thing, or if they do touch it once, they wrap it up in such a way that you can nowhere get out of it, for in fact these people prove their art more than their godliness, as Basil says. If now the books of these people should get out of the descendants, dear, what kind of religion will they learn from them? If we are only able to remedy this great damage to some extent by publishing Luther's lectures, will we not then be considered to have used our efforts well? For there is no better concern for our ministry than that the right doctrine be passed on to our descendants. This is the paternal inheritance, which should be preserved and bequeathed to the church primarily by those who are ordained in some part to govern the churches. Careful rulers of communities direct all their efforts and thoughts so that they not only enjoy peace and good rest themselves, but also leave a well-ordered community to their descendants. For our minds, by their very nature, lead us not to be concerned, in the manner of unreasoning animals, only with what is before our eyes, but also to look ahead to distant times (multa saecula). Therefore, as we read in Cicero, the very old peasant did not hesitate to answer the one who asked him for whom he was sowing: For the immortal gods, who wanted me to receive this not only from the ancestors, but also to the descendants.
1) In the Wittenberg edition: justiüoutionis instead of: sunetiüeLtionik.
1542 also at Strasbourg under the same title by the same printer, who at the end, however, calls himself differently, because there it says: Xr^ontorati upnU Eratonena Ll^iiuin Xn. iil.v.XHI. Moose Murtio. "The interpretation of Ps. 127 was first published in 1537 without any indication of an editor different from the author" (Köstlin, Martin Luther [3], vol. II, p. 272). Already in 1541 a German translation by Caspar Hedio appeared in Strasbourg under the title: "Auslegung v. Martin Luthers über die 15 Psalmen der Lieder im höhern Chor, in Latein genant Dkalmi Kradnuna, verdeutscht durch O. Caspar Hedio. XU O^orAinna, Luvuriae Oueem. Strassb. 1541." Another German translation, which has passed into the collections, was later made piecemeal, as we see from the Wittenberg edition. In Ps. 120-123, neither the name of the translator nor the time is given. M. Jakob Brunsberger translated Ps. 124. 133 and 134; the last two in 1555. XI. Mauritius Helling the Psalms 125. 126. 129. 131. 132, without indication of time. I). George Major the 127th Psalm in 1535 and Ps. 130 in 1539. M. Stephan Agricola the 128th Psalm in 1552. In the Latin collections our writing is found: in the Wittenberg (1549), Dorn. Ill, toi. 571; in the Jena one (1570), Dom. IV, toi. 409 b and in the Erlangen, oxeA. oxx., Dom. XIX, p. 155 and Dona. XX xor toturn. In the German editions: Wittenberger, vol. VIII, p. 1; Altenburger, vol. VII, p. 488 and in the Leipziger, vol. V, 431. Because the old translation no longer suffices for our time, we have retranslated.
hand them over. What must we do, therefore, who have been commanded by the Lord to be laborers in His vineyard and stewards in His churches? Must we not be active, strive and do everything that is in any way useful for the preservation and propagation of the salvific doctrine? For this is what the Lord intended us not only to receive, but also to pass on to our descendants. Therefore, I hope that those who love pure doctrine and are concerned about the welfare of the church will approve of this work of mine, which I have now spent many years on so that what Luther taught publicly in the school could also be seen, read and known by those who have never seen Wittenberg, the highly blessed workshop of theology and all good studies. I also have no doubt, if only there is some peace, and not everything is destroyed by war and bloodshed, that posterity will also feel some nets from this work of mine.
As far as these songs in the higher choir are concerned, I wanted them to be published mainly because they are not only delightful due to the diversity of their content, since almost every single psalm contains a special piece of Christian doctrine, but also because they are very recommendable due to their brevity. And since they are very well known because of the old usage that the pope has brought to bear in the churches, it has seemed useful to me for this reason that what was very well known through usage should also be put more to the heart of those who make use of these things through a proper interpretation.
But I wanted to attribute these psalms to you, Sublime Prince, before others, not only because you occupy a prominent place in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, for many princes have that in common with you, but also because you have combined the knowledge of the good arts and various languages with zeal for the true religion, and it was mainly through the efforts of E. F. G. that six years ago, as difficult as the times were, a true improvement of the churches in your territory was undertaken. Although this valiant action had inflamed my mind with a special love for E. F. G., it became much stronger after that, when I was allowed to read the learned
I had the opportunity to get to know the speeches and the extremely charming customs. This had often been praised to me by the extremely credible man, Georg Helt. Although I never believed that his speeches were untrue, everything was surpassed by the peculiar benevolence with which you received me and the other friends who were in the company of our teachers, D. Luther and Philip, at Dessau. In the other brothers, John and Joachim, the noble princes, I admired their Latin speech, which is very unusual at courts, the rich knowledge of all histories and the exceedingly great respectability of manners, without all courtly ambition and without all indulgence. While E. F. G. had this in common with your brothers, one had to marvel at the fact that your speech clearly showed that you have read and know most diligently everything that is available in the old church. Then, who should not admire that a prince has such an exact knowledge of the Hebrew language? Now others have great titles, that they are primates, born legates, archbishops, even cardinals: but what truly befits a bishop, and what in you all the godly rightly admire, - how many is it that has this? Your schools have other exercises and other arts, of which it is not necessary to speak. Therefore, Most Serene Prince, allow us to love you because of your truly pagan virtues, which are exceedingly befitting for a good prince and a holy bishop, and receive this small gift with such a heart as it is offered by me. We learn that it is true what St. Paul says: "Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but what is foolish in the sight of the world, that God has chosen." Therefore, since most of the bishops and princes either persecute or disrespect the Gospel, it is an exceedingly lovely spectacle for the churches to see that you, with such great ancestral splendor and in such high rank, are taking hold of the right doctrine, and with exceedingly holy zeal are engaged in propagating the true religion. Christ keep E. F. G. and guide you also further to the spreading of the honor of his name. Amen. Given at Nuremberg from the parish of St. Sebaldus. March 15, 1540.