Explained in lectures in 1532 and 1533. Issued towards the end of 1533.
ALS retranslated from Latin.
Letter from the printer to the reader.
Behold, dear reader, here we give you Martin Luther's interpretation of the 45th Psalm, which was received by his listeners with the greatest possible care. However, we could hardly obtain it from the author that we were allowed to publish the same under his name, since he found much fault with this extemporaneous explanation, which would have become either more complete or clearer if it had been carefully written down. But because he saw that the meaning was faithfully reproduced everywhere and that the main article of religion was amply treated
He has put up with the fact that there is something lacking in the way he expresses himself. We hope, however, that this work of ours will not be unwelcome to those who are concerned with the holy scriptures, for they will see what the good man had primarily in mind when he taught, and will also be able to judge the writings of others all the more easily, who, although they take great pains to impose their books on the whole world, make no mention of those things which are the most important articles of religion. Farewell and enjoy our work.
*) A single edition of this writing appeared under the title: Praelectio D. Martini Lutheri in Psalmum XLV. Wittebergae. M.D.XXXIII. At the end: Imprint D. Martini Lutheri in Psalmum XLV. Wittebergae. M.D.XXXIII. 9lm ®nbe: Imprint Wittebergae per Johannem Lufft. Anno ΧΧΧIIII From the printer's letter to the reader we see that Luther only reluctantly agreed to the publication of this writing, which had been picked up by his listeners. It was translated into German by D. Georg Major and accompanied by a letter to the Electress Sybilla of Saxony, dated "an St. Jakobstage Anno 1537". The title is: "The XI,V Psalm by D. Marti. Luther in Latin language interpreted, and now and Germanized by Georg. Maior. Wittemberg M.I>.XXXVII." On the penultimate page: "Gedruckt zu Wittemberg durch Hans Lufft. LI.V.XXXVII." In the introduction to the 4th volume, p. 27, Walch notes that an edition had already appeared earlier, in 1535, "with the inscription: der XI,V Psalm in lateinischer Sprache ausgelegt und verdeutscht durch Georg Maior." Perhaps the inscription was added to the edition of 1537. In this translation by Maior there are several omissions, namely the exhortation to diligently study the Hebrew language and the explanation of the Hebrew title. In the Latin collective editions, this interpretation is found: in the Wittenberg (1549), tom. Ill, toi. 469; in the Jena (1603), tom. Ill, toi. 4431" and in the Erlangen, 6X6Z. opp-, tc "m. XVIII, p. l28. According to Major's translation: in the Wittenberg (1553), vol. Ill, p. 489d; in the Altenburg, vol. Vl, p. 373 and in the Leipzig, vol. VI, p. 107. In 1737, Benjamin Lindner, Superintendent at Salfeld, had the translation reprinted under the title: "Des Mannes Gottes, Martini Lutheri, geistreiche Auslegung des herrlichen Brautliedes von Christo und seiner Kirche, des 45. Psalms Davids" 2c. We have retranslated according to the Erlanger.