Anno 1518.
[Georg Spalatin's letter.]
Georgius Spalatinus wishes salvation and bliss to the honorable and wise gentleman, Hieronymus Ebner, Losunger 1) at Nuremberg.
Favorable Lord! The holy father, bishop and teacher, St. Augustine, in the preface to his interpretation of the holy book of Psalms, writes of their manifold praise thus: "The Psalm is a rest for souls, an ensign of peace, which tames the restlessness and turbulence of thought, subdues anger, dispels excess, instills moderation, gathers friendship, brings the quarrelsome to harmony, reconciles enemies with each other again, brings the
1) "Losunger" will probably be as much as second mayor, oenn Scheurl calls him (Briefbuch II, p. 24 and 36) ftuunaviruin and: nostruS reiputMous 86eunclns moderator.
The Psalm is a joining together and a uniting through the voices that unite the different peoples of a congregation in harmony. The psalm is a gathering and a uniting through the unison of voices, which unites the different peoples of an assembly through the unity of the same sound. The psalm chases away the devils and arouses the angels to help. The psalm is a shield in the night terrors, a rest of the daily work, a protection of the children, an adornment 2) of the young men, a comfort of the old men, and the most comfortable ornament of the women. The Psalm makes the desolate places inhabited and teaches moderation. It will be a beginning for those who are beginning, and an encouragement for those who are increasing.
2) In the original: "am zierhait".
laying. In 1887, Doleschall published this manuscript in Budapest under the title: "Eine aufgefundene LutherReliquie" ("A Found Luther Relic"), but this imprint seems to have become little known. Now this manuscript of Luther has been published in the Weimar edition, vol. IX, p. 176ff. in a completely faithful imprint with retention of the abbreviations and punctuation. The manuscript is not the print manuscript, but a concept. The main difference between the print, on which all others are based, and the manuscript is that in the latter, all of the verse summaries are missing. In detail, one finds, in addition to many, but not significant deviations, also a rather large number of corrupted passages, which, as it seems, have crept in during printing. We have used the manuscript to improve these passages, but refrain from printing the same, because in our edition the archaeological interest takes a back seat. We do not share the doubts about the authenticity of the Summaries suggested by P. Pietsch, but we are of the opinion that either Spalatin or the Augsburg printer put "priesthood" instead of "priesthood" twice, which, of course, contradicts the definition given by Luther (Z 44 z. E.).
It is the increase, the constant fortification of the perfect, and the voice of the whole church. The psalm adorns the joyfulness, and relieves the sadness, which is for the sake of God. The psalm also moves the ears from a stony heart. The psalm is a work of the angels, an exercise of the celestials, and a spiritually fragrant smoke. Also, there is nothing that is not learned from the Psalms. For 1) From them is learned all the greatness of virtue, all the manner of righteousness, all the adornment of chastity, all the perfection of prudence, and the rule of patience. From it comes all that may be called good, and especially the perfect art of God, the prophecy of the incarnation of Christ, the hope of the common resurrection, the fear of chastisement, the promise of glory, the revelation of the secret meaning. And all goods are hidden in the Psalms as in a great and common treasure, deposited and heaped together. For this reason, the first and foremost teachers of the Holy Scriptures, who were much holier in the past, took so much care, so much trouble
1) In the original: "when".
and work on the Psalms, as St. Gregory, St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Hilarius, Cassiodorus and others. And in our days the worthy, highly learned father, Doctor Martinus Luther, Augustinian at Wittenberg, who has explained to you (as a special lover of all Scripture, and especially of the holy) in honor and favor the following hundred and tenth 2) Psalm with a German interpretation. Which I have ordered to be printed here, in the hope that it will be enough for many people to improve their erroneous nature and conduct, and move them to ascribe to God alone the glory, and to themselves all infirmity. So that I have faithfully commanded myself into your favor and good opinion. Date at Augsburg, on Sunday, the eighth of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother of God and the Eternal Virgin Mary, 3) after the birth of Christ our Savior, one thousand five hundred and in the eighteenth year.
2) In the original: "neünden".
3) That is, on Sunday, which is the Octave of the Assumption of Mary. Assumption is August 15, therefore the date of this writing is August 22, 1518.