Hilary of Poitiers (ca. 315-367)

Hilary likely composed his commentary on the Psalms (Tractatus super Psalmos) between the years 364-367 CE, during the final years of his life.  The commentary makes considerable use of Origen's commentaries on the Psalms, even if Origen is never mentioned by name.  While Jerome thought that Hilary's commentary was little more than a Latin translation of Origen, Hilary does venture off to interpret in his own way.  Included in the Tractatus is an introductory Instructio Psalmorum, followed by lengthy commentaries on Psalms LXX 1-2, 9 [MT 9-10], 13-14 [14-15], 51-69 [52-70], 91 [92], and 118-150 [119-150].  In the appendix of CSEL 22, fragmentary commentary from other manuscripts also include Psalms 6-7 and 15 [16].

Critical Editions

Hilarius Pictaviensis.  Tractatus super Psalmos. I: Instructio Psalmorum; In Psalmos I-XCI.  CCSL 61.  Edited by Jean Doignon.  Turnholt: Brepols, 1997. Cetedoc 0428.

Hilarius Pictaviensis.  Tractatus super Psalmos. II: In Psalmum CXVIII.  CCSL 61A.  Edited by Jean Doignon and R. Demeulenaere.  Turnholt: Brepols, 2002.

Hilarius Pictaviensis.  Tractatus super Psalmos. III: In Psalmum CXIX-CL.  CCSL 61B.  Edited by Jean Doignon and R. Demeulenaere.  Turnholt: Brepols, 2009.

These three critical replace two former editions in CSEL 22 and PL 9:

Hilary of Poitiers.  Sancti Hilarii Episcopi Pictaviensis: Tractatus super Psalmos.  Edited by Antonius Zingerle.  CSEL 22.  Prague/Vindobonae: Tempsky; Lipzig: Freytag, 1891.

Hilary of Poitiers. "Sancti Hilarii tractatus super psalmos."  In Opera omnia.  Edited by J.-P. Migne.  PL 9:231-889.  Paris: Migne, 1844.

Hilary of Poitiers.  "Commentarius in psalmos XV, XXI, XLI."  In Opera omnia.  Edited by J.-P. Migne.  PL 9:890-916.  Paris: Migne, 1844.

Modern Translations

Hilary of Poitiers.  "Homilies on the Psalms."  In St. Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus, pp. 236-248.  Translated by E. W. Watson et al.  NPNF 9.  Series 2.  Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace.  14 vols.  1886-1900.  Reprint, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1994.  Excerpts of these on Psalms 1, 54, and 131.

Hilary of Poitiers.  Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 1: Psaumes 1-14. Translated by Patrick Descourtieux.  SC 515.  Paris: Cerf, 2008.

• A French translation using CCL 61 (ed. J. Doignon) as its critical text.

Hilary of Poitiers.  Commentaire sur le Psaume 118, I and II.  Critical text, translated, and edited by Marc Milhau.  SC 344, SC 347.  Paris: Cerf, 1988.

• A French translation using CCL 61A (eds. Doignon and Demeulenaere) as its critical text.

Secondary Literature

Paul C. Burns.  A Model for the Christian Life: Hilary of Poitiers’ Commentary on the Psalms.  Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2012.

Marc Milhau, “Sur la division tripartite du Psautier (Hilaire de Poitiers, Tr. Ps. Inst. 11),” in Le Psautier chez les Pères, edited by P. Maraval, 55–72, Cahiers de Biblia Patristica 4 (Strasbourg: Centre d’analyse et de documentation patristique, 1993).