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
Evagrius of Pontus, Scholies aux Psaumes: Vol 1 (Psaumes 1-70). Trans. Marie-Josèphe Rondeau, Paul Géhin, and Matthieu Cassin. SC 614. Paris: Cerf, 2021.
Evagrius of Pontus, Scholies aux Psaumes: Vol 2 (Psaumes 71-150). Trans. Marie-Josèphe Rondeau, Paul Géhin, and Matthieu Cassin. SC 615. Paris: Cerf, 2021.
Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons pour l'annee, tome II.2 (Sur le Psaume Qui Habitat). SC 570. Paris: Cerf, 2016.
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.
Within the Sources Chretiennes series published by CERF, modern translations in French are nearly complete:
- 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.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 1: Psaumes 1-14. Translated by Patrick Descourtieux. SC 515. Paris: Cerf, 2008.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 2: Psaumes 51-61. Translated by Patrick Sescourtieux. SC 565. Paris: Cerf, 2014.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 3: Psaumes 62-66. Translated by Patrick Sescourtieux. SC 603. Paris: Cerf, 2019.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 4: Psaumes 67-69 et 91. Translated by Patrick Sescourtieux. SC 605. Paris: Cerf, 2020.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 5: Psaumes 119-126. Translated by Patrick Sescourtieux. SC 625. Paris: Cerf, 2022.
- Commentaires sur les Psaumes, Vol. 6: Psaumes 127-133. Translated by Patrick Sescourtieux. SC 643. Paris: Cerf, 2024.
English translations are few and far between. Here is one on Ps 52 [MT 53] by Jacob J. Prahlow:
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.
Adam Kamesar, “Hilary of Poitiers, Judeo-Christianity, and the Origins of the LXX: A Translation of Tractatus Super Psalmos 2.2-3 with Introduction and Commentary,” Vigiliae Christ. 59.3 (2005): 264–85.
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