Summary
Justin Martyr did not write any commentaries on the Psalms, but he did incorporate the book of Psalms in his various writings. In fact, there are commentary-like treatments of Psalms 22 and 110 in his various writings. As I was working on my dissertation, I did a comprehensive deep dive into Irenaeus's psalm citations. I cannot claim the following list is exhaustive, but it's likely close to exhaustive. Summaries are my own, and they are quick and short. Please do not quote them.
Psalm Contributions
First Apology
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FIRST APOLOGY |
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CHAP. |
PSALM |
USAGE |
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XXXV |
Ps 22.16 |
“Through another prophet” "And indeed David, the king and prophet, who uttered
these things, suffered none of them; but Jesus Christ stretched forth His
hands, being crucified by the Jews speaking against Him, and denying that He
was the Christ. And as the prophet spoke, they tormented Him, and set Him on
the judgment-seat, and said, Judge us. And the expression, “They pierced my
hands and my feet,” was used in reference to the nails of the cross which
were fixed in His hands and feet. And after He was crucified they cast lots
upon His vesture, and they that crucified Him parted it among them. And that
these things did happen, you can ascertain from the Acts of Pontius
Pilate." |
|
XXXVIII |
Ps 22:18; Ps 3:5; Ps 22:7 |
All three psalms are quoted as places in the OT where
“when the Spirit of prophecy speaks from the person of Christ.” More, concerning 22:7, “And that all these
things happened to Christ at the hands of the Jews, you can ascertain. For
when He was crucified, they did shoot out the lip, and wagged their heads,
saying, ‘Let Him who raised the dead save Himself.’” |
|
XL |
Ps 19:2 Ps 1; Ps 2 |
“The above-mentioned prophet and king speaking thus by the
spirit of prophecy” foretold the appearance of Christ, and then quotes Ps
19:2. “We have thought it right and relevant to mention some
other prophetic utterances of David besides these; from which you may learn
how the Spirit of prophecy exhorts men to live, and how He foretold the
conspiracy which was formed against Christ by Herod the king of the Jews, and
the Jews themselves, and Pilate, who was your governor among them, with his
soldiers; and how He should be believed on by men of every race; and how God
calls Him His Son, and has declared that He will subdue all His enemies under
Him; and how the devils, as much as they can, strive to escape the power of
God the Father and Lord of all, and the power of Christ Himself; and how God
calls all to repentance before the day of judgment comes.” Justin then quotes the entirety of Psalms 1 and 2 as a way
to express that “these things were uttered thus” |
|
XLI |
Ps 96:1ff. |
“And again, in another prophecy, the Spirit of prophecy,
through the same David, intimated that Christ, after He had been crucified,
should reign, and spoke as follows:” |
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XLV |
Ps 110:1ff. |
“And that God the Father of all would bring Christ to
heaven after He had raised Him from the dead, and would keep Him there until
He has subdued His enemies the devils, and until the number of those who are
foreknown by Him as good and virtuous is complete, on whose account He has
still delayed the consummation—hear what was said by the prophet David.” Rod of power… = the mighty word the apostles preached
everywhere going forth from Jerusalem |
|
LI |
Ps 24:7 |
“Hear, too, how He was to ascend into heaven according to
prophecy.” |
|
LIV |
Ps 19:5 |
Used to speak something about Christ ahead of time, but
has been used by the demons to help craft Greek mythology |
Dialogue with Trypho
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DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO |
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CHAP. |
PSALM |
USAGE |
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XXII |
Quotes all of Ps 50 |
“That you may learn that it was for the sins of your own
nation, and for their idolatries and not because there was any necessity for
such sacrifices.” God speaks of these by Amos 5 and Jer 7, as well as “by
David” in Psalm 50, quoted as a whole.
“Accordingly [God] neither takes sacrifices from you nor commanded
them at first to be offered because they are needful to him, but because of
your sins.” |
|
XXVIII |
Ps 18:43 |
Quoted as “by David” in reference to how circumcision is
really of no effect, since God is going to be glorified among the nations. |
|
XXX |
Ps 19 |
This psalm is invoked by Justin in order to support his
claim that only those who have received the grace of God confess that God’s
statutes are sweeter than honey. |
|
XXXII |
Ps 110 In XXXIII, he goes to great lengths explaining how 110 does not speak about Hezekiah. |
Quoted as “which were spoken by David,” and introduced
with the following, “I will mention to you other words also spoken by the
blessed David, from which you will perceive that the Lord is called the
Christ by the Holy Spirit of prophecy; and that the Lord, the Father of all,
has brought Him again from the earth, setting Him at His own right hand,
until He makes His enemies His footstool; which indeed happens from the time
that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, after He rose again from the
dead, the times now running on to their consummation.” |
|
XXXIV |
Ps 72 |
Says that the psalm was “dictated to David by the Holy
Spirit” and that it “refers also to our Christ” and not to Solomon. Interestingly, he seems to treat the colophon
as separate from the psalm itself, and he does not quote the heading as part
of the psalm either. |
|
XXXVI |
Ps 24 |
Quotes Ps 24 as “the psalm of David” in reference to
how Christ is called both God and Lord
of Hosts; for Justin, this psalm is about the ascension of Christ, when the
rulers in heaven are commanded to open the gates that the ‘king of glory’
(Jesus) may enter in. |
|
XXXVII |
Ps 47:5-9; 99 |
In 47:5-9 “reference is this made to Christ”; Ps 99, as
well, “predicts him who you do not wish to be king to be King and Lord” |
|
XXXVIII |
Ps 45 |
Psalm 45 “these words are in like manner referred to
Christ”; the psalm is quoted completely |
|
XXXIX |
Ps 68:19 |
Quoted as prophecy that after Christ would ascend to
heaven, he would deliver from error and give gifts |
|
XLII |
Ps 19:4 |
“David also says” these words in order to show how the
twelve bells attached to the robes of the priests sound out the glory and
grace of God and of his Christ |
|
LV |
Ps 96:5 |
Trypho uses Ps 96:5, “[God] said by the holy David,” that
the gods of the nations are really idols |
|
LVI |
Ps 110:1; 45:6, 7 |
Justin uses these psalms to show that ‘by David’ the Holy
Spirit calls some other one God and Lord besides the Father of all things. |
|
LXIII |
Ps 110:3, 4; 45:6-11 |
Justin quotes 110, “what is said by David” in order to
show that Christ was intended to be begotten of old; Ps 45 quoted for the
same purpose |
|
LXIV |
Ps 99:1-7 Ps 72:1; 19:1-6 Note: The colophon to Ps 72 is left out of the quotation. |
Psalm 99 introduced as the “the words of David” Ps 72 introduced as “the other words of David…which you
foolishly affirm refer to Solomon, [because] inscribed for Solomon, it can be
proved that they do not refer to Solomon, and that this [Christ] existed
before the sun, and that those of your nation who are saved shall be saved
through Him.” Ps 19 is introduced as “other words also spoken by David,”
in reference to the Incarnation and Ascension of Christ |
|
LXIX |
Ps 19:5 |
Ps 19 used in defense that the Greeks stole from Scripture
at the behest of Satan |
|
LXXIX |
Ps 96:5 |
Ps 96 as “David said,” in reference to gods of the nations
being demons |
|
LXXXI |
Ps 90:4 |
Ps 90 used in reference to a day being 1000 years |
|
LXXXIII |
Ps 110 |
Using phrases from Ps 110, he shows that Hezekiah cannot
possibly be the one spoken of in Ps 110.
Instead it speaks of what happened with Christ |
|
LXXXV |
Ps 24:7 Ps 148:1, 2 |
Ps 24:7 is a prophecy that could not have referred to
Hezekiah or Solomon, but only to Christ alone; Justin also introduces Ps 24
as “the word of prophecy by David” Ps 148 is quoted without attribution as showing that there
are both angels and hosts in heaven |
|
LXXXVI |
Ps 45:7; 1:3 |
Ps 45 is quoted about the anointing oil, no ascription; Ps
1 is quoted as “and David says”, in reference to the righteous flourishing
like a palm-tree |
|
LXXXVII |
Ps 68:18 |
David is listed as among a longer list of prophets: Justin’s view of the relationship between prophecy and the
gifts of the Spirit: “Accordingly He [the Spirit] rested, i.e., ceased, when He
[Christ] came, after whom, in the times of this dispensation wrought out by
Him amongst men, it was requisite that such gifts should cease from you; and
having received their rest in Him, should again, as had been predicted,
become gifts which, from the grace of His Spirit’s power, He imparts to those
who believe in Him, according as He deems each man worthy thereof.” Ps 68 is quoted to justify these views, introduced as “he
said accordingly,” likely referring to the Spirit? |
|
LXXXVIII |
Ps 2:7 |
He quotes the psalm in support of the Spirit coming upon
Christ at his baptism. Very intriguing
understanding of the persona in this quotation: |
|
XCVII |
Ps 3:4, 5; Ps 22:16-18 |
The resurrection of Christ on the third day was declared
“by David” in Psalm 3:4-5 Ps 22 introduced as “and again, in other words, David in
the [22] psalm thus refers to the suffering and to the cross in a parable of
mystery”; he argues that no king or ‘Christ’ in the history of Jews ever
suffered or died as such save Jesus alone |
|
XCVIII |
commentary on Ps 22 |
Contains a quote of the entire psalm, introduced with
these comments: “I shall repeat the whole Psalm, in order that you may
hear His reverence to the Father, and how He refers all things to Him, and
prays to be delivered by Him from this death; at the same time declaring in
the Psalm who they are that rise up against Him, and showing that He has
truly become man capable of suffering.” |
|
XCIX |
more comment of Ps 22 |
Justin says that the whole psalm refers to Christ; verse 1
announces “from the beginning that which was to be said in the time of
Christ.” The following verses show
that Christ was suffering, understanding his fate. |
|
C |
more comments |
Commentary continues on Ps 22, showing that the Christ is
called Jacob or Israel, and that the “the praise of Israel” will be for the
resurrection of Christ on the third day |
|
CI |
more comments |
Speaking of the “I am a worm…” passage in Ps 22, Justin
writes that “When He says…He prophesied the things which do exist, and which
happen to Him.” This suggests that
Jesus, not David, prophesies. And
again, “this likewise He foretold should happen to Him. |
|
CII |
more comments |
Speaking of later verses in the psalm, “when He said…He
taught that all men ought to hope in God who created all things, and seek
salvation and help from Him; and not suppose, as the rest of men do, that
salvation can be obtained by birth, or wealth, or strength, or wisdom.” |
|
CIII |
Ps 2:7 |
The section begins by continuing to comment on Psalm 22 in
reference to how it is “a prediction of the events which happened to Him.” Ps 2 isn’t so much quoted, but is used in
reference to the baptism of Christ, before being tempted by Satan in the
wilderness |
|
CIV-CV | more comments |
Continued commentary on Psalm 22 from sections
104-106. In each section, Justin aims
to show how verses in Ps 22 are predictions of some event in the life Christ,
related usually to his passion, crucifixion, or resurrection. An interesting view of the persona is in CV
where he writes of the prayer at the end of one’s life, “the prayer that His
soul should be saved from the sword, and lion’s mouth, and hand of the dog,
was a prayer tha no one should take possession of His soul: so that, when we
arrive at the end of life, we may ask the same petition from God, who is able
to turn away every shameless evil angel from taking our souls.” In CVI, Justin says this about the end of the psalm: “The
remainder of the Psalm makes it manifest that He knew His Father would grant
to Him all things which He asked, and would raise Him from the dead; and that
He urged all who fear God to praise Him because He had compassion on all
races of believing men, through the mystery of Him who was crucified; and
that He stood in the midst of His brethren the apostles...and when living
with them sang praises to God.” |
|
CX | Ps 128:3 |
Quoted as a “prophetic word”, but the point of the
quotation is rather obscure; no ascription of authorship. |
|
CXIV |
Ps 8:3 |
The psalm is quoted in reference to how to properly
interpret prophecy. Ps 8 is used in
particular in order to properly understand metaphorical language. |
|
CXVIII |
Ps 110:4 |
Simply refers back to earlier arguments, on how that is a
prediction of Christ |
|
CXXI |
Ps 72:17 |
Ps 72 is “speaking by David about…Christ” that all nations
shall be blessed in him, not ‘in his seed’ |
|
CXXII |
Ps 2:7f. |
Ps 2 is quoted in reference to the inheritance of Christ
being the nations; “God” is the one speaking in the psalm |
|
CXXIV |
Ps 82 |
Justin quotes Ps 82, a psalm of Asaph, as “the words are
spoken by David”; psalm is quoted in reference to Christians being called the
sons of God |
|
CXXVII |
Ps 24:7; 110:1 |
David is understood as the psalmist “it is thus said by
David” in 24 and 110, which are both quoted to show that the Father and the
Son are distinct |
|
CXLI |
Ps 32:2 |
The psalm is quoted in support of the notion that if one
repents from his sins, he may receive remission of them from God |
Hortatory Address to the Greeks
XXX, Ps 115:16
On the Resurrection, fragments
V, Ps 115:5 – used to describe the true nature of idols/gods
V, Ps 96:5 – used to describe the nature of idols/gods
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