Martin Luther

Like Augustine, Martin Luther dwelled on the Psalms throughout his entire career.  Unlike Augustine, however, Luther never pulled together his psalm resources for one definitive edition.  We are left to piece together several longer works and the homilies into a coherent whole.  Thankfully, the Weimer edition of Luther's Works and the English have pulled most of the works of Luther on the Psalms into one collection.  Several of his longer works, however, are left out of print.  I haven't found anywhere else on the web which has attempted a complete list of Luther's works, so hopefully this will help some Luther scholars in piecing together original source bibliography.  I will begin with the several more substantial works on the Psalms, and then list the homilies and expositions of the psalms found in volumes 12-14 of Luther's Works.

The First Lectures on the Psalms (1513-1515)

Martin Luther.  Doctoris Martini Lutheri scholae ineditae de Psalmis habitae annis 1513-1516: e codice Ms. Bibliothecae Regiae Dresdensis.  Edited by Johann Karl Seidemann.  Dresden: Zahn, 1876; second edition, 1880.

• These are all found in Luther's Works vol. 10-11 (WA 3-4).  Luther refers to them as mea dictate super Psalterium (10:x), and they were likely delivered from August 1513 through the fall of 1515.  The lectures consist of glosses (marginal notes of grammatical and syntactical nature) and brief scholia (comments) on the Psalms included.  They have made their way down to us from one manuscript for the scholia (in Luther's own hand), and one manuscript for the glosses (also in Luther's own hand).  The scholia are more extant in the first half of the Psalter than in the second, where the glosses are referred to by Luther more and more.  Oswald notes that while some loss of manuscript is indicated in this regard, it could be that Luther did not write out scholia for a number of Psalms (found in Vol 11).
• The introduction by Hilton Oswald notes, "In general, Luther here still follows the traditional manner of his day, presenting a fourfold interpretation of a passage and labeling these interpretations as literal (or historical), allegorical, tropological, or anagogical, but in the printed preface to the Biblical text he announces from the very beginning that all prophecy and every prophet should be interpreted as speaking of Jesus Christ" (xi).  Oswald explains that there were plans to publish the lectures by Luther himself, and there is some evidence of Luther's own preparations for this, but the plan was eventually scrapped.  Of this work, only the photocopies of the Dresden manuscript on the scholia remain.
• Volume 10 includes the scholia on Psalms 1-75.  Missing in this collection are the scholia on Psalms 3, 13-15, 19-26, 43, 46-48, 61, and 67.
• Volume 11 includes the scholia on Psalms 76-126.  Missing are Psalms 100, 103, 105, 108, 116:1-9, 117, 121, 123-125, 127-150.

Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms (1519)

Martin Luther. Complete Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, Volume I.  Translated by Rev. Henry Cole.  London: W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, 1826.

Martin Luther. Complete Commentary on the First Twenty-Two Psalms, Volume II.  Translated by Rev. Henry Cole.  London: W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, 1826.

• There are free PDFs through Google and archive.org on both volumes. The translator notes that this is the first English translation of this work, which heretofore had only been in German and Latin. Luther calls this his "second exposition which I have undertaken" and claims that it is "very different from my first" (which is certainly true). The prefatory remarks are signed by Luther in 1519, which suggests that the work was completed at this point (25 Mar 1519).  There are some truly inspiring paragraphs in this introduction which explain in one of the best ways I've read the humility needed to write on Scripture (pp. I:8-10). Luther mentions Augustine, Jerome, Hilary, Athanasius, and Cassiodorus (and "others") in his preface, perhaps showing that these were his dialogue partners.

A Manual on the Book of Psalms (1521?)

Martin Luther.  A Manual of the Book of Psalms: or, the Subject-Contents of All of the Psalms.  Translated by Rev. Henry Cole.  London: R. B. Seeley and W. Burnside, 1837; London: H. G. Bohn, 1847.

Martin Luther.  Operationes in Psalmos, 1519-1521.  Translated by Gerhard Hammer and Manfried Biersack.  Köln: Böhlau, 1981/1991.

Martin Luther.  Operationes F. Martini L. in Psalmos, Vittenbergensib. Theologiae Studiosis Pronunciatae.  Wittenbergae: Grunenberg, 1519, 1520.

Martin Luther.  Auszlegunng des hundert vnd neündten Psalmen Dixit Dominus Domino meo Doc. Martini Luther Augustiner zu Wittenberg.  Augspurg: Nadler, 1520.

Martin Luther.  Martini Lvutheri Piae Ac Doctae Operationes in Dvas Psalmorvm Decades: Iam secundo recognitae. Invenies hoc tomo.  Basileae: Petri, 1521.

 

Martin Luther.  Operationes: in psalmos.  Wittenberg: Theologiae Studiosis Pronuciatae, 1521.

• These are brief summaries on all of the Psalms.  Luther is dissatisfied with his current commentaries on the Psalms, referring I think to the two above, and speaks of his lack of time in order to complete a whole commentary on the Psalms (and only getting to Psalm 22 in his previous attempt).  This manual, dated to 1521 in the prefatory letter to his friend, seems to be his concession to the scope of the project.

Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent (1527)

Martin Luther.  A Commentary on the Psalms, called Psalms of Degrees; in which, among many other interesting subjects, the scriptural doctrine respecting the divinely instituted and honourable estate of matrimony is explained and defended, in opposition to the popish errors of monastic seclusion and enforced celibacy.  Translation by Henry Bull.  London: W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, 1819.

Martin Luther.  A commentaire vpon the XV. Psalmes, called Psalmi Graduum, that is, Psalmes of Degrees: faithfully copied out of the lectures of D. Martin Luther, very fruitfull and comfortable for all Christian afflicted consciences to read.  Translated by Henry Bull.  Introduction by John Foxe.  London: Thomas Vautroullier, 1577; London: Richard Field, 1615; London: George Miller, 1637, 1644; Lewes/Sussex: Sussex Press, 1823.

Martin Luther.  Martini Lutheri Exegetica Opera Latina; 19. Enarrationes Psalmi LI. Et. Commentarium in XV. Psalmos graduum.  Erlangae: Heyder, 1847.

Martin Luther.  Außlegung D. Martin Luthers über die funfzehen Psalmen der Lieder im höhern Chor: im Latin genant psalmi graduum.  Translated by Caspar Hedio.  Straßburg: K. Müller, 1541.

Martin Luther.  In quindecim Psalmos graduum commentarij: ex praelectionisbus D. Martini Lutheri, summa fide collecti.  Strasbourg: Cratonis Cratomliani Argentoratensis, Sep 1540, 1542.

• This commentary on the Psalms of Ascent (Ps 120-134) was first published in 1527 (?) in Latin.  They were published from lecture notes.

Collected Homilies and Expositions in Luther's Works

In volumes 12-14 of Luther's Works are collected homilies and other documents on different psalms.  These are listed first according to their volume with reference to where they are in WA.  Afterwards, they will be listed in chronological order.

Luther's Works XII: Selected Psalms I

• Ps 2 (WA 40.II, 193-312)
• Ps 8 (WA 45, 204-250)
• Ps 19 (WA 31.I, 580-586)
• Ps 23 (WA 51, 267-295)
• Ps 26 (WA 17.I, 228-243)
• Ps 45 (WA 40.II, 472-610)
• Ps 51 (WA 40.II, 315-470)

 Luther's Works XIII: Selected Psalms II

• Ps 68 (WA 8, 4-35)
• Ps 82 (WA 31.I, 189-218)
• Ps 90 (WA 40.III, 476-594)
• Ps 101 (WA 51, 200-264)
• Ps 110 (WA 41, 79-239 [8 serm 1535: May 8,10,29,30, June 5,9,12,13])
• Ps 111 (WA 31.I, 393-426)
• Ps 112 (WA 19, 297-336)

Luther's Works XIV: Selected Psalms III

• Ps 117 (WA 31.I, 223-257)
• Ps 118 (WA 31.I, 65-182)
• Ps 147 (WA 31.I, 430-456)
• Seven Penitential Psalms [6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143] (WA 18, 479-530)
• Four Psalms of Comfort [37, 62, 94, 109] (WA 19, 552-615)
• Ps 1 and 2 (WA 5, 26-74)